We hope you will join us for the final Not Fiction Book Discussion of 2008. We will consider Maira Kalman's The Principles of Uncertainty, which existed first as a blog for the New York Times. Kalman has written and illustrated a dozen children's books, created numerous covers for The New Yorker, and designed products for The Museum of Modern Art, sets for Mark Morris Dance Group, accessories for Kate Spade and fabric for Isaac Mizrahi. The first question we will ponder? "What is this book?" Kalman answers that question on her book jacket with another. "What is anything?" She does, however, offer readers this description: "This is a year in my life profusely illustrated. Abounding with anguish, confusion, bits of wisdom. Musings, meanderings, buckets of joie de vivre and restful sojourns." While life is full of uncertainty, it is also full of possibility . . . especially the possibility that there will be mocha creme cake Tuesday, December 2 at 7:00 p.m. in Meeting Room A at Main Library in downtown Charleston. We hope to see you there or hear from you here on the blog.
Oh, how sad to miss the mocha creme cake! Kate suggested I comment here since I can't make the discussion, so here's my book report! :)
ReplyDeleteTo me, this book seems to be about answering the question from her December post that is also on the cover: "...if that is true [that we are destined to extinction] and it IS true, what is the Point?"
Kalman responds to her existential concerns by focusing on the details. So even though this book is made up of tiny, even disjointed fragments, they weave together a narrative filled with sorrow, and joy, and beauty, and every emotion you might expect from a "real" book.
I really love how matter-of-fact she is, despite all the tassels and chocolate and pink. Some of her sentences were so blunt and full of truth it almost took my breath away, like when she said near the beginning (about her mother), "She is no longer alive, and it is impossible to bear."
Also, her handwriting and drawings are Great. I think this makes a wonderful book.