I'm a hobbyist taxidermist and a bibliophile but somehow I've never read a single book on taxidermy before. Let's change that with Wonders Are Collectible.
In this non-fiction on the subject, we delve deep into the topic of taxidermy. The author covers its history, methods and uses throughout the ages, how taxidermy is used in modern art, how various people view it, etc.
Whether I recommend this book is 100% up to the type of person you are. If you like taxidermy or are even just neutral on it, I'd say: check it out. This is a good book and it does the topic justice without using too much jargon. The chapters are short and insightful, there's a ton of photos and illustrations to go along with things, and overall it's just a pleasant read.
If you are sensitive to the topic of animal death in general or don't like taxidermy, however, I recommend you steer clear of this because I don't think it'll change your mind. Not that it's not a good book, but it also does highlight the negative aspects of taxidermy (e.g. how, especially in the past a lot of animals were just hunted/killed solely for taxidermy reasons) and there are a lot of photos. So if you don't want to see dead animals I don't recommend you read this. Especially since some of the taxidermy (most notably the more creative modern uses that don't stick to being realistic) could be seen as a bit shocking when you consider this was a living and breathing creature once. To each their own, so thread carefully if you're sensitive to the subject.
But for those who are willing to give it a chance, like I said above, this is a great look into the subject. The chapters aren't too long and it doesn't go mega in-depth, but as an introduction to the subject as a whole this is a good starting point. Give it a chance if you're up for it, but it's also valid one wants to give it a pass due to it not being their cup of tea.
Rating: 4/5
No comments:
Post a Comment