I've no doubt that more projects have run into more problems than the few mentioned here, just because that *always* happens over time. The intentionsI've no doubt that more projects have run into more problems than the few mentioned here, just because that *always* happens over time. The intentions and plans of people rarely work as anticipated and needs change. Overall the book is hopeful, optimistic, and reflects some very solid values about resilience, and sustainability, about beauty, and dignity. The projects presented here cover an array of needs and uses, and whatever flaws they might show over time, the intentions are good.
DLYGAD [2] in addition to promoting the organization (now grown and morphed into WorldChangers, I believe) and its aims, also offers a great deal of the purely pragmatic: there is quite a lot of logistics information about how entities, governmental or non- should serve people they want to help. Special bonus points for seeking out the areas that aren't inundated with helpers after an emergency because there are always people who don't get the focus of attention. While there is a great deal of idealism there is also the open source architecture resource, among others, such as how to organize efforts at a distance. It isn't possible for one entity to overcome centuries of colonization and an ever-recurring pattern of stealing from everyone in order to enrich the few, any more than it is possible for one robberbaron (or these days, oligarch, or just plain billionaire) to redeem years of ongoing theft with good works. The lessons of Carnegie are apt here. But, if we cannot turn the tide against disastrous economic and political policies, we can, and should, do all possible to mitigate some of the harms. Kindness and respect count, always, and it is good for me to be reminded of that.
Color is important to me: it establishes mood, helps me organize, highlights for focus. [I have an extensive collection of bookmarks, of which a largeColor is important to me: it establishes mood, helps me organize, highlights for focus. [I have an extensive collection of bookmarks, of which a large proportion are paint chips from hardware stores, and picking the particular bookmark for each book reliably sparks joy. I would *love* to own a full set of pantone series] I don't know were I saw this book mentioned, but I knew I wanted to get my eyes on it. And, having lingered over every photo, Betsy Wentz is the designer I would call before any others. The book provides a good range of aspirational dreams along with realistic advice for DIY on any budget. One thing I particularly appreciated was that the Wentz aesthetic didn't overwhelm the personality of the households she was working with. She has preferences and go-to ideas, obviously, because not every single thing can or should be a distinct heavily-invested choice. I have always loved beautiful pictures of beautiful rooms, and mostly not as inspiration. Anyway, highly recommended for the sheer pleasure of looking alone.
Here's a weird thing though: I don't think the chips for each home are properly identified. Yes, I looked at every single one and read off the brands and color names, and somehow quite a few are misaligned, although probably only within the chapter set. Truly an unfortunate error given the nature of the book. Anyone wishing to use a particular color would be advised to verify they're choosing correctly.
In my review for the first Julia's House book I mentioned the chair and the house itself. Specifically, how they evoked "cozy" so effec2025 January 14
In my review for the first Julia's House book I mentioned the chair and the house itself. Specifically, how they evoked "cozy" so effectively. Eight years on since reading it, the chair had stuck with me. Reader, I have a pinterest board full of chairs old and new which approximate Julia's, but were not it. So, with it being winter and with a bit of snow on the ground, I stocked up on some cozy library books. These three books capture the comfort of "home" in the best possible way: absolute and unquestioning acceptance, and peace maintained by cooperation and shared housework. Still lovely.
But, funny thing: the chair isn't as I remembered it. Like those I've collected, it is similar, but the arms aren't as big as in my mind, and the back is taller, possibly even flared out a tad. Eyewitness testimony is garbage, of course, and memory only feels like a picture. Anyway, my focus shifted, and after my re-read, and going back through all of them to look at her chair (which is also featured far less than I recalled), I went back through them all again to sketch out the floor plan. And, can't be done. One could pick an exterior view and work something up, but the house can't be captured. It changes about: windows move, the porch wraps around the house and it also doesn't, etc. Well, that's probably a bit inconvenient, but it suits the stories well. I'll just have to design whatever suits.
And speaking of design: Julia's workshop is brilliant. She has a drawing board, and one of the lovely old black enamel sewing machines with gold trim. Not only is Julia resourceful, she also has resources, and the space to wield them. I'd much rather have a workroom like her's than a dining-room-turned-office with projects in process around the edges of a computer desk.
This is a focused and explicit lesson on pictures, and a very practical guide to creating and evaluating picture20 April 2025
This is unutterably cool.
This is a focused and explicit lesson on pictures, and a very practical guide to creating and evaluating pictures using the example of Little Red Riding Hood. Besides the natural audience of book creators, librarians, and teachers it is just very interesting to have someone show a picture and say "here's what you're seeing and how you're interpreting it." Most of us probably (maybe? I am always learning of things that I think of as being nearly universal among humans and which are not, such as visual snow; or that I didn't know were nearly universal because I don't have them, such as a visual imagination) don't think about pictures being culturally specific not only in the choice of media and subject, but in terms of what information we get from it. Plus I always appreciate when someone gives me the unspoken rules of things.
***
My apologies for doing a very bad job of describing why this book is so cool to me because I read it 7 months ago, and whatever sort of comments I wrote at the time were not preserved, because I had chosen the turtleback edition of the book, which for some reason was marked as not an actual book, rather than just another format, so whatever I wrote vanished, along with my rating.
Gratitous digression: For some reason, scheduling probably, I chose music to meet my requirement for a survey of an art class for my degree rather than visual art. Such a pity, because I am functionally tone deaf, so music is hard for me. Visual arts are much more my thing. I have no idea what else was offered, probably not any of these, but a history of publishing (as the physical process of recording and sharing information), world literature, theater, dance, textiles, furniture, and architecture all come to mind as things I would have been more engaged in and more likely to derive lasting value from. Point is, I have over the years filled in some of my knowledge gaps and I always enjoy it. Cross-cultural topics are fascinating, and, as in this book, really good at showing some of the many options available for [every aspect of every thing] and considering why, or how, those options were selected. Living in the mainstream culture of a society that up until quite recently exported it's culture worldwide, one does get exposed to as much difference between cultures as is routinely seen in many other places.
Library copy, which doesn't prevent it from being a real book ...more
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