I first heard of Henry Darger from the beautiful and surreal documentary, In the Realms of the Unreal. I was immediately captivated wanting to know more about this man and the worlds he created. Its hard not to be intrigued with Henry Darger. A quiet and reclusive man, Darger created enormous works, some with over 10,000 pages of text and illustrations, but shared them with no one. It was only after his death that his work was discovered and shared with the world. Jim Elledges new biography,Henry Darger, Throwaway Boy, explores the life and work of this haunted and misunderstood artist. Featuring full-color reproductions of his art and never-before-seen photographs, this book is a must-read for anyone who has been enchanted by Dargers magical world. Henry Darger, Throwaway Boy is available at the Richardson Library, call number: 700.92 D217E2013
In her new collection of poems, Dog Songs, Mary Oliver masterfully captures the powerful relationship that exists between humans and their furry companions. In 35 simple, but beautifully written poems, the Pulitzer Prize winning poet illustrates the profound and personal connection she has had with dogs; a connection that all dog-lovers will relate to. If you enjoy poetry and have a four-legged best friend of your own, be sure to check out Dog Songs. Dog Songs: Thirty-Five Dog Songs and One Essay is available at the Richardson Library, call number: 811.54 O487D
I will be the first to admit that I have absolutely no sense of fashion. I am not sure which colors match and which ones clash, I don’t understand skinny jeans, and for years I thought the two Cs in the Coach logo stood for Coco Chanel (that’s serious). Perhaps it was this ignorance that drew to me to Colin McDowells new book The Anatomy of Fashion: Why We Dress the Way We Do. Or, more likely, it was the brilliantly designed book itself, which is filled with over 500 photographs, paintings, and film stills that illustrate the rich history that the author explores in the text. Whatever the reason, I thoroughly enjoyed looking through this book. And while I doubt it will improve my personal fashion sense, it’s definitely worth checking out! The Anatomy of Fashion is available at the Richardson Library, call number: 391.009 M1383A2013