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65 of 67 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful Book, Wrong Title, December 27, 2008
This review is from: The Gentle Art of Domesticity: Stitching, Baking, Nature, Art & the Comforts of Home (Hardcover)
This book suffers from a misleading title. "The Gentle Art of Domesticity" suggests a how-to book filled with recipes and patterns and helpful hints. A more accurate title might have been "The Portrait of the Artist as a Housewife" or "Gentle Domesticity: The Art of Jane Brocket."
Have no doubts about it: Jane Brocket is an artist. She has a vivid sense of color, pattern and texture that bursts through every page of this book. You wonder how anyone can bring themselves to eat her baked goods, they're so gorgeous. She is also a marvelous photographer.
Instead of a how-to book, consider this an illustrated argument that domestic crafts--knitting, quilting, baking, sewing--should be taken seriously as artistic endeavors, that utility is not the enemy of beauty, that everyday things can and should be aesthetically pleasing, that there is value in the homemade. The domestic arts are deeply pleasurable for both those who practice them as well as for those who are the lucky recipients of homemade socks and brilliantly frosted cupcakes.
When I was a kid, back in the '70s, it was common for people to say, "If women are equal to men, why are there no great women artists?" It took me years to realize that I was surrounded by great women artists, knitters, needleworkers, and cooks, to mention only a few. Jane Brocket is an artist. Her book is inspiring, visually delightful, and well-written. I enjoyed learning more about her process and her thoughts about color (she is a color genius) and the joys of crafting.
My only caveat would be: Understand what kind of book you're getting yourself into before you buy it. The negative reviews posted here seem to be the result of people buying "The Gentle Art of Domesticity" thinking it would be something other than what it is.
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75 of 83 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Love/Hate Review, October 19, 2008
This review is from: The Gentle Art of Domesticity: Stitching, Baking, Nature, Art & the Comforts of Home (Hardcover)
I bought this book because it was recommended in some of my favorite blogs but I must agree with the 2 star review that the author seems almost secretly embarrassed that she spends her days cooking, knitting, quilting, etc. So coming out to the world with this book she brings up her education credentials constantly. I guess I am trying to express that I found her writing (to emulate her dearth of the common vernacular) grandiloquent. So that is the Hate part of the review. The Love part is that I do like to look into what inspires, moves & drives people to create. I am a list person so an introduction to some new movies, artists, recipes and places kept me reading. I personally do not subscribe to her color theory but the product & photos are beautiful. So my final word is I am happy to have read the book. I feel I got my money's worth but I would recommend skipping her more pretentious passages. I mean, really, when is the last time you used the word ludic?
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59 of 71 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Lovely pictures, a few good recipes...., September 21, 2008
This review is from: The Gentle Art of Domesticity: Stitching, Baking, Nature, Art & the Comforts of Home (Hardcover)
I was so excited when this book was released in the US, however I find myself disappointed.
The photos are fantastic and the few (maybe five or so?) recipes that are in this book interest me. Other than that this book falls flat. I find the book MUCH too wordy (and yes, I know books usually do contain many words). She just talked about herself way too much, almost to the point of annoyance. It seems like a collection of favorite stories, quilts (no patterns, just pictures), knitting (once again, just photos), and favorite movies and books. The reader is also constantly reminded of her education throughout the book (MA, MW, shelved PhD).
Long story short- this seems like a personal journal full of fantastic photos. I don't know the author, so I couldn't really care less about her personal prefrences. I feel like this will be a nice book for her children/grandchilren one day. Way too personal. I really don't feel that this should be called a "craft book". This book is more inspirational if anything.
I will keep the book though, only for the photos.
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