Heart Stones [Hardcover]

Josie Iselin (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2008

A heart stone is one of nature's gifts. Heart stones are not rare or precious in the typical sense--a good scour of a beach with any stones at all will usually turn up one or two heart-shaped stones. But heart stones, lifted from their obscurity, with all of their cracks and blemishes, lopsided and imperfect, are simply the best find on any beach. Beachcombers collect them, keep them as talismans, and give them to friends and lovers.

Josie Iselin, author of Abrams' very popular Beach Stones, has put together a magical collection of 100 heart stones, and each one expresses a universal feeling. Love, passion, admiration, obsession, reassurance, joy, intrigue, comfort, wonder, and many other human emotions seem to be portrayed in these homely but appealing objects. This little book can bring great pleasure to anyone who has ever sought inspiration and solace in nature.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Josie Iselin is a photographer and installation artist. She holds a Bachelors degree from Harvard in Visual and Environmental Studies. Although her training is in traditional photography, she now uses a flatbed scanner and a computer, exclusively, to produce images. Her work has been exhibited at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Intersection for the Arts, SF Camerawork, and art galleries in and around San Francisco, where she lives. She is the creator of Beach Stones, Leaves and Pods, and Seashells, all published by Abrams.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (January 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810994658
• ISBN-13: 978-0810994652
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #49,897 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #1 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Arts & Photography > Art > Art History > Criticism
  • #1 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Science > Nature & Ecology > Rocks & Minerals
  • #1 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Collections, Catalogues & Exhibitions

More About the Author

Josie Iselin is a photographer who has foregone the tradition of the camera; she uses her flatbed scanner exclusively to generate her stunning imagery. Iselin has created six books on forms in nature, each more luscious in detail than the next. Beach Stones was the first, published in 2006 by Abrams, followed by Leaves & Pods and Seashells. A tiny book of Heart Stones came out for Valentine's Day, 2008. In Spring 2010, Beach: A Book of Treasure was published by Chronicle Books. As both writer and photographer, Iselin pushes deeper into what we find at the beach, both scientifically, personally and historically. The collaged imagery is spectacular, the text is lyrical and informative. The mix of science and artistry makes all these books provocative for both the visual explorer--those wanting to know more about the natural artifacts we find around us--and those concerned with where our planet is heading. Her sixth book is due February 2012. Sea Glass Hearts is a luscious gem of sea glass imagery, with hearts to find on every page. The book is also a love song for the beach, a poem describing that moment when we find our hearts desire at the waters edge.

Josie Iselin lives on a steep hill in San Francisco with her husband and three kids.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars amazing, February 23, 2008

By 

ls (PA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Heart Stones (Hardcover)

my mother used to collect stone hearts - sometime I just couldn't 'see' the heart shape but she always could - it must be an artist thing - there is now a small following of her artist friends than manage to find all the hearts along the shoreline. its a gift she was able to share with them and now, I found this book - I wish I could have shared it with her. Its beautiful and brought back so many wonderful memories - it prompted me to really look at the stones I've massed together from mom - there are so many hearts - i never knew the treasures so close at hand. now maybe I'll be able to find those washed up on the shore. Its a wonder book - a simple joy.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gift For and From the Heart, February 15, 2009

By 

Kendra Kett "Author of The Pinwheel Girl Take... (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Heart Stones (Hardcover)

This is a sweet, charming book! I have been collecting heart shaped rocks for many years -- it's amazing how many there truly are to find. Perhaps this is nature's way of reminding us that our hearts are always available, near, accessible, and ever present amidst the often overlooked details of our chaotic, busy and overscheduled lives. Thanks for the reminder that love is everywhere!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Little Book, July 9, 2008

By 

R. K. Weyrick "paufrance" (Wapello, Iowa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Heart Stones (Hardcover)

This is a cute Little Book, (little) But the pictures are great. I have been collecting Heart Shaped Stones for all my adult life, and now have my family members looking for them too. Heart Shaped Stones are just so neat. When you find one its like finding a treasure!