Customer Reviews

Museum of Lost Wonder

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you're looking for some "adventurous" reading during the coming cold winter months, you don't have to look further than Jeff Hoke's "The Museum of Lost Wonder." When I was preparing my thoughts about reviewing this book, I kept trying to figure out just where I was going to place this book as far as literary genre is concerned; How to categorize it? -- Where does it fit? Externally, it looks like just another "coffee-table" contribution. But even coffee-table books can be categorized for the most part. This book, however, is almost encyclopedic in its coverage, drawing its information from a vast variety of resources, including philosophy, astronomy, religion, biology, physics, psychology, the arts, ancient alchemy, modern quantum mechanics, and even Eastern intellectual thought. I have decided, therefore, to place this book in the seldom-used literary genre called intellectual "potpourri" (and, yes, there is such a category).

As for me, I'm going to leave it on the coffee table in my living room for quite a while so it can be easily perused by my guests and myself. It will be a coffee-table book in my home, at least for a while, although it is much more than merely another "showpiece." You see, this is a book not meant to be read from cover to cover in, say, one or two or even three sittings. This is a book to be, well, "savored"; think in terms of tasting and appreciating a fine wine or some unusual hors d'oeuvres. The enjoyment of the experience should be spread over time.

I think the best approach to this book is this: pick it up, read the introductory parts, and then skim through it, briefly pondering the excellent (and should I say, "tantalizing"?) artwork offered, and stopping here and there to read some of the text as one's interest is piqued. Then come back to the book now and then, find a section of particular interest, read that section, maybe do a few of the suggested experiments (yes, there are some interesting little adventures here!), and maybe put some of the models together. Models? Oh, yes, this is much more than a book to be read. It is also an "activity" book and, I suggest, mainly for older teenagers or adults (most of the models would prove difficult for young children to assemble, in my opinion). There are seven models that can be put together to illustrate the seven themes (or "exhibit" halls) of the "museum."

And, yes, it is truly a "museum," although not like one most of us are familiar with. The purpose of this museum is clearly stated by the author: "Discover...forgotten things in the world around us. Recover...forgotten things in the world within you. Uncover...forgotten things not in this world at all." There is no doubt that the museum -- that is, the book -- lives up to its purpose. As the author's bio in the back of the book points out: "This is not just a book, but an experience." And that, it truly is. One of the experiences you'll have is being accompanied through the museum, er..."book," by "Gnomon," a cartoonish stick-figure who appears now and then in comic strips or individual panels and seems to function as sometime guide and sometime thought-provoking character.

Each one of the seven exhibit halls has a specific theme, beginning with "Calcinatio" (Hall of Technology), continuing with "Solutio" (Hall of Aquaria), Coagulatio" (Zoological Garden),"Sublimatio" (The Observatory), "Mortificatio" (Mausoleum of History), "Separatio" (Science and Faith), and ending with "Conjunctio" (Gallery of the Arts). Each of these exhibit halls has its own "Muse"; now, if you don't know what that is, you'll have to find out for yourself. Within these informative halls the reader will recognize the likes of famous philosophers, including Plato, Aristotle, and Descartes, some very influential scientists, such as Abraham Maslow and Sir Isaac Newton, as well as discussions of topics both futurific and arcane. How about playing the "Heroic Vacation Game"? How about building a "Carousel of Life" model? How about performing a "sensory deprivation experiment" right at home? These and much more are here in "The Museum of Lost Wonder."

Now, a few words of warning to potential readers -- and these reflect strictly my own personal assessment of the book. If you have a closed mind, limited in its capacity for imaginative thought, this may not be the best book for you (although, I guess it could help open your mind a little if you gave it a chance!). If you are really squeamish about uncomfortable and unfamiliar ideas, you may want to think twice about reading this book (on the other hand, maybe this is just the antidote you need!). And, finally, if intellectual "weirdness" and wandering into "strange" territory will challenge your own beliefs and you're fearful of having to rethink those beliefs, you may want to pass this book by (but, of course, you'll pass up an opportunity to expand your horizons and enhance your life!). So, if you decide to go ahead and experience a trip through this "museum of lost wonder," don't say I didn't warn you.

In conclusion, just let me say that Hoke's book is delightfully enlightening and indulgently educational and the artwork is extraordinary, witty, and, in many ways, downright clever. And speaking of the artwork, which is really the bulk of the book (at least it seems that way), I'm glad that he was the one drawing it all because I wouldn't attempt to take on such a massive project (and it would be interesting to know how much time it took him to draw all the illustrations!). I highly recommend this book to everyone who really enjoys the experience of "wondering," that childlike phenomenon that we adults all too often lose, much to our own regret. This is a thought-provoking, mind-expanding, and thoroughly engaging book and, if you actually do the experiments and assemble the models, you'll get some physical exercise, too! What more could a reader ask for the cold winter months to come?

This isn't your ordinary book. That was my first impression upon seeing the dust jacket. This impression deepened when I took the dust jacket off to see the beautiful and substantive artwork engraved on the cover. The heavy paper used in this book also speaks of quality. The tone thus set by form, substance followed.

One of the things I have noticed in reading material selection is that people generally select books or periodicals that support what they already believe. For example, people with far left beliefs tend to read the New York Times and consequently see the world only through that lens. We tend to filter out input that challenges our beliefs, thus those same people who read the NYT generally don't read Ann Coulter. Of course, the reverse is true as well.

Most of us go through life being comforted in our existing perspective, because most everything we read or hear supports what we believe. If you look carefully at your own choices, you will almost certainly see this is the case. Which brings us to Hoke's book.

Often, referring to a book as "challenging your views" is a way of saying it's "in your face" and probably espousing the particular opinions of the author. That's not the case, here. Hoke merely presents information and asks questions that make us wonder about how thing work, how things are, and even the why.

The book comes across as built, rather than written. Hoke uses the display theme in the actual content, reflecting what's intimated by the title. Every museum I've visited (and I've lost count of them) has its artifacts arranged into groupings of a particular theme. You may wander around in one room or a group of interconnected rooms to view a particular grouping. These groupings might be called halls, gardens, galleries, collections, exhibits, and so forth. This book presents ideas the way a museum presents artifacts. It's a clever concept, and well-executed.

The book also contains seven templates for paper construction projects, in the form of models that help the reader explore a particular concept. I personally am mortified at the thought of taking scissors to a book like this. Hoke can challenge my view on this one all he wants, and he'll make zero progress. The solution is very simple, though: cut up and fold a photocopy of each model plan, thereby preserving the book and enjoying the model at the same time.

As an example of what you'll find in this book, consider Chapter III. This is titled, "Coagulatio." The subtitle is "The Zoological Garden in the Museum of Lost Wonder." The page immediately preceding the chapter title page contains pertinent artwork, the word "Introspection," and a quote from John Muir. That quote is "Most people live on the world, not in it."

As we proceed through this chapter, we read interesting facts on the various "displays"--just as we would in a physical museum. But we'll also find such things as a thought experiment, a Plato vs. Aristotle exhibit, a "Duck or Bunny" exhibit, a brain mattering diagram, a visitor survey, Experiment Alley ("Imagining a Self"), a pattern for a model that illustrates several concepts (memes, scenes, genes....), and quite a few other interesting items. Every chapter is like that--giving the sense of walking through a museum and enjoying the exhibits. As with a physical museum, each exhibit has its own reason for being there. It isn't necessarily sequential to (or even tied to) the other exhibits.

One of the chapters contains a section on how to have visions, and it contains several exhibits on the subject. That, of course, segues into the section on dreams. This, again, replicates the museum experience. But this particular museum aims at getting the reader to wonder, to think, and to step outside the constraints of simple fact and look beyond immediate perceptions.

Hoke's own words best sum up the point of this book. "Unlike modern museums that try to separate fact from fancy, the Museum of Lost Wonder encourages you to join these seemingly disparate ways of looking at things so you can decide what's meaningful." This is the challenge presented to the reader.

On the dust jacket cover is a simile of a standard admittance ticket--one of those little tickets that comes on a roll of 500 or 1,000 and says, "Admit One" on it. On this ticket, we read, "7 Exhibit Halls -- 7 Paper Models. Turn Your 2-D Ideas into 3-D Reality. Leave Your Baggage at the Door."

Then comes the kicker: "Everything You Need is Inside!" Does Hoke mean inside the book, or inside the reader? The answer to that depends on you. If you have an imagination and a sense of wonder about this amazing universe, then grab this book and prepare to boldly go where you no doubt have not gone before.

First allow me to extend my thanks to the several other reviewers who gave lengthy and informative reviews of this book. Without them, this review would be much longer.

This book has filled for me a very personal need for synthesis in science and mysticism. It is excellent in both its content, but also its approach. Jeff Hoke has managed to balance his satire of both mainstream science and orthodox religion very well. Regardless of what your personal background may be, this book will make you question some aspect of your current paradigm of thinking.

Further merit must be extended to Hoke for his popular delivery of some very interesting and profound ideas connecting alchemy and psychology. Although these ideas are largely due to the work of Carl Jung, the simultaneous presentation of a physical process of transformation (alchemy) and a mental process of transformation (a quest for transcendence) reflects the authors deft abilities as a museum exhibit designer. Having done some museum exhibit design for a course at MIT, I see that the themes of repetition and symbolism, visual splendor and quality text-based content, show the mark of a true master.

For someone who is interested in general patterns of varying systems, this book is a true delight. The focus on archetypes found in multiple settings, whether it be the origin and evolution of things in the physical universe, or the stages of personal development one encounters throughout life and one's quest for self-actualization and transcendence, is truly inspiring. Having the isomorphism between the physical and the mental sketched out in broad strokes is what really earns this book its five stars.

Before signing off, I must comment on some of the negative aspects of the book. There are sections and quotes, which make me question the historical accuracy of the book. This is a minor point and pales in comparison to the book's better qualities. I am not a professional historian, so take the following critiques with a grain of salt. Hoke tries to bill Socrates as an important figure who, upon sentencing, "escaped [the Athenian government's] wrath by suicide." (page 76) A read of Plato's dialogues Crito, Phaedo, the Apology, etc. show that Socrates was ordered to drink Hemlock posioning as his sentence, which he faithfully obeyed (seeing it as a commitment to the democratic process of Athens). This historical fact is extremely important for understanding a large section of Plato's work. Hoke's portrayal of Socrates as a coward escaping punishment through suicide, left a really bad taste upon first reading. The book still has its merit, but a little fact-checking would have prevented this unnecessary blemish.

Finally, I have to vent a little on the all too common popular packaging of just plain false things about quantum mechanics. Mr. Hoke joins in on this saying that a century of quantum mechanics has taught scientists that "the key to objectivity is to be emotionally detached to the point where we don't taint our experiences with projections of personal expectations" (page 84). This statement is true of the scientific method in general, pre-dating quantum mechanics handedly. Hoke, like so many other popularizers tries to bill the idea that somehow the Schrodinger equation includes a variable for the experimenter's mental state, where it certainly does not. Fortunately for all of us, Hoke sticks mostly to what he knows and appeals only generally to science.

Take psychology and science, add a healthy spiritual/new age dose and then meld all with a graphic novel-style format and you have a truly special recipe with MUSEUM OF LOST WONDER, written by an exhibit designer for the Monterey Bay Aquarium who seeks to flavor non-scientists with the wonders of nature. MUSEUM takes the form of a walk through eight exhibit halls, representing the eight stages of the alchemical process, and covers subjects from museum history and zoological realities to examining the meaning of life. Sharp graphics and hands-on activities will appeal to entire families. Searching for something indescribably different? MUSEUM OF LOST WONDER is your ticket to adventure.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

The Museum of Lost Wonder is a pop-up book for adults, a Maurice Sendak cartoon narrative for grown-ups. The text contains an eclectic blend of philosophical tidbits, scientific factoids, history, alchemy, New Age musings on dream states, visions and hypnosis, Tibetan Buddhism, and quantum physics, all presented in the form of enchanting illustrations and gorgeous artwork.

Author Jeff Hoke, senior exhibit designer at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, CA, and an award-winning creator of museum exhibits, was inspired by the eclectic museums and curiosity cabinets of the 1600s. As such, The Museum of Lost Wonder is constructed as a storehouse for arcane bits of knowledge. Despite the grandiose claims of self-discovery, going through the book is like wandering through a funhouse. The seven "exhibit halls" (i.e., chapters) begin with "The Hall of Technology," whose ambitious exhibit is entitled, "The Beginning of Everything." The other exhibit halls have similarly provocative "exhibits," with titles such as "Who Are You?" and "What Is Reality?"

Each hall includes a fold-out, do-it-yourself model that is reminiscent of an Escher painting or a Rube Goldberg creation, with such titles as "Path of Destiny Peep Show" or the "Carousel of Life." The reader is instructed to cut the paper to build the models, but I was reluctant to do so because it would destroy the integrity of this gorgeous book.

At nearly $50, this book may out-price itself for what it delivers in terms of mystical wisdom or esoteric knowledge. But it is a marvelously beautiful piece of work, the top of the line in the tradition of the coffee table book. The Museum of Lost Wonder is well worth the time spent browsing through it--and its expensive cover price.
Mysteries Magazine

I'm not sure what this book set out to do, but it certainly fires up the imagination of anyone who looks at it. The drawings and constructions are masterful, the little experiments and mental expeditions are thought provoking and the organization is absolutely indecipherable. If you have a brain and it could use a little exercise, get this book.

I have waded in and out of "Museum of Lost Wonder" several times and am stunned by its density of interesting and amusing ideas. This book flits about from one idea/tone/literary genre to another with almost unbearable frequency, and is thus very hard to pin down. Within the parody of the museum guidebook, there are highly-detailed but bizarre diagrams, visual and verbal puns, clever symmetries and other gems to reward the careful reader. Destined to be a cult classic on par with the Dr. Bronner's Magical Soap label... I'm getting copies for EVERYONE I know.

An excellent book full of mystery, symbol, delight and magic.
It is engaging, provacative and beautiful.

Like I wrote in the title,yes,this book is definitely unusual. Covering subjects such as Science,Psychology & Philosophy,the book is divided into with titles such as "Calcinato"(or the Hall of Technology),"Separatio"(Lab of Science & Faith)etc. There are facts galore:for example the term "Po" is a combination of of "yes and no". Also,in order to help represent the ideas presented, there are several models to cut out and assemble that I found ranged from fairly easy to frustratingly difficult. Completed,the ones I did well at were really rather cool and quite decorative(especially for a bookshelf or kid's room) The optical illusions,while nothing new to me, for the most part are fun. In conclusion ,there is basically something for everyone in this book,and much like a real museum, it definitely does make you think about subjects and concepts which is what the author,who(not surprisingly) creates museum exhibits, intended. Dive in with an open mind and you'll most likely get something out of this "Museum".

A beautiful book, interesting, creative, but somehow a bit quaint. The last forty pages seem very disjointed, but maybe I just missed the point. The artwork is meant to be in an old style, 1900's style with broad and heavy lines and unrealistic imagery. Yet intriguing.

It is worth the price of purchase just because it is so intriguing while at the same time being sometimes a bit too cutesy in a seeming effort of being creative.

Give the book a try. It is worth the mental tweaking.