Sacred Geometry (Wooden Books) (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "Begin with a sheet of paper..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Geometry is one of a group of special sciences - Number, Music and Cosmology are the others - found identically in nearly every culture on earth. In this small volume, Miranda Lundy presents a unique introduction to this most ancient and timeless of universal sciences. Sacred Geometry demonstrates what happens to space in two dimensions - a subject last flowering in the art, science and architecture of the Renaissance and seen in the designs of Stonehenge, mosque decorations and church windows. With exquisite hand-drawn images throughout showing the relationship between shapes, the patterns of coin circles, and the definition of the golden section, it will forever alter the way in which you look at a triangle, hexagon, arch, or spiral.

Small Books, Big Ideas Historically, in all known cultures on Earth, wise men and women studied the four great unchanging liberal arts -numbers, music, geometry and cosmology-and used them to inform the practical and decorative arts like medicine, pottery, agriculture and building. At one time, the metaphysical fields of the liberal arts were considered utterly universal, even placed above physics and religion. Today no one knows them.

Walker & Company is proud to launch Wooden Books, a collectable series of concise books offering simple introductions to timeless sciences and vanishing arts.

Attractively simple in their appearance yet extremely informative in content, these unusual books are the perfect gift solution for all ages and occasions. The expanding title range is highly collectable and ensures continuing interest. In addition, the books are non-gloss and non-color, appealing to a greener book-buying public. Wooden Books are ideally suited to non-book outlets.

Wooden Books are designed as timeless. Much of the information contained in them will be as true in five hundred years time as it was five hundred years ago. These books are designed as gifts, lovely to own. They are beautifully made, case-bound, printed using ultra-fine plates on the highest quality recycled laid paper, finished with thick recycled endpapers and sewn in sections. There are fine, hand drawn illustrations on every page.

The fast-moving world of Wooden Books brings you a selection of fascinating titles. All hardcover, 64 pages, 100% recycled paper at $10.00 each.

About the Author

Miranda Lundy is a designer and artist. She lives and works in Cornwall, England.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Walker & Company (April 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802713823
• ISBN-13: 978-0802713827
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 5.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #58,130 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #26 in	Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Mathematics > Geometry & Topology > General Geometry
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

201 of 215 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Looks nice, but the content is weak, April 22, 2002

By	Helmer Aslaksen (Singapore) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a very attractive-looking book, and I am very happy if it can make some people more appreciative about mathematicas. But if you are looking for correct info about mathematics or its role in art and culture, then this is not the place to look.

Most of the claims you read about the golden ratio in art and architecture are not valid. The best source of info is the paper "Misconceptions about the golden ratio" by George Markowsky from the College Mathematics Journal v. 23 (1992), 2-19.

If you are interested in the pyramids, please read "The shape of the great pyramid" by Roger Herz-Fischler. Just do it! You will thank me for it!

She claims that there are 14 "demi-regular tilings" of the plane. She defines demiregular to be a tiling (edge-to-edge of regular polygons) with two or three different types of vertices. According to "Tilingss and Patterns" by Grunbaum and Shephard, there are 20 2-uniform tilings and 61 3-uniform tilings.

If you are bothered by statements like "It is nearly impossible to draw a precise heptagon using ruler and compasses alone", then this book is not for you.

Her pictures of the 17 wallpaper groups is wrong. She gives two examples of p1, but misses out on p4g.

Having said this, I must say again that she has a lot of beautiful material in the book. I just think that it is important to be mathematically and historically correct.

55 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Just About Mathematics, May 22, 2001

By	DR ROY MAYHUGH "DrRoy" (SACRAMENTO, CA USA) - See all my reviews

For those who are interested in plane geometry this book is a fun read. For those who are studying the ancient mysteries of Pythagoras, the Kabbala, Hermeticism, Freemasonry and the Alchemists this is a very worthwhile book. The author is aware of the influence that geometry had on the ancient world. She is quite good at giving the reader things to try on their own while explaining the concepts of Ancient and Esoteric geometry. When compared to "Sacred Geometry", by Robert Lawler, this book is not quite as comprehensive but is easier to read and more fun. Both books appeal to the same audience. Try this one first, then move on to Lawler.

53 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I just loved this book, May 26, 2002

By	Mark Samuels (Scotland & New York) - See all my reviews

This book is a treasure. I was given it as a present and I find myself turning to it for all sorts of ideas and also give it as a present quite regularly. She has managed to pull together a huge amount of wonderful information into a relatively small space. This is an inspiring, beautiful, thought provoking and even useful book. I am a graphic and fabrics designer and I had not come across some of these things before so I am very grateful for them.

I also really like the way the book is put together, lush textured paper (recycled I note) and quality illustrations. The way the subject is built up stage by stage until we reach the more complex set pieces at the back is very good. It helps you understand the basics of good design, and the use of geometry in this process.

I think the new-age overtones work very well too. She manages to convey some of the real mystery and magic of the field while never losing sight of the practical purpose of it all.

Highly recommended.