I am not a scholar in these subjects, but I am an avid reader, thinker, and idea tinkerer. If you're someone who gets caught up on details and technicality, this book probably isn't for you. If you have your Master's in Art or Physics, you'll probably get too caught up in the technical details to appreciate this style of writing. Shlain is vague, and at times makes some assertions that are a little far-fetched, but I think the point of this book is to make you think of things in a different way, not necessarily to teach you to think certain things.
You don't need to accept every part of this book, or any book for that matter. I think it's important to read things like this that challenge you to look at the world in a different way. I think Shlain does a good job of that if you are open to it.
This book had a couple of main takeaways for me:
- Physics are Art are two disciplines that explain the world in non-verbal terms. It's nearly impossible for people to understand Physics without Math, and it's nearly impossible for someone to say in words what a good artist can express in Art. Both disciplines explain the same Universe and Human Experience in different ways.
- Art has the advantage of not being weighed down by the technical details of math & science. Art is intuitive. Therefore, artists typically are ahead of their time in expressing new cultural ideas. That doesn't mean they have a mystical power. Good artists are acute observers and their art speaks for itself.
- Lots of fun and interesting stories in the book that make it very engaging. It does take a couple of chapters to get going.
Currently reading Shlain's other book -- The Alphabet & The Goddess. He has a similar tendency here to have slightly weak arguments, but the point of these books isn't necessarily to convince you that his theories are absolutely correct, I think. The point is more to show people that these things are very real forces and factors to the whole picture. He admits in both books to not showing the whole picture or alternate theories due to the limitations of a single book. I highly recommend this book to the curious mind. Doesn't mean you need to accept every theory and idea put forth in this...or any book!
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The author is a great medical doctor in surgeon field but to be honest ...
I am not interested in the book actually as it does not explain what kind of art in deep and how related physics can be applied to that kind of art. The author is a great medical doctor in surgeon field but to be honest may be art and related physical phenomenon he has not yet handled or even have wills attempting to achieve. May be if he can concentrate on several fields of art that he has deep understandings and demonstrates simply physical phenomenon which can be applied for that art that will be more attractivefor example: page 345 he can demonstrate some strategy which is easily to achieve Robert Delaunay 's Red Eiffel Tower:I put a tactic on my own in the attachment. Then I can explain how this type of vision art can be achieved by using this division techniques
