bantock has produced another immensely enjoyable work. while the
theme of the wounded artist is a familiar one for him, it's done
with a minimal narrative style which concentrates on images,
expressing the mix of whimsy, terror and longing in a captivating
way.
the guts of the book are ten display rooms of collections and
artworks. my favorite is the "historically forged" toy throw-tops,
each in turn with their own little narrative of the imagined
creator.
everything is wrapped up at the end with a narrative by the
museum's curator. it's worth reading the book over again at this
point, as the book takes on new depth once things are revealed.
production values are excellent- wonderful paper, wide margins, an
obsessive attention to detail, and even some purgatory stamps in a
little envelope in the back.