Travel Reads: “The Art of Steampunk” by Art Donovan

Steampunk, a sub-genre of science fiction, has become more than just a literary movement and has evolved into an artistic movement, as well. Based on an art exhibit presented by Oxford University’s Museum of the History of Science, Art Donovan’s The Art of Steampunk: Extraordinary Devices and Ingenious Contraptions from the Leading Artists of the Steampunk Movement provides a good primer on the Steampunk artistic movement.

Carma holding a copy of The Art of Steampunk

Stats

Title: The Art of Steampunk, The: Extraordinary Devices and Ingenious Contraptions from the Leading Artists of the Steampunk Movement
Author: Art Donovan
Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: Fox Chapel Publishing
ISBN-10: 1565235738
ISBN-13: 978-1565235731

Summary of The Art of Steampunk

The Art of Steampunk introduces the reader to the concept of Steampunk and several leading artists creating art in this style. Although a paperback book, its visually rich presentation makes it feel like a coffee table book.

The Art of Steampunk is available in paperback from Amazon and other booksellers.

What Worked for Me

The focal point of The Art of Steampunk is the photography. Every page features at least one picture of a Steampunk artifact, from goggles to clocks to fantastical flying machines. The images are stunning and the book’s design complements the photography. The writing is simple and easy to read and each picture comes with a detailed description of the object with some information on its context.

In addition to the visually stunning content, you can read about each artist and how he or she was drawn to this distinctive artistic style. You also learn how Steampunk evolved and developed its own community, from its roots in 19th-century scientific adventures to its current lifestyle option.

What Didn’t Work for Me

Some of the explanations of what Steampunk is were written in a very academic manner, making the information less accessible to a general reader.

Conclusion

This is not so much a book you read, as a book you peruse and experience. The art is stunning and the photography probably doesn’t do it as much justice as being there and seeing the actual object. But it will do. I’ll be keeping this book to look through again and again.

Score for The Art of Steampunk

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Get your copy from Amazon today.

(Read my NY Journal of Books review)

NOTE: Although I received this book free to review, that did not affect my opinion of the book. Read past reviews of books I’ve received for free and you’ll know I don’t hold my punches.

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About the author

As The Genre Traveler, Carma Spence loves to view the world through Genre-Coloured glasses. In other words, she sees the world through a lens of science fiction, fantasy, and horror, where trash cans can be Daleks in disguise and neighborhood forests can harbor faeries and sprites. Magic realism is real! Or at least you can choose to see the world that way to add to the fun and awe of life.