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The Beauty of Everyday Things (Penguin Modern Classics) Kindle Edition
by Soetsu Yanagi (Author), Michael Brase (Translator) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 253 ratings
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The daily lives of ordinary people are replete with objects, common things used in commonplace settings. These objects are our constant companions in life. As such, writes Soetsu Yanagi, they should be made with care and built to last, treated with respect and even affection. They should be natural and simple, sturdy and safe - the aesthetic result of wholeheartedly fulfilling utilitarian needs. They should, in short, be things of beauty.
In an age of feeble and ugly machine-made things, these essays call for us to deepen and transform our relationship with the objects that surround us. Inspired by the work of the simple, humble craftsmen Yanagi encountered during his lifelong travels through Japan and Korea, they are an earnest defence of modest, honest, handcrafted things - from traditional teacups to jars to cloth and paper. Objects like these exemplify the enduring appeal of simplicity and function: the beauty of everyday things.
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Print length
316 pages
Language
English
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Review
It would not be entirely amiss to describe Yanagi's position in Japan as comparable to that of Ruskin and Morris in England ... He left as a legacy an aesthetic and religious creed of vital importance to men and women all over the world -- Bernard Leach
What impresses me most in Yanagi is the strength of his vision, his direct eye for beauty. His was an immediate and intuitive faculty of an extraordinary kind -- Shoji Hamada
Radical and inspiring ... Yanagi's vision puts the connection between heart and hand before the transient and commercial -- Edmund de Waal
Soetsu Yanagi's unerring eye has influenced generations of makers. His notion of Zen and the art of design continues to inspire all those involved in shaping our everyday world -- Jasper Morrison --This text refers to the paperback edition.
About the Author
Soetsu Yanagi (1889 - 1961) was a philosopher, art historian, aesthete and poet. He evolved a theory of why certain objects made by unknown craftsmen were so beautiful, and became the founding father of the Japanese folk crafts ('mingei') movement. He helped establish, and was the first director of, the Japanese Folk Crafts Museum. --This text refers to the paperback edition.
Book Description
The Japanese philosopher and aesthete's definitive, hugely influential exposition of his philosophy of folkcrafts, setting out the hallmarks of Japanese design as we know it today - anonymity, quality, simplicity and honesty - and, of course, wabi-sabi, the beauty of imperfection. --This text refers to the paperback edition.
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Product details
ASIN : B07DVSFTV8
Publisher : Penguin; Illustrated edition (31 January 2019)
Language : English
File size : 5800 KB
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Not Enabled
Word Wise : Not Enabled
Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
Print length : 316 pages
Page numbers source ISBN : 0241366356Best Sellers Rank: 373,298 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)19 in Ceramic Arts
19 in Vernacular Architecture
45 in Pottery & Ceramic CraftCustomer Reviews:
4.4 out of 5 stars 253 ratings
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Top review from Australia
Looper.@
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting intro into the world of MingeiReviewed in Australia 🇦🇺 on 20 May 2020
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I bought this as I am very fond of folk art in general but particularly Japanese ceramics and fabrics. This is a book best read slowly and over a period of time. Enjoyable if you are into this kind of thing. One star less as the few pictures that are included could have been in colour to truly appreciate what the author was trying to convey.
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Top reviews from other countries
Ava Fai
5.0 out of 5 stars Food for thoughtReviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 3 March 2021
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Brilliant book. Amazing philosophy. A real pleasure to read. Absolute food for thought.
2 people found this helpfulReport
J K Mann
5.0 out of 5 stars Delivered as expectedReviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 10 April 2020
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Delivered as expected - not read yet
One person found this helpfulReport
Diana
1.0 out of 5 stars Shockingly terribleReviewed in Germany 🇩🇪 on 20 February 2020
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Perhaps the original in Japanese is a beautiful piece of poetry, however the English version is absolutely incoherent drivel. The grammar is even incorrect. The claims made are ridiculous, repetitive and contradictory at the same time. I couldn’t stop reading it because I was so shocked at how badly written this book is, and was curious to see what the next absurd page would say.
3 people found this helpfulReport
Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Torn cover pageReviewed in India 🇮🇳 on 8 August 2021
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Haven't read the book yet but I'm very disappointed at the quality. The cover came off from the book on opening. seems to be a cheap knock off.
2 people found this helpfulReport
Lou Smedts
5.0 out of 5 stars greatReviewed in Germany 🇩🇪 on 18 October 2021
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Good book
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