Dime-Store Alchemy: The Art of Joseph Cornell (New York Review Books Classics)

I'm a huge fan of Joseph Cornell and already own a number of books about his life and work. This slim volume is rather different, being a meditation by an author who is a poet in his own right. If you want information and straight analysis then this is probably not for you but if you already have knowledge of Cornell then this will add depth and insight, coming as it does from a very personal angle. There is a small section of colour prints in the middle which are referred to in the text.

A joy to read the eloquent poetic words about the eloquent collector / displayer / employer of ephemera; a small inspired combination, far outvaluing more academic voluminous volumes

Interesting book but not quite what I was expecting, more poetic than fact based. Pity the copy broke into 2 pieces within an hour of arrival.

great book, arrived in good time

a specific little book. I had expected a larger glossy crafts book but was disappointed

Interesting read

This is an engaging interpretive access point to the imaginative and eclectic works of Joseph Cornell. It's not a must read nor a biography but another artists insight into the expansive possibilities of Cornell's world. Cornell's boxes act as gateways to dreamscapes full of potential, they offer stillness and beauty; are poetic in themselves. Simic does justice to the vision that is unmistakably Cornell's.

As a longtime admirer of both Charles Simic & Joseph Cornell, it was perhaps inevitable that I would love this little book. What I didn't expect was just how much I'd love it, for its dreamlike yet precisely detailed tone. The short passages are magical prose-poems, often focusing on one tiny thing that illuminates the universe of Cornell's art & imagination. The overall effect is that of stumbling upon a verbal equivalent of Cornell's famed boxes; the text adds new dimensions to the art, and the art provides a foundation for the jeweled text. Rarely have I come across such a perfect marriage of subject & commentator. Obviously best suited for similar admirers of Simic & Cornell … but also a fascinating introduction to the distinctive personal visions of both men. Thank you, NYRB, for making this exquisite volume available again!

There are not many books about Cornell and so any book gets points for writing about him. The book needs more images of the actual artwork and the writing is 'round-about' Cornell not directly engaged with his work. A good book about Cornell still needs to be written. This one is a stop-gap.

「コーネルの箱」(柴田元幸訳・文藝春秋刊)の原書版です。時間と夢の狭間を彷徨うような、少し不思議な感覚が味わえる作品。日本語版に比べ、コーネル作品の図版はやや少なめですが、言葉の醸し出す魔法は十分に堪能出来ます。ハンディサイズ・布張りハードカバーの落ち着いた装丁も素敵で、枕元やバッグに忍ばせるにもピッタリ。大切な人へのギフトにもお勧めです。

Just a beautifully written book. Unlocks the mysterious world of Cornell.

This was the first book that I bought on my Cornell journey. I was lost and didn’t care for the book. After reading every other Cornell book, and making my own boxes, this book has improved.