Follow This Thread: A Maze Book to Get Lost In

I loved this book. It cast the subject in a new light. So many times unique structures can be a gimmick or distract from the content; however, this book used a non-traditional structure to enhance the discussion. Readers have to physical maneuver the book, which effectively mimics how our brains make connections.

This book is in a unique format where you follow the red thread, turning the orientation of the book as you go. Keep an eye on the page numbers in case you get lost. It focuses on mazes and labyrinths, discussing the history, myth, legend, and actual physical structures and their creators. It also covers the use of mazes and labyrinths in popular culture and literature. It contains line drawing artwork by the artist, Quibé, which adds to the character of the book.

It's a long essay on the history of mazes and labyrinths done in a thoroughly a -maze-ing way... I quite enjoyed my wander thru it...

I'm in the middle of a weird art-books-about-mazes kick, and came off Four Times Through The Labyrinth by Jan Wenzel + Olaf Nicolai (very recommended), along with more traditional reads like WH Matthews' Mazes & Labyrinths (essential) and others. Unfortunately, I haven't yet discovered anything here in Follow This Thread that either of the aforementioned works haven't addressed either in conceptual framework or in straightforward history, respectively—and the art direction does no favors here. _ I'm still working my way through this book, but so far, I haven't gleaned too stern a structure imposed by its loose chaptering. To be clear, meandering narratives work well with the topic of labyrinths, which I'm guessing was the intent. And meander it does, flitting from Greek mythology to mouse experiments from page to page. But while its no-cardinal-direction narrative is fine, pairing it with consistently-inconsistent page formatting and a persistent visual thread revealing sometimes charming but mostly just-okay single-stroke illustrations, take the experience from one of novelty into one of redundancy within the first hundred pages. _ I understand the conceptual underpinning of the symbolic thread of Ariadne, but said concept is pretty one-dimensional, and wears out quickly—leaving you with...fine...doodles depositing an increased sense that you've simply opened up an activity book full of puzzles another kid already solved. Along with my thin patience over the thread as the sole graphic element (the book otherwise omits any photographs of contemporary examples, engravings and paintings of historical examples, et al) is annoyance with overall book design. I love ergodic literature—House Of Leaves is my jam!—but the atypical page layout felt arbitrary. Like the red thread, the "rotate book +/- 90° every [x] pages" formula is pretty flat, and employed even less purposefully. _ In short, this is not a book I could pick up and voraciously digest. In fact, I had to stop around halfway through to give myself a break and write this review. The topic itself is great, and if you're up for the literal scenic route this nonfiction work's broad appraisal of labyrinths offers in its circuitous narrative, then the writing itself is pretty solid too. But it's all wrapped up in a single-note treatment that reduces its myriad hamlets, tangents and foci into one dull red line leading you to turn your book...AGAIN.

Fun and interesting book

I bought two copies after hearing a review of this book on NPR. Both of my grandsons enjoyed it.

A quirky volume, engrossing in its design and subject matter both. The illustrations are rendered by the single red "thread" (remember Theseus?) that begins on the front pastedown (i.e., the inside cover) and wanders across each page to the end pastedown. The typography cues you to turn the book as you progress, in imitation of the 11 turns in a classic labyrinth. The only truly annoying factor is the author continually cuts between topics with no transitions, which makes for choppy reading. Recommended, nonetheless.