In my attempt to start reading more books for pleasure instead of pure academic gain, I came across a huge stack of books I have purchased over the last four years that I have not even started reading. The first of these books I finished is The Principles of Uncertainty by Maira Kalman. The thing that really drew me to this book form the beginning was the shelf appeal. The title caused intrigue in me, so I decided to pick it up and flip through a few pages. The first surprise that found me were the illustrations. I had no idea at the time who Maira Kalman was (illustrator for Elements of Style), and I was heavily perplexed by a novel written for adults where there are illustrations like a children's storybook on every single page. At this point, I was sold. I absolutely bought the book (along with ten others, no doubt) where it has hidden on my bookshelf until recently.
It took me three nights before bed to finish it. I am still trying to work out my own definition for the book. However, I have found this to be an incredibly daunting task. The books title lends a hint: the principles of uncertainty. I, after reading this novel, have become very uncertain about a lot of things. For instance, after reading the first few chapters, I was uncertain that the book was worth my time or had any memorable meaning to it. As the chapters trudged along, I began to really appreciate the odd collection of memories and questions that Kalman introduces through drawings and random knowledge.
Kalman definitely brings a clean, fresh, although jumbled, perspective of the world since the 1990s. This book is a very simple read on the surface but contains many hidden images and stories within its short prose and colorful images. I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a quick but interesting read (...or look).
