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Sock Monkeys:
In 1985 Ron Warren began collecting sock monkeys--those icons of American thrift and inventiveness that for generations have been hand-stitched from a pair of red-heel work socks. Years later he met photographer Arne Svenson (author of the recent popular volume Chewed ) who, intrigued by the obsessive nature and growing size of the collection, began with equal obsession to document individually its more than 1,800 examples. To convey the distinct personality imbued in each monkey by its maker, Svenson photographs them in the manner of classical black-and-white flatteringly lit, cropped at the shoulders, eyes to the camera. The first 200 of these sock monkey portraits, reproduced larger than life as full-page duotones, are assembled in this book. Invited contributors, including novelists Jonathan Safran Foer, Neil Gaiman and Dale Peck; entertainers Penn & Teller; and fashion commentators Simon Doonan and Isaac Mizrahi, have interjected short stories inspired by the subject of their favorite sock monkey photograph. The result is an engaging, humorous and at times disturbing reanimation of creatures long relegated to the attic or the back of the closet.
- GenresArtPhotography
224 pages, Paperback
First published December 2, 2002
116 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 25, 2018
Some of the sock monkeys in this collection will not haunt your dreams. It is the others you need to worry about!
Some say that a photographer should try to make their subject comfortable. None of these monkeys looks comfortable, yet the photographs are amazing, seeming to capture the soul of each and every one. Not sure that it is wise to capture a sock-monkey soul, though.
The included short stories are very short, never more than a page, and none very interesting. I somewhat like the one by Penn (of Penn and Teller) but that is faint praise. Neil Gaiman completists, you can skip this one. Really. His story here is uninteresting, and a touch trans-phobic.
Some say that a photographer should try to make their subject comfortable. None of these monkeys looks comfortable, yet the photographs are amazing, seeming to capture the soul of each and every one. Not sure that it is wise to capture a sock-monkey soul, though.
The included short stories are very short, never more than a page, and none very interesting. I somewhat like the one by Penn (of Penn and Teller) but that is faint praise. Neil Gaiman completists, you can skip this one. Really. His story here is uninteresting, and a touch trans-phobic.
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September 20, 2017as creepy as clowns. if you find dolls too repetitive as repast for nightmare fodders then these creatures may be more just desserts
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May 18, 2024I want a sock monkey very badly. Orion is the best story on here
September 15, 2009
Arne Svenson and Ron Warren, Sock Monkeys (200 out of 1,863) (Ideal World, 2002)
Ron Warren collects sock monkeys. And like any obsessive collector, when he sinks his teeth into something, he does it right. At the time this book was printed seven years ago, Warren had collected 1,863 sock monkeys (and I've no doublt that number has grown in the half-again-as-long time he's had since to continue). Arne Svenson conceived of a project that would have him photographing the monkeys in classic portrait style, and every once in a while grabbing a famous person to tell a particular monkey's tale. It's a fun little conceit, and I have to say it works. Especially when the writers you tab are folks like Neil Gaiman, Penn and Teller (each get a separate monkey), Isaac Mizrachi, and others along those lines. The monkeys range from comforting to disturbing (and having Neil Gaiman or Penn Jillette writing about them will not help you overcome the latter by any means), but Svenson treats them all with equal dignity. Svenson's introduction makes it sound as if this is the first in a series that will eventually encompass all of Warren's collection; I sincerely hope that is the case, because this first book is pure gold for sock monkey fans. *** ½
Ron Warren collects sock monkeys. And like any obsessive collector, when he sinks his teeth into something, he does it right. At the time this book was printed seven years ago, Warren had collected 1,863 sock monkeys (and I've no doublt that number has grown in the half-again-as-long time he's had since to continue). Arne Svenson conceived of a project that would have him photographing the monkeys in classic portrait style, and every once in a while grabbing a famous person to tell a particular monkey's tale. It's a fun little conceit, and I have to say it works. Especially when the writers you tab are folks like Neil Gaiman, Penn and Teller (each get a separate monkey), Isaac Mizrachi, and others along those lines. The monkeys range from comforting to disturbing (and having Neil Gaiman or Penn Jillette writing about them will not help you overcome the latter by any means), but Svenson treats them all with equal dignity. Svenson's introduction makes it sound as if this is the first in a series that will eventually encompass all of Warren's collection; I sincerely hope that is the case, because this first book is pure gold for sock monkey fans. *** ½
March 12, 2007
This Book Will Make You Smile.
July 1, 2008
This is a great coffee table book. Earl is my favorite!
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November 30, 2008I really need this book. Duh.
December 22, 2010
I love this book. As a collector of sock monkeys, I really enjoyed looking at all the photos. Each one is unique.
February 28, 2012
Beautifully photographed portraits of sock monkeys. It's amazing how you can get so much personality and emotion from something that started out as a sock.
February 24, 2013
Delightful! I've never been so happy with a book that basically has no words in it.
September 7, 2014
I love all things sock monkey, very much including this book.
August 17, 2010
I'm not so much into sock monkeys, I guess.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews