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Art and Architecture of Insects
Clad in spiked and scaled armor, lance-like pincers at the ready, alien creatures are in our gardens, our floorboards, and our bedsheets.
David M. Phillips has taken his life-long love of insect biology and microscopy and produced a mesmerizing look into the hidden world of the insect form. The 150 photographs in this book, all taken using an electron microscope, reveal an amazing variety of anatomical structures normally invisible to the human eye: a wax surface that prevents evaporation, antennae that sense molecules that are undetectable by other animals, and feet that allow insects to walk upside down on almost any surface. Organized with the nonscientific reader in mind, Art and Architecture of Insects explores the intricate structures of some of our planet's most fascinating residents. This book's stunning photography and entertaining facts will fill readers with a sense of wonder at the unseen universe that surrounds them.
Whether young or old, jaded insect-lover or new to the awe-inspiring strangeness of insect exoskeletons, one thing is certain: You will never look at insects in the same way again.
David M. Phillips has taken his life-long love of insect biology and microscopy and produced a mesmerizing look into the hidden world of the insect form. The 150 photographs in this book, all taken using an electron microscope, reveal an amazing variety of anatomical structures normally invisible to the human eye: a wax surface that prevents evaporation, antennae that sense molecules that are undetectable by other animals, and feet that allow insects to walk upside down on almost any surface. Organized with the nonscientific reader in mind, Art and Architecture of Insects explores the intricate structures of some of our planet's most fascinating residents. This book's stunning photography and entertaining facts will fill readers with a sense of wonder at the unseen universe that surrounds them.
Whether young or old, jaded insect-lover or new to the awe-inspiring strangeness of insect exoskeletons, one thing is certain: You will never look at insects in the same way again.
152 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2014
313 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 8, 2014
First and foremost, this book is full of incredible images. David Phillips first became fascinated by the electron microscope early in his career, and turned these labors into image after amazing image. The book describes the work needed to preserve, pose, and prepare the samples for the electron microscope. Having some experience with this as well, I can attest to the frustration of damaging a sample, or of not getting the image quite right.
The electron micrographs in this book merit 5 stars, but the accompanying text only receives 2. The text jumps from topic to topic, straying far from the insect world at times, and not flowing with the images. Typos appear as well, "solder" for soldier, as well as grammatical and editing problems.
In spite of these issues, Art and Architecture of Insects is not a book to be read as much as it is a visual feast. Being able to see individual hairs on an insect's abdomen, or the difference between hexagonal and square compound eye arrays, opens our own eyes to a tiny new world of fascinating diversity.
I received this book as part of a First Reads giveaway.
The electron micrographs in this book merit 5 stars, but the accompanying text only receives 2. The text jumps from topic to topic, straying far from the insect world at times, and not flowing with the images. Typos appear as well, "solder" for soldier, as well as grammatical and editing problems.
In spite of these issues, Art and Architecture of Insects is not a book to be read as much as it is a visual feast. Being able to see individual hairs on an insect's abdomen, or the difference between hexagonal and square compound eye arrays, opens our own eyes to a tiny new world of fascinating diversity.
I received this book as part of a First Reads giveaway.
September 19, 2014
I won this book from goodreads and let me just say so glad I did because this book is AMAZING! I'm not an insect lover but David Phillips photographs makes me want to be. The detail and graphics of these creatures are astonishing and fascinating. I keep thinking about when the first scientist had to use magnifiers and draw each creature to the very detail and now that we have these technology David Phillips has taken it to another level beyond- aka Insect envy. the book itself it filled with great details and facts- easy read. I would highly recommend this book.
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October 31, 2014595.7 P5587 2014
July 1, 2019
4.5 stars on the pictures. 2 stars on the editing. There is some excellent information here, and while most won't be new if you have an enthusiast level knowledge of insects, being able to see the associated structures up close is uniquely valuable.
I think this would have been better if it was lighter on info with more space given to the microscopy. Many of the pictures are textbook sized insets... They should be full pages! Use the opposite pages for exposition and cropped detail shots if desired. (This layout is used here, there are just so many pictures that are not used to their fullest)
Trying to fit the pictures to a tour of the insect body was a mistake. The sections vary greatly in length. The last sentence of the book is confusingly abrupt in a way that makes me wonder if this book even had an editor - not even a summary of thesis or anything.
I think the repetition of certain insects hurts the book as well, also a symptom of fitting the images to a narrative concept.
That said I initially thought I would donate this book after reading it, but find it hard to part with. I don't think you will find another collection of pictures like this, and I can't even imagine the meticulous effort required to pose and prepare these specimens.
I would love to see a completely redone edition of this book, with many more oneh and two-page spreads. I think the pictures deserve a better treatment.
I think this would have been better if it was lighter on info with more space given to the microscopy. Many of the pictures are textbook sized insets... They should be full pages! Use the opposite pages for exposition and cropped detail shots if desired. (This layout is used here, there are just so many pictures that are not used to their fullest)
Trying to fit the pictures to a tour of the insect body was a mistake. The sections vary greatly in length. The last sentence of the book is confusingly abrupt in a way that makes me wonder if this book even had an editor - not even a summary of thesis or anything.
I think the repetition of certain insects hurts the book as well, also a symptom of fitting the images to a narrative concept.
That said I initially thought I would donate this book after reading it, but find it hard to part with. I don't think you will find another collection of pictures like this, and I can't even imagine the meticulous effort required to pose and prepare these specimens.
I would love to see a completely redone edition of this book, with many more oneh and two-page spreads. I think the pictures deserve a better treatment.
February 7, 2020
Based on the title, I expected this to be about the architecture built by insects (hives, nests, mounds, tunnel systems, etc). Nope! It's about the structure of insect bodies themselves. More anatomy, especially externally visible anatomy, than architecture, in my mind. Very high resolution scanning electron microscope pictures!
October 12, 2021
A really beautiful book about the mechanical architecture of insect bodies, with hundreds of photos.
August 3, 2015
Nella vita reale gli insetti mi fanno ribrezzo, ma sulle pagine dei libri o nelle immagini dei documentari televisivi li trovo veramente interessanti e affascinanti: finché non si mettono a ronzare o a volarmi attorno... Questo Art and Architecture of Insects è apparso nei miei suggerimenti automatici di Goodreads perché stavo leggendo
Anche le coccinelle nel loro piccolo...
e, anche grazie alla spinta della recente lettura di
The Bees
, l'ho acquistato senza pensarci troppo. Mi aspettavo un librone imponente, invece è un libretto molto maneggevole e leggero.
È un libro di divulgazione scientifica in cui la parte del leone la fanno soprattutto le immagini (proprio il punto dolente del saggio di Schilthuizen sopra citato): l'autore, David M. Phillips, ha infatti catturato diversi esemplari, selezionato i migliori, li ha immersi nell'alcol e quindi li ha bloccati in una posa il più possibile realistica, scannerizzati in 3-D con un microscopio elettronico e riprodotti in fotografia. Alcune delle foto si possono vedere qui.
I testi a corredo delle immagini, organizzati in capitoli che analizzano ciascuno una singola parte dell'animale (testa, occhi, antenne, zampe, ecc.), sono semplici e adatti anche al lettore non esperto; forse è un po' faticoso trovare la traduzione (su questo l'ebook, col suo dizionario integrato, la vince sul libro cartaceo, ammettiamolo) e memorizzare i diversi nomi di insetti o di parti di insetti, che spesso non sono parole comunissime, ma gli stessi termini comunque si ripetono spesso, per cui una volta compresi la prima volta il più è fatto.
Lo stesso lettore però, proprio perché non esperto, purtroppo alla lunga dopo svariate immagini finisce per confonderle un po' fra loro e non distinguere bene i dettagli che le differenziano, anche perché sfortunatamente con la tecnica usata da Phillips sono possibili solo fotografie in bianco e nero, si perdono i colori dei vari insetti.
3/5
È un libro di divulgazione scientifica in cui la parte del leone la fanno soprattutto le immagini (proprio il punto dolente del saggio di Schilthuizen sopra citato): l'autore, David M. Phillips, ha infatti catturato diversi esemplari, selezionato i migliori, li ha immersi nell'alcol e quindi li ha bloccati in una posa il più possibile realistica, scannerizzati in 3-D con un microscopio elettronico e riprodotti in fotografia. Alcune delle foto si possono vedere qui.
I testi a corredo delle immagini, organizzati in capitoli che analizzano ciascuno una singola parte dell'animale (testa, occhi, antenne, zampe, ecc.), sono semplici e adatti anche al lettore non esperto; forse è un po' faticoso trovare la traduzione (su questo l'ebook, col suo dizionario integrato, la vince sul libro cartaceo, ammettiamolo) e memorizzare i diversi nomi di insetti o di parti di insetti, che spesso non sono parole comunissime, ma gli stessi termini comunque si ripetono spesso, per cui una volta compresi la prima volta il più è fatto.
Lo stesso lettore però, proprio perché non esperto, purtroppo alla lunga dopo svariate immagini finisce per confonderle un po' fra loro e non distinguere bene i dettagli che le differenziano, anche perché sfortunatamente con la tecnica usata da Phillips sono possibili solo fotografie in bianco e nero, si perdono i colori dei vari insetti.
3/5
June 6, 2014
Simply put, THE ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF INSECTS is a beautiful book, once you get past the “yuck” factor of the nasty little beasties on review. I found it fascinating while most of those who surround me on a daily basis and are interested in what I am currently reading took one look and quickly walked away.
That is their loss as the book is a wonderful view into an alien world that surrounds us and impacts our lives every day. Mr. Phillips spent his entire life collecting and cataloging and, using the scanning electron microscope, photographed a vast array of insect life. As the author of over 200 papers in scientific journals and having had his photographs appear in hundreds of scholarly works, he has taken the best of it all and encapsulated it here in a beautifully designed and easy to read book.
Separated into chapters dealing with the various structures of the insects involved (i.e., the wing, the leg, the thorax, etc.), each system has detailed photos, about 150 in toto, each with accompanying sidebars revealing just what you are seeing in the illustration, as well as a well informed talk about what each system does, how it assists the animal to accomplish certain goals, and in some cases how it has allowed the insects to adopt to every changing situations and environments.
This is a well-done book, classically beautiful in its design, layout and information presentation. Both a coffee-table book and a scientific paper, THE A & A OF INSECTS is well recommended to both the scholar and the well read amateur.
I won this prize through Goodreads.
That is their loss as the book is a wonderful view into an alien world that surrounds us and impacts our lives every day. Mr. Phillips spent his entire life collecting and cataloging and, using the scanning electron microscope, photographed a vast array of insect life. As the author of over 200 papers in scientific journals and having had his photographs appear in hundreds of scholarly works, he has taken the best of it all and encapsulated it here in a beautifully designed and easy to read book.
Separated into chapters dealing with the various structures of the insects involved (i.e., the wing, the leg, the thorax, etc.), each system has detailed photos, about 150 in toto, each with accompanying sidebars revealing just what you are seeing in the illustration, as well as a well informed talk about what each system does, how it assists the animal to accomplish certain goals, and in some cases how it has allowed the insects to adopt to every changing situations and environments.
This is a well-done book, classically beautiful in its design, layout and information presentation. Both a coffee-table book and a scientific paper, THE A & A OF INSECTS is well recommended to both the scholar and the well read amateur.
I won this prize through Goodreads.
October 25, 2014
The photographs in this book are amazing. There is a surreal quality to them that is fascinating. The accompanying text is informative and interesting as well. My knowledge of insect anatomy is pretty basic, and I found this to be a thorough overview (is that an oxymoron?) of the subject matter. It went into enough depth that I learned a few things, but was simple enough that it let the photos take the forefront.
August 1, 2014
The Art and Architecture of Insects is a lovely little book. The images are fascinating. As a scientist (though in a different field), I appreciate the work and love that went into these scans. The accompanying text was more interesting than I expected as well. I learned quite a bit from this book and I'm sure I'll look back over the images many times.
*first read giveaway*
*first read giveaway*
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews