In miniatura: Perché le piccole cose illuminano il mondo

by Simon Garfield

È più probabile farsi un'idea dell'universo creando oggetti infinitesimali che nel rifare il cielo intero. A metterla su questo piano è lo scultore Alberto Giacometti che, per afferrare la verità e darle forma tangibile, finiva spesso per ridurre in scala l'esistente. D'altronde gli oggetti rimpiccioliti hanno qualità profondamente rivelatrici: fin da bambini maneggiamo macchinine, omini, mattoncini, dando vita a imperi in miniatura da poter dominare, mettendoci alla pari di un adulto, forse perfino di un gigante. Un'aspirazione che non sempre si estingue una volta cresciuti, e che talvolta si trasforma in dedizione totale alle imprese più eccentriche. Come è accaduto negli anni venti a Edwin Lutyens, che progettò con minuziosa maniacalità la casa delle bambole per la regina Maria, dotandola di oggetti piccoli, piccolissimi, tutti perfettamente funzionanti e realizzati dai più famosi artisti e artigiani dell'epoca. Simon Garfield si muove nel tempo e nello spazio alla scoperta di un microcosmo popolato di collezionisti, modellisti e appassionati irriducibili. Ne celebra il puntiglio e l'ossessione, indaga l'origine di questa scintilla e riesce a scovare universi insospettati nelle crune degli aghi: incontreremo allora abilissime pulci circensi, microscopici abitanti di città lillipuziane, una signora di Chicago che ricostruisce scene del crimine delle dimensioni di un guscio di noce, l'esercito di migliaia di minuscoli Hitler dei fratelli Chapman. Perché la miniatura ha molto a che fare con l'arte: amplia la percezione di ciò che la nostra mente crede già di conoscere, donandoci spunti profondi e illuminanti sul mondo, in scala reale, che ci circonda.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Art, Audiobook, Historical, Microhistory

215 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2018

About the author

Simon Garfield is a British journalist and non-fiction author. He was educated at the independent University College School in Hampstead, London, and the London School of Economics, where he was the Executive Editor of The Beaver. He also regularly writes for The Observer newspaper.

Reviews

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wasn't sure what to expect when I decided to read this, having long been fascinated with things originally large that are then made small. It starts with the Eiffel tower, where for the first time, from a great height, looked down on a world made small. The tower would also be the inspiration for the popularity of the souvenir.

Divided into chapters one is treated not only to some trivia but an interesting history lesson pertaining to the subject. Small villages, popular in England, some still visited during our current time. Road America in Pennsylvania, which I have visited. The exquisitely decorated and designed miniature room at the Art Institute in Chicago. The popularity of the flea circus, " They live off me, and I live off them" Prof. William Hecklers fleas at Hubert's Museum on West 42nd Street.

The reasons for some of the miniatures made, such as slave ships, made to show how terrible these ships were. Toy trains, popular with Rod Stewart and Neil Young. Young started his hobby to have something he could share with his son who was born severely disabled.

Just fascinating, this book includes so much and is wonderfully presented. Quite an interesting read.

ARC from Edelweiss.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glorious history of all things tiny and since I come from a long line of collectors, this book was very appealing to me. My husband has a fascination with railroads and collects the train sets, villages and miniatures that go with it so he enjoyed the book as well. When I was younger, I collected and even made doll furniture to go with an old wooden doll house that I had as a child. The author does a good job in explaining just what makes a person collect small things and the psychology behind it. His history is very entertaining and I learned something new on each page. I gave the book four stars because I wish it had more photos.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Miniature: How Small Things Illuminate the World by Simon Garfield is a book I requested from NetGalley and the review is voluntary. I am one of the millions of people that love miniatures.This book talks about why people like them, the history, the types, and examples. I loved looking at all the various types. From models cars, train, towns, planes, houses, and ships to microminiature art in the head of a sewing needle! Mini books, art, food, people, towers, and so much more! Lots of pictures and informative history along the way! They even talk about miniature dogs! Yes, I have those too! I even own a Smart car! Great book!

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the places that we spent a lot of time when my children were grown up was Wimborne model town, we even bought a season ticket. They were fascinated by the tiny shop windows and the even tinier items displayed inside. There was a touch of humour for the adults if you knew where to look. This fascination with all things reduced in size is not just for children though, there are many grown-ups who share that same feeling

In this book on all things tiny, Garfield is seeking all those people that share these interests or to be franker, in a lot of cases, obsessions. Garfield travels will take him to different model towns around the country, a Blandford gentleman called Philip Warren who has built hundreds of boats out of matchsticks. The display he had at the corn exchange there was enough to fill it and that was only half the boats that he had made.

Model railways are a passion for a lot of people (mostly men) and one person who I hadn’t expected to be a fan, is 1970’s pop star, Rod Stewart. He has a massive model railway and loves the hobby so much that he takes s small layout on tour. Doll Houses can be works of art in their own right, and the one he writes about in the book was one made by Sir Edward Lutyens for Queen Mary. It is huge too, 5 feet high and 8 feet long with working electricity and pipes and even a library with 700 readable books.

Two of my favourite chapters were on books and art. There is even a convention in America for enthusiasts of these tiny works of literature. The smallest at this event measured 0.7mm x 0.7mm and had twenty-two pages. The art chapter has an image of Ronald McDonald on a crucifix, which I must admit I wasn’t expecting. This is the work of Dinos Chapman and his studio has lots of these macabre models around.

Models are often used to sell an idea, I remember seeing these in public places in 1970 as the council was trying to explain how they were going to squander your money on a swimming pool no one really wanted. It was a model that changed a lot of people’s mind on the slave trade too, Wilberforce has a model made showing the way that our fellow humans were crammed into these ships and taken across the Atlantic.

I really enjoyed reading this. Like the other books of his that I have read, this is a well researched and thoughtful exploration of his chosen subject. Like many others, me included, he is as fascinated with parts of our world reduced down to these miniature boats, houses and trains. He acknowledges the ways that it reflects something about our society and those people who use it as some form of personal escapism from the pressure of the real world.

[Sina & Ilona Glimmerfee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Schon das Cover macht neugierig auf den Inhalt. Obwohl ich schon sehr lange ein großer Fan von Miniaturen bin, hat mir das Buch doch noch die Augen für Miniaturen geöffnet, die mir bis dahin verborgen blieben und deren Geheimnisse ich noch nicht kannte. Im Buch versammeln sich unter anderem Miniaturgemälde, die wie Visitenkarten getauscht wurden, Streichhölzer und was sich daraus bauen lässt, Modelleisenbahnen, Miniaturstädte, Puppenhäuser, Flohzirkus und Lego einmal anders.
Warum sammeln und beschäftigen sich Menschen mit Miniaturen? Warum schrieb H.G. Wells zwei Bücher über Spielzeug? Wie konnten Miniaturen helfen, die Sklaverei abzuschaffen? Diese und andere Fragen werden in dem Buch beantwortet.
Ein richtiger Mann hat keine Modelleisenbahn? Das sehen Rod Stewart und Neil Young ganz anders und machen Mut, zu diesem Hobby zu stehen.

Mir hat es sehr viel Freude gemacht, dieses Buch zu lesen, und die verschiedenen vorgestellten Miniaturen und Parks,mir mit Hilfe von Google und YouTube anzusehen. Ich habe neue Perspektiven dazu gewonnen und bin nun noch interessierter an der Welt Miniaturen geworden.

[Keen Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

“The smarter I am at miniaturising the world, the better I possess it.”

I’m a huge fan of Garfield, he has written some wonderful books and guides to a wide number of subjects over the years, tackling topics from the colour Mauve to the wonder of cartography, time and fonts. His style and approach are always engaging, and he is never afraid to lighten the mood with the odd twist of humour.

The first thing to notice about the hardback edition I read, is that it is nicely packaged and quite a lovely item to hold in the hands. There are plenty of nice pictures and images in here, but alas the same level of intrigue and quality can’t really be said about the written content itself.

There was something about this book that just didn’t click with me. I thought that this time round that there was an absence of focus and the structure felt a little too baggy, and too often he veered too close to rambling at times. It really lacked the charm, discipline and punchiness of some of his other work. With this being Garfield we do encounter our fair share of fascinating artists and random people, and interesting facts, such as the word Amateur derives from the Latin word amare, to love.

Elsewhere names and objects like Bill Drummond, H.G.Wells, a German flea circus, the Eiffel Tower and the smallest books in the world, Zaha Hadid and a model slave ship. For me, probably the most interesting aspect of this book is when Garfield is talking with or speaking about certain modern artists like Willard Wigan, The Chapman Brothers, Slinkachu and Zbigniew Libera and his controversial approach to Lego.

But overall I thought that there were just too many dead ends and empty yarns that simply fall flat. It seemed for every fascinating fact he revealed or interesting artist he talked about, there were at least two more that were fairly dull. If you have never read the author before then I would highly recommend his work, though I wouldn’t start here, instead I would go to the excellent “Just My Type” or “On The Map”.

[Tracey Allen at Carpe Librum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Miniatures always inspire awe and wonder and Simon Garfield has turned his sharp focus on the world of miniatures in his latest offering In Miniature - How Small Things Illuminate the World.

I've always admired the workmanship of modellers and creators of miniatures, whether they be doll houses, matchstick ships, micro sculptures or tiny models. In the 1990s I wore a treasured pendant that contained a grain of rice with my name on it. The skill, determination and creativity of miniature artists never ceases to amaze me.

Seeing Queen Mary's Dolls' House in 2012 was definitely a highlight, and reading here about the process of inviting the country's best artisans to contribute to the house was illuminating.

Simon Garfield covers some of my favourite topics in the world of miniatures here, including Rod Stewart's famous model train collection, the popularity of the YouTube micro cooking channel Miniature Space as well as the work of artists Slinkachu and Tatsuya Tanaka. I also love the lead pencil sculptures and art in the eye of a needle.

The clever cover design of this book is to be commended. The hardcover image is complemented by the creative and eye-pleasing partial dust jacket that transforms the image to make it look like an open box of matches. Brilliant! Having said that, I wish the photographs inside had been in colour, or at least of a better quality. The ink on the black and white photographs came off onto my fingers while reading and given I read in a bed with white linen, this was bad news.

In Miniature offers more than an overview on the world of miniatures. Garfield examines the world of miniatures in an essay writing style. This meant that I dipped in and out of it, sampling a chapter or more at a time. In Miniature is recommended reading for anyone interested in the world of miniatures. Whether you're an aspiring artist or hobbyist creator, a collector, an enthusiast or just in awe of the work, I think you'll enjoy this.

* Copy courtesy of Allen & Unwin *

[Georgie’s Book Nook · Rating 4 out of 5]

*kindly gifted to me by Canongate*
This book is fascinating- not one I’d necessarily pick up if I was in a bookshop, but I think that’s the beauty of gifted books and you can discover some real gems. I had just finished reading The Miniaturist when I got asked if I wanted to try it so perfect timing!

This book covers everything from model villages and miniature portraits, to tiny books and street art as well as the model railways and doll’s houses. This is written in a way that anyone can read it, and if you don’t know a thing about miniatures then you’re not made to feel stupid.

At times things get a little slow and go off at a tangent, but as soon as the next subject comes around I was drawn back in straight away.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming, informative piece of nonfiction with some big ideas about some very tiny objects.

Simon Garfield takes us on a delightful tour of some of the world’s most fascinating miniatures and the places they occupy in history.

While Garfield gives us thorough and often humorous object-based descriptions of the miniatures he features, he also gives us something else that is of greater importance: The contextualist perspective on *why* these objects were made, the importance they held, and of course, why they were so appealing in miniature form.

Garfield gives us both the macro and the micro of the aforementioned appeal of miniatures (why does the concept of the miniature appeal to us in general and why were some of the items discussed in the book specifically singled out for such treatment?)

Particularly compelling were the sections on England’s Playrooms, Dollhouses, Las Vegas, and Germany’s Tiny Chairs, though every section in the book is well done.

I have no real complaints about the book, all positive save for one tiny thing: I wish Garfield hadn’t made reference to Jessie Burton’s novel The Miniaturist, which dealt with one of my favorite pieces of Dutch art and was, in my opinion, an extremely poor effort on the topic.

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*

[pea. · Rating 3 out of 5]

parts were of interest
parts sparked interest
parts needed interest
parts were only of interest to the authors opinion
parts should have been parts of another book
parts I may have slept thru
plenty pages with folded down corners, which means I have to open the book up again.
partly was hoping I would get insight on why I enjoy miniatures so much (beyond a controlling theory)

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book has a narrow audience (anyone fascinated by miniatures and dioramas), but I very much appreciated the various ways that miniatures have been created for different interests and purposes. It has a bias toward British miniatures, but that isn’t a limitation. It also mentioned a miniature setting that I grew up witnessing: the now-defunct Roadside America in Shartlesville, PA.

[Kathy Heare Watts · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun fact-filled book, including photographs.

I won a copy of this book during a Goodreads giveaway. I am under no obligation to leave a review or rating and do so voluntarily. So that others may also enjoy this book, I am paying it forward by donating it to my local library.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun book about small things.

[Dawnny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really cool and different. I enjoyed it

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Snagged at a Little Free Library and shucks am I glad I did. I love this kind of super-specific nerdy arty nonfiction--it's the healthy snack food of my reading regimen that I nevertheless binge like the book equivalent of chili-lime pistachios.

Somerset Maugham: "To acquire the habit of reading is to create for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life."

[Carol Stephan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun read. The book explores a number of "miniature" topics, although some are teeny-tiny (needing a microscope to see) and others just smaller scale than the original (Las Vegas, Disney World). I was the most fascinated with the smaller but not microscopic items, particularly the small rooms, doll houses, and particularly the micro food and kitchen items that are popular on the internet.

The writing is engaging and many fun facts are presented. The book implies it will provide why we are fascinated with miniaturization, but there wasn't much on that; I would have liked to hear more of why the author thinks so.

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is my first Simon Garfield book, although my mother can attest to the success of others of his. I found this to be quite decent in the end, but not brilliant. In trying to convey the humour Garfield found in his search of things that are smaller than they should be, and the people who love and make them, he comes down on the wrong side in some instances as to their worth, and just ends up as sounding catty and ungrateful to the people he meets. "…like-minded souls could also convince themselves that being very interested in miniature books wasn't an entirely pointless or solitary pursuit" he snidely says, only to come down in favour of some right numpties and their reduced goings-on. For some reason I didn't like the style of the prologue either, which is kind of pointless all told and only makes the book too big (hem, hem).

On the whole, however, while this book might struggle to define its ultimate thesis here and there, it is fun. In conveying the world of the miniature book dealer, or the person with too much time to produce things made of millions of spent matches, and so much more, the book has a nice sense of the esoteric, which I hoped for and definitely got. Some of it could be shelved as travelogue (the world's largest miniature train railway, a fancy royal dolls' house with no dolls, and so on), some of it cultural analysis and history (the models produced to have impact on those blinding themselves to conditions on board slave ships) – it's a rum bunch all told, much like many of the people we meet on these pages – but it also has a singular charm of its own. It's just that that charm is not quite as large as intended.

Three and a half stars.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miniatures are sooo much fun! This book brought back memories, too. I have seen amazing miniature
books at the Cleveland Public Library when I caught an exhibit of them some years years ago. The microscopic ones were amazing! Real works of art! I also recall visiting Roadside America in Pennsylvania that was built of matchsticks, I think, It was interesting to read the story behind the postcards I have from the 1050's! Miniature portraits are amazing and I never knew the history behind them before reading this book. Fascinating! Others subjects include flea circuses, dollhouses, model railroads, and more. It covers lots of territory, I think, and anyone interested in Mini things will most likely enjoy this book. Just kind of sad there weren't more photos. Well, it's not a picture book anyway. Ans there are books written on the individual subjects out there, too! (I know, as I own a lovely book on miniature books!)
I received a Kindle ARC in exchange for a fair review from Netgalley,

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simon Garfield's latest book examines the world of miniature items, from villages and railways to slave ships and crime scenes. He meets lots of passionate people and talks about miniatures throughout history. I made the mistake of listening to this via audiobook and I would have loved to have seen photos of some of the miniature items described.

It didn't feel like it had an overall point about miniature items, despite the subtitle of the book. He mentions a few times how we examine things more closely when miniaturised, but mostly it felt a like a jolly ramble through various small things the author quite likes.

[Jennifer (Tourmaline .) · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Miniature: How Small Things Illuminate the World comes to us from Simon Garfield , a journalist and non-fiction author, who writes on a variety of topics.

In Miniature is a deep dive into the significant miniatures of history, organized into chapters by miniature type.

I’ve said before that I’ve releaved myself of this topic, of why the world loves miniatures. I, at one point, felt an immense furvor, to discover the precise reason why this seems to be such a constant phenomenon. And the answers are right in front of our noses - miniatures serve for learning in childhood, give us a sense of scale, provide nostalgia, and allow us control. And even with this fervent sense emptied from me, I felt it my duty, as a purveyor of the miniature world, to check out Garfield’s new book.

I’m, what I assumed was, the exact audience for this book (I'm a now 11 year miniature diorama photographer, and a life time collector of small things), and yet due to my substantial research into this topic, prior to the release of the book, I’m a bit burnt out on the topic and had trouble getting through the pages.

You see, while Garfield weaves together the history of miniatures in what seems an attempt at an an easy to digest, story-like tale so that we can all discover miniature magic together. The problem with the long-winded descriptions of various miniature items, is that these things are meant to be seen. The black and white chapter intro image of some doesn’t do them justice, and Garfield in turn doesn’t offer much insight as to why they’re so ingrained in our culture (which I assume in part was the purpose of this book due to its subtitle and marketing).

Miniatures, as with all art forms, reflect the time in which they are made. Even if I were to make a miniature Victorian cabinet today, in 2019, there would be a newness to it, and a back story as to why I, a modern day human, decided to focus on that of a no longer existent world. I say this, because Garfield asserts “The golden age of modeling has not passed, but the golden age of pleasantness probably has.” To which he follows with the example of Jimmy Caughty’s The Aftermath, a miniature scene of 5000 police officers, numerous media members, and an overall downtrodden feel. I would continue to argue however, that we make miniatures, as we make all art, things that reflect what we feel, and if a miniaturist is upset by the state of the world why shouldn’t they make a piece reflecting that? That’s not to say that miniaturists aren’t also making pleasant pieces, and pieces that fall somewhere in the in between.

While I can’t say I’ve learned anew (aside from some of the individualized miniature accounts), Garfield’s way with words illuminates the miniature world in a way I cannot. And presuming the average mini enthusiast is without the penchant for intensive research, this book instead lays the info out for you.

And overall, maybe this book isn’t for me at all. I like miniatures, see their value, and know their bits of history that appeal to me. Maybe instead, this book is to convince non-mini enthusiasts of the historical significance of miniatures and the wonders they hold.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Today’s post is on Miniature: How Small Things Illuminated the World by Simon Garfield. It is 323 pages long and is published by Atria Books. The cover has the Eiffel Tower on it in a match book. The intended reader is someone who is interested in unusual history. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket - A delightful, entertaining, and illuminating investigation into out peculiar fascination with making things small and what small things tell us about the world at large.
Tiny Eiffel Towers, Platoons of brave toy soldiers. A doll’s house created for a queen. Miniature crime scenes meant to catch killers. Flea circuses. Model villages and railways. And much more.
Bringing together history, psychology, art, and obsession, Simon Garfield explores what fuels the strong appeal of miniature objects among collectors, modelers, and everyday people. The toys we enjoy as children invest us with a rare power at a young age, bestowing a taste of adult-size authority. For some, the desire to play with small things becomes a desire to make small things. Controlling a tiny, scaled-down world can give us new perspectives and restore our sense of order uncertain times.
In Miniature takes a bog look at small things and teaches us to find greatness in the diminutive.

Review – Another unusual topic for Garfield and another delightful read. Garfield starts with the full sized Eiffel Tower and the first people to miniaturize it. Over the course of the book, Garfield introduces the reader to all kinds of people who miniaturize the world; from artist to make a point to a village to remember the past. The writing is top-notch as to be expected of Garfield. The research is good but the interviews with the people who spend their lives making things small are the best parts of the story. Garfield gets access to the people and then brings them to the reader in wonderful ways. Learning the history of miniaturization was interesting and Garfield makes it fun with little jokes and side notes about the different topics. If you are a fan of Garfield or curious about the history of miniatures then you should check this book out.


I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

[Lael Braday · Rating 4 out of 5]

One would expect a book on miniatures to target a specific audience, but Garfield offers a holistic look, broadening the concept of miniature, from souvenirs and model planes / ships to tiny books and staged crime scenes. In a surprise opening, Garfield shares the psychological obsession with recreations of the iconic Eiffel Tower, some models larger than a person, so not an expected miniature, but still tiny versions of the beloved landmark. He moves on to intricately detailed and blue-printed miniature villages and cities of astounding square footage. And from there, Garfield flies high to explore tiny portraits of royals and young Queen Mary’s dollhouse, for display only. More surprises enchant the reader upon finding out the rockstars who also happen to be model train fans, architect models famous for the intended structure not being built, and the elaborate theater that was, Garfield meandering out to mini stage sets. The book wraps up with a microscopic matrix-like painting within a painting within a painting, micro-sculptures, and of course, rice drawings and eye of the needle scenes, but also mini-cooking YouTube videos and contemporary artists. The Epilogue wanders through popular culture’s take on miniatures, and a retelling of Prussian victory at Waterloo, the final note an 8” 3D Mini-Me of the author himself.

At the end of every chapter is a “mini-break” enlightening readers upon such obscure miniatures as Egyptian shabtis, slave ship models, flea circuses, floor games / play rooms presaging Simcity, LSD tab art, Temple of Jerusalem, Las Vegas’ idea of world culture reduced to a resort, a shock artist’s work, and designer chair samples.

Extensive research was done for this book, with thorough timelines, respectful interviews, and photos. Garfield describes the inspiration, effort, finances, and passion involved in all aspects of the miniatures he’s investigated, relaying the history as a storyteller. The book is global in its scope and astonishing in its depth and content, a fun read for anyone interested in extraordinary things, reminiscent of The Museum of Interesting Things in NYC.

I received a copy of this fascinating book from the publisher Atria Books through NetGalley.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of essays, scattered quality, scattered level of detail. Lego is not the only 'omission' but the only one he admits to. (I agree with him it doesn't belong, though.) Lots of places I'd love to see, but most in Europe.

At an attraction called Bekonscot, "We don't just observe A chimpanzee's tea party at the zoo but a tea party where a chimp has trucked food over its head."

The author quotes an expert on model villages as saying, "You could argue that the most reclusive hobby, and the least social, is reading books, but no one regards readers of books as misfits or socially inadequate." Not true! I get that often, don't you?

H.G. Wells was, according to the author, about Domination and also interested in Eugenics. I have heard just about the opposite. I suppose we must let his works stand for themselves, but meanwhile I want to reconsider whether I want to read more of the ones on my to-read lists.

How Watson Learned the Trick and other works of literature were specifically written for a royal 'dollhouse' - but like most mini houses Garfield looked at do not even have figures, much less are meant to be played with.

Frances Glessner Lee should be more famous as 'the mother of forensics" and for modernizing much police detective work.

There is included a long quote from The Interrogative Mood which makes me want to check out that book.

There is a 'further reading' list and an index, but no actual notes.

I'm slightly interested in more by the author. The essays did get better further along in the book.

[Novel Destination · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have learned more about miniatures collecting in this book than I ever knew. I have listened to collectors and fanatics speak on their particular item(s) of interest and I had always assumed that they chose the miniatures because they loved the thrill of the search and acquisition of them... I had been thinking fewer of these little treasures were made and available. The author has made me reconsider that somewhat. Ownership and seeing the minute characteristics in 3D of much larger things may play a role in these collections. Fine details are prized and valued. Most of all---to each his own! One person who adores tiny books may scoff at someone who thinks miniature doll houses or buildings are divine,etc.
I appreciated the author's writing style and his discussion about why exactly he chose the subject matter and how he limited his scope of the subject too. His use of humor at appropriate places was a welcome surprise since he could have made this non-fiction book dry and too boring for readers to finish. To those who think he did not give a detailed enough explanation of the psychological reasons for miniatures to be popular, please remember that the author did not profess to be a psychoanalyst and consider that we are all unique in what we enjoy or feel drawn to own.
I also appreciated the author covered different types of miniatures in separate chapters so the reader could pick and choose what to read and not necessarily read about them in the order the author wrote them.
I was given this book to read for possible review but it did not influence what I have written here.

[Melise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a difficult book for me to review. On the one hand, it was a fantastic read, with excellent, interesting discussions of the many ways that people use the process of miniaturization to explore elements of the world around them. Garfield always comes across as completely respectful, and often totally captivated with whatever example of miniaturization he is describing in that moment. And his interest and respect make each chapter just as captivating for this reader.

The reason I found this a difficult review, was that as much as I really enjoyed the reading itself, I finished the book with a sense of disappointment. The book’s subtitle, “How Small Things Illuminate the World,” provides an insight into my disappointment. Because as fascinating as each “case study” was, I felt very strongly as if there was an element of analysis that was missing. He often mentions the seemingly universal appeal that miniatures hold for people, but he never looks into the reasons that underlie that appeal. Why are people drawn to miniaturization? In what ways do all of these examples illuminate humankind’s desire to better understand or interpret our world? I know, as a journalist, Garfield might not have felt it was his place to present any opinions he might have personally, but I would have really enjoyed knowing what scholars think underlies this fascination, and the opportunity to consider each of these examples in light of that knowledge.

I received an advanced reading copy from Atria Books via NetGalley. Thanks!

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

SUMMARY - The best moments for me were least to do with miniatures. However, there is the fan's love for the subject here that any amateur hobbiests are likely to appreciate.
-------------
Garfield brings the amateur's enthusiasm to his writing for an enjoyable read on the perception-altering properties of a world rendered tiny. I enjoyed the ecclecticism of the selections, from LSD tabs to slave ships, and from famous miniature villages to match box covers.

It was all mildly diverting, and occasionally properly thought-provoking. In particular, the claims made for the graphic representation of black bodies in the slave-ships for the cause of abolishionism in 1808 is suggestive of the powers of visual propaganda. I certainly remember first seeing it at 11 for a school project, but I had not really studied how such images may have worked to further the public campaign for reform. The same was true of the final anecdote on Wellington's airbrushing of Prussian recruits from the battlefields of Waterloo. In each case it was more the graphic than the miniature, though, that comes into focus. My favourite moments in the book, then, were probably those least to do with miniatures.

The rest drifted in and out of focus. A fellow enthusiast would no doubt drink it up, and I certainly enjoyed it. However, it had a magazine feeling of articles you might briefly read, and swiftly forget. In Miniature is easy to overlook, but for those with a more established conviction that small is beautiful, there is the hobbiest's love for the subject to enjoy.

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

2019 bk 103. Did you ever pick up a book thinking it would be about one thing, and it kind of was, but was also more and different than you thought it would be? This book was that for me. I thought it would be more of a history of modeling. Turns out Simon Garfield is interested in a lot of miniature things. This book is a collection of chapters, each focusing on different minitature items. I found it best to read a chapter, put the book down, pick it up later and read another type of chapter. The writing was excellent. Each chapter had so much food for thought that I had to put it down. There was one item that is a common thread, popping up every few chapters, and that is references to the Eiffel Tower. If you have never heard of, nor have any interest in feats of engineering, this might not be the book of you. There is a lot of engineering, architecture, art, science, history, and other fascinating topics covered in this book. I'll definitely go back and read it again later.

[Justin Coulson · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I'm given a book that I would never have bought for myself as a gift it always leaves me a little unsure. And this was a book I would never have bought for myself. And I found the book fascinating. It's a long way from what I would normally read though, and I'm still surprised at how interested I was in it. Garfield takes a close look (pardon the pun) at humanity's fascination with making things small. Miniature towns and gardens, plants and books (including insight into the smallest books in the world), the most extraordinary dolls house in the world (worth millions, and made for a queen), miniature railways, and more. Even the flea circus got a mention. Art and architecture featured prominently as well. It's historical. It's delightful in a way that I don't seem quite able to describe. Some stories were slow. A few were duds. But most of the book kept me engaged and amazed at how small things provide us perspective, help us to see anew, and provide us with joy and entertainment.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up

Yet another book that wasn't what I was expecting, so am waffling about how to rate it. There was a *lot of detailed information here, but only a few of the subjects were of interest to me.

Hubby used to be very much into model railroading and I learned enough from him to make that chapter of this book appealing. I can't imagine the patience it would take to build a to-scale model of the Eiffel Tower out of matchsticks - or toothpicks!, or books that would fit in a thimble, so those caught my ear as well. But I really couldn't care less about a flea circus, miniature towns/villages, or even glorified dollhouses, so my mind drifted during those sections.

I liked the author's observation that sometimes we need to look at the world 'from above' - like at a miniature Eiffel Tower - rather than from our typical perspective, and that's what bumped the book from 3 stars to 3.5 for me.

[Kelsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Shout out to Tiny Town, Colorado! Went there a few times as a kid. Also experienced Ai Wei Wei’s piece at the Brooklyn Museum a few years ago. It’s always neat when places/things you know randomly appear in a book. Those were some of my favorite things about this book though. It’s a wryly amusing irony that a book on miniatures should be too long! The part on the Eiffel Tower and how it make the world look a like a miniature was quite interesting, but after a bit on how miniatures illuminate out world, the point was well made...then made again...and again...and again. And again. (I also HATE the narrator’s voice in the audiobook. It is so unbelievably slow that listening to it on 1.5x speed finally makes it sound normal. On any speed, the voice is this weirdly cozy British man voice that sounds really condescending, like someone reading a children’s book.)