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The Steampunk Bible
Steampunk—a grafting of Victorian aesthetic and punk rock attitude onto various forms of science-fiction culture—is a phenomenon that has come to influence film, literature, art, music, fashion, and more. The Steampunk Bible is the first compendium about the movement, tracing its roots in the works of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells through its most recent expression in movies such as Sherlock Holmes. Its adherents celebrate the inventor as an artist and hero, re-envisioning and crafting retro technologies including antiquated airships and robots. A burgeoning DIY community has brought a distinctive Victorian-fantasy style to their crafts and art. Steampunk evokes a sense of adventure and discovery, and embraces extinct technologies as a way of talking about the future. This ultimate manual will appeal to aficionados and novices alike as author Jeff VanderMeer takes the reader on a wild ride through the clockwork corridors of Steampunk history.
Praise for The Steampunk Bible:
"The Steampunk Bible is an informed, informative and beautifully illustrated survey of the subject."
-The Financial Times
"The Steampunk Bible is far and away the most intriguing catalog of all things steam yet written."
-The Austin Chronicle
“It’s hard to imagine how VanderMeer and Chambers could have put together a stronger collection. Its publication marks a significant, self-conscious moment in the history of the movement.”
—PopMatters.com
Praise for The Steampunk Bible:
"The Steampunk Bible is an informed, informative and beautifully illustrated survey of the subject."
-The Financial Times
"The Steampunk Bible is far and away the most intriguing catalog of all things steam yet written."
-The Austin Chronicle
“It’s hard to imagine how VanderMeer and Chambers could have put together a stronger collection. Its publication marks a significant, self-conscious moment in the history of the movement.”
—PopMatters.com
224 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2011
213 people are currently reading
4753 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Vandermeer
239 books16.6k followersNYT bestselling writer Jeff VanderMeer has been called “the weird Thoreau” by the New Yorker for his engagement with ecological issues. His most recent novel, the national bestseller Borne, received wide-spread critical acclaim and his prior novels include the Southern Reach trilogy (Annihilation, Authority, and Acceptance). Annihilation won the Nebula and Shirley Jackson Awards, has been translated into 35 languages, and was made into a film from Paramount Pictures directed by Alex Garland. His nonfiction has appeared in New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Atlantic, Slate, Salon, and the Washington Post. He has coedited several iconic anthologies with his wife, the Hugo Award winning editor. Other titles include Wonderbook, the world’s first fully illustrated creative writing guide. VanderMeer served as the 2016-2017 Trias Writer in Residence at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. He has spoken at the Guggenheim, the Library of Congress, and the Arthur C. Clarke Center for the Human Imagination.
VanderMeer was born in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, but spent much of his childhood in the Fiji Islands, where his parents worked for the Peace Corps. This experience, and the resulting trip back to the United States through Asia, Africa, and Europe, deeply influenced him.
Jeff is married to Ann VanderMeer, who is currently an acquiring editor at Tor.com and has won the Hugo Award and World Fantasy Award for her editing of magazines and anthologies. They live in Tallahassee, Florida, with two cats and thousands of books.
VanderMeer was born in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, but spent much of his childhood in the Fiji Islands, where his parents worked for the Peace Corps. This experience, and the resulting trip back to the United States through Asia, Africa, and Europe, deeply influenced him.
Jeff is married to Ann VanderMeer, who is currently an acquiring editor at Tor.com and has won the Hugo Award and World Fantasy Award for her editing of magazines and anthologies. They live in Tallahassee, Florida, with two cats and thousands of books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 238 reviews
May 29, 2019
I had this rather gorgeous hardback book given to me as a gift, and I'm so glad that I've finally gotten to it. It really is a beautiful cover, and I'd probably buy it just because of that.
I am a great lover of Steampunk, so this book fitted the bill grandly. Steampunk reimagines victorian times, in a kind of retro manner. It really is everywhere, especially in many TV shows, films and literature.
I find Steampunk style clothing attractive, and this book has many illustrations and ideas for new outfits that you could make or buy. Making your own is definitely more fun! Steampunk is associated with corsets and cogs, but it is also so much more than that, it is a way of life.
Some of the authors and their works mentioned in here lacked detail, and I wanted more, but for an individual that appreciates the Steampunk genre, I'd definitely recommend!
I am a great lover of Steampunk, so this book fitted the bill grandly. Steampunk reimagines victorian times, in a kind of retro manner. It really is everywhere, especially in many TV shows, films and literature.
I find Steampunk style clothing attractive, and this book has many illustrations and ideas for new outfits that you could make or buy. Making your own is definitely more fun! Steampunk is associated with corsets and cogs, but it is also so much more than that, it is a way of life.
Some of the authors and their works mentioned in here lacked detail, and I wanted more, but for an individual that appreciates the Steampunk genre, I'd definitely recommend!
May 4, 2013
The Publisher Says: Steampunk—a grafting of Victorian aesthetic and punk rock attitude onto various forms of science-fiction culture—is a phenomenon that has come to influence film, literature, art, music, fashion, and more. The Steampunk Bible is the first compendium about the movement, tracing its roots in the works of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells through its most recent expression in movies such as Sherlock Holmes. Its adherents celebrate the inventor as an artist and hero, re-envisioning and crafting retro technologies including antiquated airships and robots. A burgeoning DIY community has brought a distinctive Victorian-fantasy style to their crafts and art. Steampunk evokes a sense of adventure and discovery, and embraces extinct technologies as a way of talking about the future. This ultimate manual will appeal to aficionados and novices alike as author Jeff VanderMeer takes the reader on a wild ride through the clockwork corridors of Steampunk history.
My Review: A movement that, at its oldest, is 25 years old, doesn't need a bible. But in my opinion, THE bible is unnecessary as well, so no one's listening to me, are they?
It turns out, in this case at least, that this is a good thing. What a lovely book! How wonderful and imaginative the items in it are. I love the DIY side of Steampunk, and would love to win Powerball (like that one person in Michigan...one person!...who won the $337 million this week, wonder if he/she's married...) because I'd have the whole place crammed with the bizarre and beautiful artifacts the Steampunkers produce. I already have a Walt Whitmanesque beard...now all I need is the gear....
Anyone who is on Facebook should look at a page called, with admirable restraint and clarity, “Steampunk” to get a sense of how very widespread the appeal of the aesthetic is. And to see some astoundingly cool stuff. There are Steampunk expos. The Burning Man festival is a steampunk-heavy event now, when it used to be a way trippy new-age-meets-orgy kinda deal. If this neo-Victorian aesthetic would just hurry up and supplant the noisy, ugly, annoying rap/hip-hop/”urban” horripilation I've snorted at and winced through for the past 20 years, I will be the happiest old man who ever pinched a monocled twentysomething boy's ass. (His monocle fell out. I think I gave myself a rupture laughing.)
So three and a half stars? Mingy much? Well. Um. Not really. VanderMeer does what he usually ends up doing in his anthologies. He puffs his friends and tells us what to think about the subject under discussion. I don't really like that a lot.
And, as I mentioned, the movement's pretty new. The available material isn't up to much in survey terms, and this book isn't at all comprehensive. Had it been, I would have been a lot more lenient. On the whole, I'd say it's a pretty ornament to the coffee table and let you take it from there.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
My Review: A movement that, at its oldest, is 25 years old, doesn't need a bible. But in my opinion, THE bible is unnecessary as well, so no one's listening to me, are they?
It turns out, in this case at least, that this is a good thing. What a lovely book! How wonderful and imaginative the items in it are. I love the DIY side of Steampunk, and would love to win Powerball (like that one person in Michigan...one person!...who won the $337 million this week, wonder if he/she's married...) because I'd have the whole place crammed with the bizarre and beautiful artifacts the Steampunkers produce. I already have a Walt Whitmanesque beard...now all I need is the gear....
Anyone who is on Facebook should look at a page called, with admirable restraint and clarity, “Steampunk” to get a sense of how very widespread the appeal of the aesthetic is. And to see some astoundingly cool stuff. There are Steampunk expos. The Burning Man festival is a steampunk-heavy event now, when it used to be a way trippy new-age-meets-orgy kinda deal. If this neo-Victorian aesthetic would just hurry up and supplant the noisy, ugly, annoying rap/hip-hop/”urban” horripilation I've snorted at and winced through for the past 20 years, I will be the happiest old man who ever pinched a monocled twentysomething boy's ass. (His monocle fell out. I think I gave myself a rupture laughing.)
So three and a half stars? Mingy much? Well. Um. Not really. VanderMeer does what he usually ends up doing in his anthologies. He puffs his friends and tells us what to think about the subject under discussion. I don't really like that a lot.
And, as I mentioned, the movement's pretty new. The available material isn't up to much in survey terms, and this book isn't at all comprehensive. Had it been, I would have been a lot more lenient. On the whole, I'd say it's a pretty ornament to the coffee table and let you take it from there.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
June 21, 2012
Four and a half stars, derived as follows: 5 stars for Steampunk fans, and 3 and a half - 4 stars for everybody else.
This is a beautifully illustrated book full of interesting articles. Even if you aren't a Steampunk fan (yet), this book might well convert you.
I'd probably have preferred it to be even bigger and thicker, but it seems perfect for someone like me who was sort of poised on the edge of becoming a Steampunk fan.
The genre seems to have a nostalgic appeal, especially to those who enjoy things Victorian.
From an article in the book: "At it's best, SP is unabashedly positive and inclusive in it's outlook, encouraging applied imagination put to both fanciful and practical purposes. Although some Steampunks are escapists - using the accoutrements of the Victorian period without reference to imperialism or the social inequities of the era - many see their efforts as a way to repurpose the best of that time while correcting for the worst. Today, Steampunk enclaves exist all over the world, making the subculture truly international.
Now, that does sound like fun, doesn't it?
The ship below reminds me of the airship in Gene Wolfe's "New Sun" universe.
The perfect coffee table volume for the SF/Steampunk lover.
This is a beautifully illustrated book full of interesting articles. Even if you aren't a Steampunk fan (yet), this book might well convert you.
I'd probably have preferred it to be even bigger and thicker, but it seems perfect for someone like me who was sort of poised on the edge of becoming a Steampunk fan.
The genre seems to have a nostalgic appeal, especially to those who enjoy things Victorian.
From an article in the book: "At it's best, SP is unabashedly positive and inclusive in it's outlook, encouraging applied imagination put to both fanciful and practical purposes. Although some Steampunks are escapists - using the accoutrements of the Victorian period without reference to imperialism or the social inequities of the era - many see their efforts as a way to repurpose the best of that time while correcting for the worst. Today, Steampunk enclaves exist all over the world, making the subculture truly international.
Now, that does sound like fun, doesn't it?
The ship below reminds me of the airship in Gene Wolfe's "New Sun" universe.
The perfect coffee table volume for the SF/Steampunk lover.
January 27, 2023
Be still, your wild expectations.
The publishers want us to know: “Steampunk—a grafting of Victorian aesthetic and punk rock attitude onto various forms of science-fiction culture—is a phenomenon…”
You may have a different way of seeing “the steampunk phenomenon.”
This “bible” is a collection of articles and illustrations that are intended to inform and delight. For instance:
"You could argue that all of the pleasures and contradictions of modern Steampunk originated in a bar called O’Hara’s in Orange, California. It was there in the mid-1980s, a century after Verne and the Edisonades, that the three writers most closely associated with the rise of modern Steampunk would meet to drink beer and bat around ideas. Tim Powers, 1997. Credit: Beth Gwinn James Blaylock, 1996. Credit: Beth Gwinn Then in their early twenties, Tim Powers, K. W. Jeter, and James Blaylock lived ten minutes apart and had read Victorian and Edwardian literature in college."
The terms, “steampunk” and “cyberpunk” are thrown around, often with great abandon. A friend offered a simple distinction (but I am not sure that it holds up): Both of these genres are part of “speculative fiction." Cyberpunk deals mostly in the future and steampunk is set in the past or present. Both may explore the impact of technology on us. In cyberpunk the technology often controls humans (rather than the other way around). In steampunk, technology is derived from (and limited to?) the types of power present in the 19th century.
If you believe that the Holy Bible is/was divinely inspired you will be disappointed in this bible, which is a collection of articles by various authors. There is no common point of view or perspective. Each has something that they want to share. I had more fun paging through the illustrations than slogging through some of these pieces. The hand of VanderMeer (or anyone else) as editor was not in evidence.
The publishers want us to know: “Steampunk—a grafting of Victorian aesthetic and punk rock attitude onto various forms of science-fiction culture—is a phenomenon…”
You may have a different way of seeing “the steampunk phenomenon.”
This “bible” is a collection of articles and illustrations that are intended to inform and delight. For instance:
"You could argue that all of the pleasures and contradictions of modern Steampunk originated in a bar called O’Hara’s in Orange, California. It was there in the mid-1980s, a century after Verne and the Edisonades, that the three writers most closely associated with the rise of modern Steampunk would meet to drink beer and bat around ideas. Tim Powers, 1997. Credit: Beth Gwinn James Blaylock, 1996. Credit: Beth Gwinn Then in their early twenties, Tim Powers, K. W. Jeter, and James Blaylock lived ten minutes apart and had read Victorian and Edwardian literature in college."
The terms, “steampunk” and “cyberpunk” are thrown around, often with great abandon. A friend offered a simple distinction (but I am not sure that it holds up): Both of these genres are part of “speculative fiction." Cyberpunk deals mostly in the future and steampunk is set in the past or present. Both may explore the impact of technology on us. In cyberpunk the technology often controls humans (rather than the other way around). In steampunk, technology is derived from (and limited to?) the types of power present in the 19th century.
If you believe that the Holy Bible is/was divinely inspired you will be disappointed in this bible, which is a collection of articles by various authors. There is no common point of view or perspective. Each has something that they want to share. I had more fun paging through the illustrations than slogging through some of these pieces. The hand of VanderMeer (or anyone else) as editor was not in evidence.
August 1, 2012
I received this book as a Christmas gift from the younger of my two younger sisters and am very thankful to her for giving it to me. I already knew a great deal about the history of Steampunk. '20,000 Leagues Under The Sea', both the book and the 1954 movie, and the 1961 film version of 'Mysterious Island', as well as H.G. Wells 'The Time Machine' were some of my favorites growing up. By the time I was 18 I had read over 20 books by Michael Moorcock and one of them was 'The Warlord of the Air' which rejuvenated my interest in Steampunk before it was even called that. Over the yrs I had always speculated this style of fiction would grow and that a few authors would pick up on it and run with it. However, not once did I ever think it would be as big as Star Wars or The Lord of the Rings. Jeff VanderMeer did a fine job writing, editing and putting together this definitive encyclopedic account of Steampunk. It delves into the definition of what Steampunk is, including the newer sub-genre nametags that have recently been floating about, the history of it's roots, it's connections to the earlier Scientific Romances and Edisonades, and it's reflection off of the real world that inspired it, and details all the branches of past, present, and future fiction and non-fiction connected to it's base. There are fabulous drawings, paintings and photos of antiques, modern creations, clothing, models, book covers, newspaper articles, numerous designs, and even music bands all cleary inspiring or inspired by Steampunk. It is detailed enough for the more serious fan but simple enough for the casual reader to both enjoy it fully. I just wish it were more like the bible in length, or even a series, because I would be very happy to collect several volumes on the subject in like manner. This will be a book I will be re-reading and referencing to for the rest of my days. A new favorite book and one I give my highest recommendation to!!!
February 26, 2012
About a two and a half for me. I've been eyeing this book for quite sometime, and was finally excited to pick it up and read it. While some parts were both useful and enlightening, the whole book has this overtone of steampunk snobbery - you know - do A, B, and C or you're not a "real" steampunk. I was very disappointed by this attitude, because steampunk is both an important and fun aspect of my life, and reading this, I wonder if anybody else picked it up and was put off of steampunk by the attitude.
What constitutes a "real" steampunk for me is not their clothing or the way that they write their steampunk story, it's their love of steampunk. While parts of this book did include that idea, there's a lot of talk of exact ways of being a true, die-hard steampunk, and the idea that anybody else isn't fit for the subculture.
The most interesting aspect for me was the discussion of multicultural steampunk, cultural appropriation (which got a very brief mention, but could have been an entire chapter) and racism. These are things that I feel as though the steampunk community does need to discuss more often, and I was glad that it was addressed in this book.
Nevertheless, I would not recommend this. As a steampunk myself, it made me feel inadequate because of all the things I wasn't doing the "right" way. Who wants to hang out with steampunk purists, anyway? Part of the fun of steampunk is that it is malleable and broad, definitely not as narrow as this book makes it seem.
What constitutes a "real" steampunk for me is not their clothing or the way that they write their steampunk story, it's their love of steampunk. While parts of this book did include that idea, there's a lot of talk of exact ways of being a true, die-hard steampunk, and the idea that anybody else isn't fit for the subculture.
The most interesting aspect for me was the discussion of multicultural steampunk, cultural appropriation (which got a very brief mention, but could have been an entire chapter) and racism. These are things that I feel as though the steampunk community does need to discuss more often, and I was glad that it was addressed in this book.
Nevertheless, I would not recommend this. As a steampunk myself, it made me feel inadequate because of all the things I wasn't doing the "right" way. Who wants to hang out with steampunk purists, anyway? Part of the fun of steampunk is that it is malleable and broad, definitely not as narrow as this book makes it seem.
April 16, 2012
Steampunk is a subgenre / aesthetic that reimagines Victorian times in a retro-futurist way, embracing the past while reflecting upon the present and future. It is as much a way of life as it is a kind of literature, music or fashion. You will have seen hints of it everywhere: books, Hollywood movies, or strange people who dress in a fashion that mixes 19th century Victoriana with punk’s do-it-yourself mindset.
Relying heavily on Steampunk’s unique visual appeal, with beautiful photographs and illustration (just look at that cover!), this book has both style and substance, with contributions from some of the most active members of the worldwide community. Steampunk is (or can be) a lot more than just pretty corsets and goggles, or stuff with cogs glued to it. It’s a way of thinking about technology and the way it impacts us, it’s marrying escapism with social and political awareness, it’s a reaction against today’s consumerist world, in which the mass-produced things we own are never supposed to last more than two to three years, and you can’t fix them when they break.
The first few chapters cover the literary origins of Steampunk and the first authors to truly tackle it, all the way through to the most recent books and graphic novels. There are also chapters dedicated to the fashion, the crafty and tinkering aspects of Steampunk, movies (both Hollywood and less mainstream ones), and events around the world.
The inventors, authors and tinkerers featured throughout the book are guaranteed to inspire you to try your hands at something – there’s even a tutorial on etching tins to get you going.
In short, there’s a bit of something for everyone in this book slash love letter to Steampunk. If you’re not a Steampunk fan already, you will be after you read this book. I do wish it would have gone a bit deeper in exploring the works listed – this is called a bible, after all – but as an illustrated guide, it works really well.
Read this review in Portuguese here.
Relying heavily on Steampunk’s unique visual appeal, with beautiful photographs and illustration (just look at that cover!), this book has both style and substance, with contributions from some of the most active members of the worldwide community. Steampunk is (or can be) a lot more than just pretty corsets and goggles, or stuff with cogs glued to it. It’s a way of thinking about technology and the way it impacts us, it’s marrying escapism with social and political awareness, it’s a reaction against today’s consumerist world, in which the mass-produced things we own are never supposed to last more than two to three years, and you can’t fix them when they break.
The first few chapters cover the literary origins of Steampunk and the first authors to truly tackle it, all the way through to the most recent books and graphic novels. There are also chapters dedicated to the fashion, the crafty and tinkering aspects of Steampunk, movies (both Hollywood and less mainstream ones), and events around the world.
The inventors, authors and tinkerers featured throughout the book are guaranteed to inspire you to try your hands at something – there’s even a tutorial on etching tins to get you going.
In short, there’s a bit of something for everyone in this book slash love letter to Steampunk. If you’re not a Steampunk fan already, you will be after you read this book. I do wish it would have gone a bit deeper in exploring the works listed – this is called a bible, after all – but as an illustrated guide, it works really well.
Read this review in Portuguese here.
March 1, 2021
I wrote a foreward to A Clockwork Orchard: Rivets & Rain a few years back and it applies here as well:
To those who think that Steampunk is a new genre, this book is not for you. You have already made up your mind that what you are holding is just the latest attempt by the marketing machine to attach to the zeitgeist that is an alternate history, but I am going to tell you differently: This is not your father's Steampunk.
They say that "brown is the new black" and this is just another passing phase in the world of those who seek to be outside the societal norms like the punk or goth movements. I say that this movement that they so surely wish to push off as a passing fancy is more than one hundred years old and was the playground of some of the most daring and scientifically analytic minds of the 19th and 20th centuries. To the uninitiated, Steampunk may seem like just brass rivets sewn into the fabric of the rich tapestry of life, but to those who are truly students of the culture, Steampunk is that and so much more.
The stories contained within this anthology are a view into the mind's eye of the children of Verne, Wells, Baum, and Babbage. The minds of the past, influencing the writers of tomorrow with all the precision of a well-oiled machine, given life by the steam that powers us all: imagination. You now have the chance, dear reader: put the book down and go back to your daily routine or allow it to take you by the hand and lead you through the orchard. The choice is yours, and we are waiting for you to decide...
To those who think that Steampunk is a new genre, this book is not for you. You have already made up your mind that what you are holding is just the latest attempt by the marketing machine to attach to the zeitgeist that is an alternate history, but I am going to tell you differently: This is not your father's Steampunk.
They say that "brown is the new black" and this is just another passing phase in the world of those who seek to be outside the societal norms like the punk or goth movements. I say that this movement that they so surely wish to push off as a passing fancy is more than one hundred years old and was the playground of some of the most daring and scientifically analytic minds of the 19th and 20th centuries. To the uninitiated, Steampunk may seem like just brass rivets sewn into the fabric of the rich tapestry of life, but to those who are truly students of the culture, Steampunk is that and so much more.
The stories contained within this anthology are a view into the mind's eye of the children of Verne, Wells, Baum, and Babbage. The minds of the past, influencing the writers of tomorrow with all the precision of a well-oiled machine, given life by the steam that powers us all: imagination. You now have the chance, dear reader: put the book down and go back to your daily routine or allow it to take you by the hand and lead you through the orchard. The choice is yours, and we are waiting for you to decide...
June 16, 2011
How to describe a book like this? An encyclopedia of odd, fascinating information, descriptions, snippets of prose and above all gorgeous photography. If you love steampunk, then, well-this is the bible and Jeff VanderMeer is the man!
The Steampunk Bible: An Illustrated Guide to the World of Imaginary Airships, Corsets and Goggles, Mad Scientists, and Strange Literature is a delight visually and a reading treasure. A great addition if you're interested in the genre, whether you're merely curious or a fan.
The Steampunk Bible: An Illustrated Guide to the World of Imaginary Airships, Corsets and Goggles, Mad Scientists, and Strange Literature is a delight visually and a reading treasure. A great addition if you're interested in the genre, whether you're merely curious or a fan.
June 13, 2015
rating: 4/5
Grab a cup of tea while enjoying The Steampunk Bible, a beautifully illustrated guide to the Steampunk culture. The art was chosen wonderfully (except for one image that is located on a whole page and blurry)! My favorite image is the beautiful artistic panoramic picture of Tom Every’s Forvertron Park on pages 94-95. It is just breathtaking; I must have stared at it for an hour trying to take in every detail.
Also, amongst these pages are a few jewels that just blew me away. Pages 60-61 contain an essay by Catherynne M. Valente entitled “Blowing Off Steam.” She calls out to Steampunks everywhere to not get tied up in the coolness of what we perceive to be Victorian (such as gluing gears onto everything) but to make sure that we focus on the steam and punk; the grittiness, nastiness, death, and terror accompanied with steam technology and the rebellion inherent in the punk (that we should be lucky to live up to the punk in the name). It is a brilliant essay against the watered down version of Steampunk that seems to have become mainstream (like being able to buy it in Hot Topic), and a call to not be afraid of the sludge.
I have found a few quotes from this book that phrase my love of Steampunk better than I could ever describe it. Zachary Rukstela of Kinetic Steam Works said of the visual aesthetic and functionality of Steampunk, “It’s hot and wet – it’s incredibly sexy, with pistons moving, dipping moaning. Incredibly organic.” Diana M. Pho (aka Ay-lee the Peacemaker) noted that Steampunk (in regards to multiculturalism within the culture) is a “chance to re-write the typical white, male-oriented, European-dominated past to reflect voices that had been silenced, ignored, or oppressed.” This view portrays the flexibility inherent with Steampunk (through the idea of alternate histories) to explore “what ifs” of the past, focusing on voices rarely heard in traditional history books (as well as allowing room for criticisms of modern culture within its framework).
I had the most problems with the second chapter; it felt like an advertisement for the newest Steampunk novels out there, including some novels that I didn’t find that good upon reading (I may be pickier than the average reader though). For a book about a cultural movement that promoted DYI and anti-mainstream ideologies that seemed a bit, uh, ironic (although it made me pick up the Difference Engine by Gibson and Sterling which so far I adore completely). However, the literary history of all the proto-Steampunk works starting with Verne and Wells was fascinating, leaving me wishing for more history and less descriptions of the contemporary works (although I do see a point in why the author included them since he wishes to also present the contemporary state of the culture).
It may not be the definitive guide (but it wouldn’t be ‘punk’ if there could be a definitive guide, especially with the DIY emphasis of the culture) and suffers being outdated within a few years as the culture grows rapidly, but it is a nice cross-section and introduction into the world of Steampunk for beginners. It serves as an entry into something beautiful, unique, gritty, revolutionary, and as far away from the antiseptic technology of today as possible.
Grab a cup of tea while enjoying The Steampunk Bible, a beautifully illustrated guide to the Steampunk culture. The art was chosen wonderfully (except for one image that is located on a whole page and blurry)! My favorite image is the beautiful artistic panoramic picture of Tom Every’s Forvertron Park on pages 94-95. It is just breathtaking; I must have stared at it for an hour trying to take in every detail.
Also, amongst these pages are a few jewels that just blew me away. Pages 60-61 contain an essay by Catherynne M. Valente entitled “Blowing Off Steam.” She calls out to Steampunks everywhere to not get tied up in the coolness of what we perceive to be Victorian (such as gluing gears onto everything) but to make sure that we focus on the steam and punk; the grittiness, nastiness, death, and terror accompanied with steam technology and the rebellion inherent in the punk (that we should be lucky to live up to the punk in the name). It is a brilliant essay against the watered down version of Steampunk that seems to have become mainstream (like being able to buy it in Hot Topic), and a call to not be afraid of the sludge.
I have found a few quotes from this book that phrase my love of Steampunk better than I could ever describe it. Zachary Rukstela of Kinetic Steam Works said of the visual aesthetic and functionality of Steampunk, “It’s hot and wet – it’s incredibly sexy, with pistons moving, dipping moaning. Incredibly organic.” Diana M. Pho (aka Ay-lee the Peacemaker) noted that Steampunk (in regards to multiculturalism within the culture) is a “chance to re-write the typical white, male-oriented, European-dominated past to reflect voices that had been silenced, ignored, or oppressed.” This view portrays the flexibility inherent with Steampunk (through the idea of alternate histories) to explore “what ifs” of the past, focusing on voices rarely heard in traditional history books (as well as allowing room for criticisms of modern culture within its framework).
I had the most problems with the second chapter; it felt like an advertisement for the newest Steampunk novels out there, including some novels that I didn’t find that good upon reading (I may be pickier than the average reader though). For a book about a cultural movement that promoted DYI and anti-mainstream ideologies that seemed a bit, uh, ironic (although it made me pick up the Difference Engine by Gibson and Sterling which so far I adore completely). However, the literary history of all the proto-Steampunk works starting with Verne and Wells was fascinating, leaving me wishing for more history and less descriptions of the contemporary works (although I do see a point in why the author included them since he wishes to also present the contemporary state of the culture).
It may not be the definitive guide (but it wouldn’t be ‘punk’ if there could be a definitive guide, especially with the DIY emphasis of the culture) and suffers being outdated within a few years as the culture grows rapidly, but it is a nice cross-section and introduction into the world of Steampunk for beginners. It serves as an entry into something beautiful, unique, gritty, revolutionary, and as far away from the antiseptic technology of today as possible.
November 9, 2019
First and foremost, this book is a gorgeously designed coffee table book which provides the reader with interesting and accurate articles detailing the steampunk movement. The book not only delves into the origins of the movement by looking into literary influences and the industrial revolution, but it also provides articles on fashion, music, the DIY (do-it-yourself) attitude that’s so prevalent in steampunk, books, and films. It provides a proper scope on the presence of steampunk in today’s media and culture, and the way in which it does so is very visually appealing, with lush and imaginative illustrations, and amazing photography.
The chapters I enjoyed reading the most were those detailing the literary origins of the steampunk movement, being the book nerd that I am. I also commend the authors on writing a few lines on multicultural steampunk, and briefly venturing into the field of cultural appropriation. The writing style of it all is also appropriate and definitely okay, especially considering the large amount of authors/contributors. It’s nothing special, though, and mostly comes across as ‘informative’ writing.
That said, The Steampunk Bible: An Illustrated Guide to the World of Imaginary Airships Corsets and Goggles Mad Scientists and Strange Literature isn’t without flaws. Some articles are written in quite a haughty, snobbish tone, and very much come across as dictating what is and what isn’t allowed within the steampunk movement. Not a very inviting tone, I must say, and one that might scare off newcomers or people who feel they are steampunk but don’t necessarily conform to all the ‘rules’.
There are also a few parts that I considered to be, well, rather useless, including an article or two on steamsona’s (a.k.a. your own steampunk identity/persona). The concept of it was already explained, which is a good thing, since it plays a big part in the steampunk movement. Yet why was it necessary to include actual steamsona’s from a few contributors? Not very interesting, and it even came across as rather amateurish to me since those steamsona’s didn’t appear to be that well-written.
But, to make a long story short: I would recommend this to anyone who has an interest in the steampunk movement and/or enjoys (sub)cultural commentary, perhaps even including those who are already completely immersed in steampunk. Mostly because The Steampunk Bible: An Illustrated Guide to the World of Imaginary Airships Corsets and Goggles Mad Scientists and Strange Literature provides a few nice lists of recommendations on books and music, which might even be interesting to the die-hard steampunkers.
Also, a small note at the end: purely for written content, I would have given this book three stars out of five, but the overall design and the use of photos/illustrations are more than gorgeous enough to warrant one extra star.
The chapters I enjoyed reading the most were those detailing the literary origins of the steampunk movement, being the book nerd that I am. I also commend the authors on writing a few lines on multicultural steampunk, and briefly venturing into the field of cultural appropriation. The writing style of it all is also appropriate and definitely okay, especially considering the large amount of authors/contributors. It’s nothing special, though, and mostly comes across as ‘informative’ writing.
That said, The Steampunk Bible: An Illustrated Guide to the World of Imaginary Airships Corsets and Goggles Mad Scientists and Strange Literature isn’t without flaws. Some articles are written in quite a haughty, snobbish tone, and very much come across as dictating what is and what isn’t allowed within the steampunk movement. Not a very inviting tone, I must say, and one that might scare off newcomers or people who feel they are steampunk but don’t necessarily conform to all the ‘rules’.
There are also a few parts that I considered to be, well, rather useless, including an article or two on steamsona’s (a.k.a. your own steampunk identity/persona). The concept of it was already explained, which is a good thing, since it plays a big part in the steampunk movement. Yet why was it necessary to include actual steamsona’s from a few contributors? Not very interesting, and it even came across as rather amateurish to me since those steamsona’s didn’t appear to be that well-written.
But, to make a long story short: I would recommend this to anyone who has an interest in the steampunk movement and/or enjoys (sub)cultural commentary, perhaps even including those who are already completely immersed in steampunk. Mostly because The Steampunk Bible: An Illustrated Guide to the World of Imaginary Airships Corsets and Goggles Mad Scientists and Strange Literature provides a few nice lists of recommendations on books and music, which might even be interesting to the die-hard steampunkers.
Also, a small note at the end: purely for written content, I would have given this book three stars out of five, but the overall design and the use of photos/illustrations are more than gorgeous enough to warrant one extra star.
March 27, 2012
The award winning, best selling author, Jeff Vandemeer’s bio, in The Steampunk Bible, states that “all four of his cats have yet to reveal any Steampunk tendencies.” Then cats don’t reveal anything, they keep their secrets, so that doesn’t mean anything. Those cats might be building gadgets under the bed, some freaky mouse traps, perhaps. Co-author S. J. Chamber’s fiction and nonfiction has appeared in numerous publications. Her bio in the book states that she wrote this, her first book, “via the Popov Lightenin-o-gramatic 6000 aboard the recommissioned H. M.S. Victoria.” The book is as fun as their bios and both authors did a fantastic job in writing about a very hard to define genre and subculture.
The very last sentence of the Steampunk Bible is my favorite, “Maybe one day we’ll all be Steampunks.” The book is jammed with interesting, enlightening, and fun information on Steampunk. It also includes amazing photos. It’s a wonderful book covering Poe, Verne, Wells, the industrial revelation, the arts and crafts of rayguns and rocket ships, goggles, corsets, Steampunk music, movies, comics, and televion, as well as the future of Steampunk and much more. This is a great book that will crank your gears. If everyone reads it, then, indeed, we will probably all be Steampunks.
The very last sentence of the Steampunk Bible is my favorite, “Maybe one day we’ll all be Steampunks.” The book is jammed with interesting, enlightening, and fun information on Steampunk. It also includes amazing photos. It’s a wonderful book covering Poe, Verne, Wells, the industrial revelation, the arts and crafts of rayguns and rocket ships, goggles, corsets, Steampunk music, movies, comics, and televion, as well as the future of Steampunk and much more. This is a great book that will crank your gears. If everyone reads it, then, indeed, we will probably all be Steampunks.
November 8, 2021
Cette « bible Steampunk » porte bien son nom : c’est un large tour d’horizon de la culture steampunk.
Ce livre magnifiquement illustré propose un parcours didactique à travers les différents aspects de la culture steampunk : ses racines au XIXe siècle avec Jules Verne, H.G. Wells et la révolution industrielle ; la naissance de la littérature steampunk un siècle plus tard ; la place essentielle de l’art et de l’artisanat dans la culture steampunk ; la mode, les accessoires et la musique steampunk ; le steampunk au cinéma et à la télévision. L’ouvrage s’achève sur une conclusion qui pose d’intéressantes questions sur l’avenir du steampunk, notamment autour de l’écologie, de la diversité et de la représentation des minorités.
J’ai pris beaucoup de plaisir en lisant ce livre, qui mêle des textes intéressants et des illustrations très immersives, que ce soient des couvertures de romans, des affiches de films, ou surtout des photos de costumes, d’œuvres d’art ou de constructions inspirées de l’esthétique steampunk.
Ce livre magnifiquement illustré propose un parcours didactique à travers les différents aspects de la culture steampunk : ses racines au XIXe siècle avec Jules Verne, H.G. Wells et la révolution industrielle ; la naissance de la littérature steampunk un siècle plus tard ; la place essentielle de l’art et de l’artisanat dans la culture steampunk ; la mode, les accessoires et la musique steampunk ; le steampunk au cinéma et à la télévision. L’ouvrage s’achève sur une conclusion qui pose d’intéressantes questions sur l’avenir du steampunk, notamment autour de l’écologie, de la diversité et de la représentation des minorités.
J’ai pris beaucoup de plaisir en lisant ce livre, qui mêle des textes intéressants et des illustrations très immersives, que ce soient des couvertures de romans, des affiches de films, ou surtout des photos de costumes, d’œuvres d’art ou de constructions inspirées de l’esthétique steampunk.
February 12, 2012
It’s not all airships and goggles. Having become my fiction genre of choice over the last few years, The Steampunk Bible is a welcome tour of its many other aspects. The aesthetics in steampunk fiction, fashion and art overlay a worldview that emphasizes self-reliance, a resistance to dystopia and which prizes innovation as a craft, not simply a means to mass-consumption.
The range of topics, along with the artwork and photographs, presents a skillfully edited summary of a genre that has difficulty defining itself. It thankfully resists the obsessive fanboy traps of exploring minutia. At just over 200 pages, it is concise and beautifully illustrated as it explores the history, music, fashion, fiction, fabricators and sub-culture of all things steampunk.
The range of topics, along with the artwork and photographs, presents a skillfully edited summary of a genre that has difficulty defining itself. It thankfully resists the obsessive fanboy traps of exploring minutia. At just over 200 pages, it is concise and beautifully illustrated as it explores the history, music, fashion, fiction, fabricators and sub-culture of all things steampunk.
January 30, 2023
At last I forced myself to finish this book. It's not bad, quite the opposite, but I got distracted with other books for over a year.
10/10, entertaining and instructive.
10/10, entertaining and instructive.
May 31, 2011
I love everything about this book. I bought the hardback, at B&N, not even on sale! It was worth every penny~not to mention, the illustrations and pictures are priceless.
I am an avid Steampunk-gal, and there is nothing more thrilling than finding this completed works to add to my personal library.
I love that Jake Von Slatt is featured in the book, he's my all-time favorite inventor of our generation. His ideas, designs and enthusiasm appear limitless. He's inspiring.
Also, if you think that you are interested in learning anything about this topic, you have to get this book. It will explain the movement (Steampunk) in clear terms. From the Jules Verne period~to where we are headed today.
There are pages of comics, featurettes on Edgar Allen Poe, and so many little crious asides to take note of.
And, last of all, I love seeing all the fashion photos and the detailed descriptions of what the models are wearing. The jewelry is beautiful and I am envious of each little trinket I have spied upon the dresses, coats and vests as I turn the pages.
Great, great job~Jeff Vandermeer & S.J. Chambers!
I am an avid Steampunk-gal, and there is nothing more thrilling than finding this completed works to add to my personal library.
I love that Jake Von Slatt is featured in the book, he's my all-time favorite inventor of our generation. His ideas, designs and enthusiasm appear limitless. He's inspiring.
Also, if you think that you are interested in learning anything about this topic, you have to get this book. It will explain the movement (Steampunk) in clear terms. From the Jules Verne period~to where we are headed today.
There are pages of comics, featurettes on Edgar Allen Poe, and so many little crious asides to take note of.
And, last of all, I love seeing all the fashion photos and the detailed descriptions of what the models are wearing. The jewelry is beautiful and I am envious of each little trinket I have spied upon the dresses, coats and vests as I turn the pages.
Great, great job~Jeff Vandermeer & S.J. Chambers!
March 24, 2012
This is a good beginning for learning about the history of the literary and movie/anime/tv/artwork creations that ultimately created the current steampunk zone of activity in today's world. Every page has pictures of the home made artifacts, creations, sculptures, clothing, weapons, jewelry, people and graphic illustrations of all kinds. The book asks the question will steampunk survive and the best answer seems to be that there will always be people who will reject the idea that your future is centered around a universe of no user serviceable parts and empires that are always seeking new ways to squeeze you for everything you got.
January 25, 2017
Well, for all its hype, it wasn't half bad. The first few chapters were quite well done (especially the history of the genre) and a great reference. Mostly this is a picture book - the visuals and design are great. I was disappointed by how glossed over the fashion and media sections were, but they are still useful for those new to steampunk. I think it's a great introduction for anyone unfamiliar with the aesthetic and media, but not overly useful if you are well acquainted with the subculture.
February 19, 2012
This was a nicely illustrated and well written (it IS Jeff VanderMeer, after all) exploration of the evolution of Steampunk. It covered all the facets of the movement: literature, fashion, art, movies. It further cemented my belief that anyone who thinks that Steampunk is merely an aesthetic is completely missing the point - Steampunk is a response to romanticization of the imperialism and class issues of the Victorian era. One thing I hadn't known before was that the artsy side is a rejection of current mass market consumerism, which does seem like an appropriate parallel.
July 26, 2012
I have been to several con's and seen the steampunk asthetic in the costumes some people wear, but I didn't really understand what the touchstones of the genre were. This is a fantastic primer to this wonderful, wacky world. The pictures are wonderful and the text is lively and not too techie. I felt that I now "get it."
August 28, 2011
Great book providing a good overview of the history and various areas of the steampunk movement including books, comics, conventions, movies, fashion .... and including lots of great pics and illustrations. I have taken quite a long list of books to read and movies to watch out of it.
October 14, 2011
Not terribly impressed with this. It is much smaller than I expected and the information and photos are not that great. (I've found better doing an internet search) I am glad though to see a book on the subject and the attempt to put together a "Steampunk Bible", so I give it three stars.
August 10, 2020
Not the best of the Vandermeer big books and bibles, though it makes me want to read boneshaker after all.
For the most part, it reads and looks like a very long tumblr post from 2010.
For the most part, it reads and looks like a very long tumblr post from 2010.
February 12, 2023
Another great Steampunk reference book for your coffee table. Beautiful artwork and a history of this sub-genre.
May 22, 2021
Actually, the book was pretty good especially when it was discussing the history of the steampunk movement. Despite what you would think, it actually could use more pictures.
February 3, 2024
In alternate timeline Czarist Russia, clockwork shark jumps you
October 6, 2014
This was a beautiful book tracing the steampunk movement, from its origins in the industrial revolution and in the literature of Verne and Wells, to its presence in fiction, fashion, art, craftsmanship, and film. When I say beautiful I mean it literally--there is beautiful photography, illustrations, and prints on almost every single page of the book, and it's worth reading just for the visual experience.
But before I talk about the other things I liked, the book definitely has some weaknesses. After reading it, I am still not sure that I buy the idea of steampunk as a "movement." Steampunk fashion may be a movement, but not steampunk as a whole. It's an aesthetic, but not yet to the movement category, and the authors almost admit as such. Almost all of the examples are from the last five years, and the authors pinpoint a 2008 New York Times article as fueling a lot of the interest in steampunk.
It's a great book, but a "bible" for steampunk won't be needed for at least another decade. There were some sections that I found rather boring, that felt a bit like space fillers. For example, I really didn't need detailed descriptions of every band that makes steampunk music, even though there aren't that many. And while some of the people highlighted are important and interesting, others were less so (great, four college students have created imaginary identities and tell stories together--I don't really care!).
That said, while it's too early for a real "steampunk bible," this book was important to be written now. It's a really interesting cultural commentary that looks across various aspects of our society and examines why we use the past in order to understand and interpret the present. It was really thought-provoking and insightful to me, to consider steampunk and other movements/aesthetics arising from a disconnect with our mass-produced, made in China, technological and virtual society, where, as the authors mentioned, even talking with someone in person can be a radical idea. The Do It Yourself (DIY) culture, which steampunk is highly invested in, is about creating things with your own two hands in order to reconnect with the world and create meaning and purpose in your life. The Victorian setting of steampunk is particularly interesting in this aspect, because Victorian science was actually rather comprehensible to the standard educated person, and by turning back to this science and time period, the world becomes more interpretable.
According to the authors, I've read two books that would fall under the "steampunk" category (Westerfeld's Leviathon and Clare's Clockwork Angel). In my opinion, they were good not because they were steampunk but because they were good fantasy/sci-fi. I've no plans to go out and embrace steampunk (though a steampunked Victorian outfit would be tempting) but it's interesting to see how this aesthetic is impacting various aspects of mainstream culture (for example, the new Sherlock Holmes' films).
But before I talk about the other things I liked, the book definitely has some weaknesses. After reading it, I am still not sure that I buy the idea of steampunk as a "movement." Steampunk fashion may be a movement, but not steampunk as a whole. It's an aesthetic, but not yet to the movement category, and the authors almost admit as such. Almost all of the examples are from the last five years, and the authors pinpoint a 2008 New York Times article as fueling a lot of the interest in steampunk.
It's a great book, but a "bible" for steampunk won't be needed for at least another decade. There were some sections that I found rather boring, that felt a bit like space fillers. For example, I really didn't need detailed descriptions of every band that makes steampunk music, even though there aren't that many. And while some of the people highlighted are important and interesting, others were less so (great, four college students have created imaginary identities and tell stories together--I don't really care!).
That said, while it's too early for a real "steampunk bible," this book was important to be written now. It's a really interesting cultural commentary that looks across various aspects of our society and examines why we use the past in order to understand and interpret the present. It was really thought-provoking and insightful to me, to consider steampunk and other movements/aesthetics arising from a disconnect with our mass-produced, made in China, technological and virtual society, where, as the authors mentioned, even talking with someone in person can be a radical idea. The Do It Yourself (DIY) culture, which steampunk is highly invested in, is about creating things with your own two hands in order to reconnect with the world and create meaning and purpose in your life. The Victorian setting of steampunk is particularly interesting in this aspect, because Victorian science was actually rather comprehensible to the standard educated person, and by turning back to this science and time period, the world becomes more interpretable.
According to the authors, I've read two books that would fall under the "steampunk" category (Westerfeld's Leviathon and Clare's Clockwork Angel). In my opinion, they were good not because they were steampunk but because they were good fantasy/sci-fi. I've no plans to go out and embrace steampunk (though a steampunked Victorian outfit would be tempting) but it's interesting to see how this aesthetic is impacting various aspects of mainstream culture (for example, the new Sherlock Holmes' films).
March 1, 2015
This is a wonderful overview into the world of steampunk. How is steampunk defined? One definition is an equation on notebook cover created by John Coulthart, an English designer:
"STEAMPUNK = Made Scientist Inventor [invention (steam x airship or metal man / baroque stylings) x (pseudo) Victorian setting] + progressive or reactionary politics x adventure plot"
This definition has been widened to include the Edwardian era and the whole Industrial Revolution.
Steampunk has grown from being just a literary genre to a part of pop culture. There are Steampunk conventions, fashion, music and movies that many are a part of today.
The author traces the beginnings of Steampunk to the writings of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. He analyses the inspiration for their works and the works of other steampunk authors such as Tim Powers, K.W. Jeter, James Blaylock, Cherie Priest, Gail Carrigan and Ekaterina Sedia. Steampunk fiction has also captured an appreciative audience in graphic novels by Mike Mignola, Molly Crabapple and Alan Moore, to name but a few. Illustrations of not just the authors' book covers and excerpts from graphic novels but also their imaginary inventions takes the reader on a beautiful visual journey.
Illustrations on the art and craftsmanship that went into some Steampunk art is also covered in this book. The Church Tank by Frank Kuksi, the Sultan's Elephant that was on display at the 2007 Machines of the Isle of Nantes exhibition, Jake von Slatt's Steampunk workshop which showed restorations of objects such as PC that was modified into a Victorian PC or a Stratocaster guitar are some of the art shown in great and beautiful detail in this book.
For those who want to know more about adapting to a Steampunk lifestyle, there is a chapter covering fashion, necessary accessories and an insight into the Steampunk subculture. A culture would not be complete without the 'endorsement' of Hollywood and indicating the growing movement in this genre, anime and movies such as the Golden Compass, The Skype Captain and the World of Tomorrow, The Extraordinary League of Gentlement, Steamboy and Sherlock Holmes have been well received.
And what is to be the future of Steampunk? Is it only clockworks, airships and floating cities or will this genre evolve to include green technology and fictionalize more history and machines to encompass countries and cultures beyond the US and Great Britain? It's certainly a fast growing genre and one that is reaching more and more countries and I think we will see more contributions in terms of art, literature and music from more diversified people.
"STEAMPUNK = Made Scientist Inventor [invention (steam x airship or metal man / baroque stylings) x (pseudo) Victorian setting] + progressive or reactionary politics x adventure plot"
This definition has been widened to include the Edwardian era and the whole Industrial Revolution.
Steampunk has grown from being just a literary genre to a part of pop culture. There are Steampunk conventions, fashion, music and movies that many are a part of today.
The author traces the beginnings of Steampunk to the writings of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. He analyses the inspiration for their works and the works of other steampunk authors such as Tim Powers, K.W. Jeter, James Blaylock, Cherie Priest, Gail Carrigan and Ekaterina Sedia. Steampunk fiction has also captured an appreciative audience in graphic novels by Mike Mignola, Molly Crabapple and Alan Moore, to name but a few. Illustrations of not just the authors' book covers and excerpts from graphic novels but also their imaginary inventions takes the reader on a beautiful visual journey.
Illustrations on the art and craftsmanship that went into some Steampunk art is also covered in this book. The Church Tank by Frank Kuksi, the Sultan's Elephant that was on display at the 2007 Machines of the Isle of Nantes exhibition, Jake von Slatt's Steampunk workshop which showed restorations of objects such as PC that was modified into a Victorian PC or a Stratocaster guitar are some of the art shown in great and beautiful detail in this book.
For those who want to know more about adapting to a Steampunk lifestyle, there is a chapter covering fashion, necessary accessories and an insight into the Steampunk subculture. A culture would not be complete without the 'endorsement' of Hollywood and indicating the growing movement in this genre, anime and movies such as the Golden Compass, The Skype Captain and the World of Tomorrow, The Extraordinary League of Gentlement, Steamboy and Sherlock Holmes have been well received.
And what is to be the future of Steampunk? Is it only clockworks, airships and floating cities or will this genre evolve to include green technology and fictionalize more history and machines to encompass countries and cultures beyond the US and Great Britain? It's certainly a fast growing genre and one that is reaching more and more countries and I think we will see more contributions in terms of art, literature and music from more diversified people.
May 14, 2011
Without a doubt, this book lives up to its name. Inside the unbelievably beautiful cover--it lacks only the gilt-edged pages many bibles have--is an excellent overview of Steampunk, in its incarnations as a literary and film genre, a clothing aesthetic, and a sub-culture, from its roots and origins to its possible future. In addition, there are special sections and closer looks at certain topics written by well-known contributors, including a project you can do yourself. And as if that isn't enough, the book is also chock full of more beautiful pictures (some of them are even of beautiful book covers themselves). There are contraptions and costumes galore, in full color--or sepia-tones, as the case may be!
This is a pretty quick and easy read even if you do actually read all the words, which I recommend, but it's very quick and definitely still worth it if all you want to do is look at the pretty pictures. I was looking forward to this book so much (on a boring day at work, I got an email from Amazon that it had shipped and I whispered "Steampunk Bible" over and over again to myself for probably five minutes...or maybe more) that it would have been nearly impossible for it to live up to my expectations--and yet, apart from the afore-mentioned lack of gilt-edged pages, it did! I loved it. I kind of hope it will soon be outdated by a huge influx of new Steampunk and Steampunk-related materials into our culture and our bookstores (and maybe clothing stores), but for now, this book is a must have.
Comment
This is a pretty quick and easy read even if you do actually read all the words, which I recommend, but it's very quick and definitely still worth it if all you want to do is look at the pretty pictures. I was looking forward to this book so much (on a boring day at work, I got an email from Amazon that it had shipped and I whispered "Steampunk Bible" over and over again to myself for probably five minutes...or maybe more) that it would have been nearly impossible for it to live up to my expectations--and yet, apart from the afore-mentioned lack of gilt-edged pages, it did! I loved it. I kind of hope it will soon be outdated by a huge influx of new Steampunk and Steampunk-related materials into our culture and our bookstores (and maybe clothing stores), but for now, this book is a must have.
Comment
July 27, 2011
Well, I completely abandoned Mockingjay to read this first. But I'm not regretting it!
This book encompasses the vast mediums that have been inspired and touched by Steampunk. Art, media, fashion, literature, technology, and music are only some of those mediums mentioned in The Steampunk Bible. It's amazing how much of the inspiration origins come from the likes of the scifi greats of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne. (Minus the movies, I've actually not read any of Verne's stories! I shall remedy this, of course. I realized this is untrue. I've read and liked Around the World in 80 Days.) I'm also awed at how many things I have come to love that have Steampunk influences (Fullmetal Alchemist, Miyazaki's interpretation of Howl's Moving Castle, of course Gail Carriger's Soulless and Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan series, and the beautifully rendered Casshern).
And goodness, gracious, it humbles me to see so many enthusiasts all in the same book! The accompanying illustrations are beautiful, the bona fide Steampunks are righteously hardcore and gung-ho about the phenomenon, and the writers themselves are heavily immersed in the subculture. I certainly gained so much more admiration to Gail Carriger for her beautifully crafted Steampunk dress, and was utterly awed at the products modded by the Steampunk Workshop.
Also, they included a Steampunk cake in the illustrations. What's not to love?
This book encompasses the vast mediums that have been inspired and touched by Steampunk. Art, media, fashion, literature, technology, and music are only some of those mediums mentioned in The Steampunk Bible. It's amazing how much of the inspiration origins come from the likes of the scifi greats of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne. (
And goodness, gracious, it humbles me to see so many enthusiasts all in the same book! The accompanying illustrations are beautiful, the bona fide Steampunks are righteously hardcore and gung-ho about the phenomenon, and the writers themselves are heavily immersed in the subculture. I certainly gained so much more admiration to Gail Carriger for her beautifully crafted Steampunk dress, and was utterly awed at the products modded by the Steampunk Workshop.
Also, they included a Steampunk cake in the illustrations. What's not to love?
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