Review by Booklist Review
In a luxuriantly illustrated guide to labyrinths and mazes from 350 B.C.E. to the present, Hohmuth cites incarnations of this universal form in gardens, on coins, inside churches and other buildings, and incorporated into landscape designs. Labyrinths are made from materials as ephemeral as dirt and leaves and as splendid as marble, and their purpose ranges from serving as signaling beacons to awakening self-discovery. Hohmuth's engaging, straightforward text provides an overview of the history and development of each type of labyrinth and maze found throughout the Western world, such as the earliest labyrinths of Scandinavia's Troytowns, the petroglyphs of Spain's Galicia, and the graffito of Pompeii, as well as modern English gardens designed by Randall Coate and Adrian Fisher, who contributes an essay about the labyrinth as an art form. Finally, the labyrinth is explored in the world of linguistic usage, in which the form's original intent, the engendering of a spiritual experience, is obscured. Happily, the true spirit of the labyrinth is regained in this exquisite book --Lauren Roberts Copyright 2003 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
In this evocative exploration, architectural photographer Hohmuth shows that labyrinths and mazes are two distinctly different creations, even though they evoke similar emotions. Labyrinths have existed for more than 5000 years, while mazes began to appear on the landscape only in the 16th and 17th centuries. The author, with the help of various experts in the field (e.g., labyrinth designer Adrian Fisher; Jeff Saward, Magical Paths), provides strong historical context for the creation and continued existence of these intricate and varied creations, which exhibit a variety of materials (sunflowers, hedges, beer crates), locations (country estates, cathedral floors), and purposes (spiritual quests, traffic circles). Hohmuth spent two years canvassing Europe with a specially created camera that was hung on a minizeppelin, allowing him to present both panoramic shots and detailed close-ups. Full-page color images are accompanied by descriptions that detail origin and composition. The lush photographs reaffirm the powerful and pastoral mission of both labyrinths and mazes. Highly recommended for larger academic and public libraries.-Sheila Devaney, Univ. of Georgia Libs., Athens (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
