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The Principles of Uncertainty Hardcover – October 18, 2007

by Maira Kalman (Author)

4.6 306 ratings

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Maira Kalman paints her highly personal worldview in this inimitable combination of image and text

An irresistible invitation to experience life through a beloved artist's psyche, The Principles of Uncertainty is a compilation of Maira Kalman's New York Times columns. Part personal narrative, part documentary, part travelogue, part chapbook, and all Kalman, these brilliant, whimsical paintings, ideas, and images - which initially appear random - ultimately form an intricately interconnected worldview, an idiosyncratic inner monologue.

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Amazon Best of the Month, Octhober 2007: In 2005 Maira Kalman brought a fresh vision to Strunk and White's The Elements of Style, filling the pages of the reference classic with her whimsical illustrations. And much like its multi-talented creator--who has illustrated children's books and New Yorker covers and collaborated on fashion projects with Kate Spade and Isaac Mizrahi--her new book, The Principles of Uncertainty, defies easy classification. Is it philosophy? Art? Memoir? Travel? Sociology? The answer is All of the Above (and more). This charming collection of text, paintings, and photography presents a "profusely illustrated" year in a life, with illustrated musings that range from a young Nabokov "sitting innocently and elegantly in a red chair" to two stuffed rabbits in the window at Paris's Deyrolles taxidermy to Kitty Carlisle Hart at home in her "pearly pink palace." Delightful, inspiring, and often very moving, this little charmer is a a book you might find nestled on Wes Anderson's coffee table. --Brad Thomas Parsons

From Bookmarks Magazine

Reviewers were not faint in their praise of The Principles of Uncertainty, even if they spent most of their energy attempting to describe it. And no wonder: the list of items that Maira Kalman describes in the book could almost fill a book itself, even without her illustrations. Readers who are unfamiliar with Kalmanâs work but respond to even a few items on that list should probably take a look at Principles. Those who know her childrenâs books or illustrations will be excited to see her take on a broader range of topics, including âthe images and confusion of the dreamworld [that] linger in our waking hoursâ and create deep emotion and consciousness from her art (New York Times Book Review). But as with any book, the most important question will be whether the imagesâ"here, mostly visualâ"affect the readerâs own perceptions of the world.
Copyright © 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Press; First Edition (October 18, 2007)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 159420134X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1594201349
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.99 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.44 x 1.03 x 9.44 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #449,180 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #65 in Individual Artist Essays
- #678 in Consciousness & Thought Philosophy
- #2,741 in Political Ideologies & Doctrines (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.6 306 ratings

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Maira Kalman

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Maira Kalman is an artist, illustrator, writer, and designer. She was born in Tel Aviv and moved to New York City with her family at the age of four. She now lives in Manhattan. Kalman has written/illustrated over 30 books for adults and children. She has been a frequent contributor to The New York Times and The New Yorker. Kalman has created textiles for Isaac Mizrahi and Kate Spade and sets for Mark Morris. Other collaborators include David Byrne, Nico Muhly, Alex Kalman, Michael Pollan, John Heginbotham and Gertrude Stein. Kalman's product design appears under M&Co, the legendary design studio created by her late husband Tibor Kalman. Kalman has won many awards and given numerous talks, including several TED talks. Her art has been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world. Her book agent is Charlotte Sheedy. Her fine art is represented by Mary Ryan Gallery. Portrait of MK by Kimisa H. Learn more about Maira Kalman at www.MairaKalman.com. Instagram: @mairakalman

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Sulin Lau

Celebrates the Magic in the Everyday

Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2010

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Maria Kalman isn't just a genius. She's the best kind of genius there is.

The painter-illustrator-storyteller widow of Colors magazine founder Tibor Kalman is precisely the kind of person you'd imagine as your fantasy next door neighbour.

Someone who thinks nothing of wearing feathery pink hats on warm summer days. Who invites you over for gingerbread biscuits and music. And tells you why she's had a lifelong crush on Abraham Lincoln. Her simple illustrations and seemingly random observations about grass, fresh pickles, the weather or ruffled collars are so dense with energy and joy they force you to take quiet pauses in between pages.

Whether you flip through her books, or follow her "visual column" in the New York Times […], you can't help but look at the world a little differently. You may even spot a few more butterflies and ladybugs than you're used to.

My favorite page in "Principles of Uncertainty" is this:

'On the wall was a dress i embroidered. It said "Ich habe genug", which is a Bach cantata. Which i once thought meant "I've had it, I can't take it anymore". But I was wrong.
It means, "I HAVE enough".
Which is utterly true. I happen to be alive. End of discussion.
(But i will go out a buy a hat).'

21 people found this helpful

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Linda Shapiro

Poignant and thought-provoking fun

Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2008

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I enjoyed Maira Kalman's lovely illustrations and her musings about the mysteries of the world. Having read many of her children's books, I was not surprised at her trenchant observations about the more grown-up parts of life, but I was gratefully surprised at the delicacy, poignancy and humanity of her images. Her work deserves admiration for its honest portrayal of reality, but with the wonderful twist that a real artist can bring. The Principles of Uncertainty is structured around the journal or diary form and I think it benefits from being read that way rather than reading it from front to back. It's hard to stop,once you start, but save a little for later!

6 people found this helpful

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PATTY F

wonderful and whimsical

Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2022

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I love this author and illustrator. So easy to pick up this book to any page and immediately put a smile on your face!

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laurelstevens

Beautiful Illustrations

Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2012

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I bought this book because it makes me smile. I then bought two more for my mother in law and grandmother in law. At first they were "uncertain" about the message of this book, but while in San Francisco they went to a museum where the author was featured, they seemed to have gotten some insight and wrote to tell me how much they now enjoy and love this book. Grandma Sue lives in Manhattan and mentioned that a friend of hers also has this book and gifts it to all of her students at the end of the year. Highly recommend, full of color, thoughts, and poetry.

2 people found this helpful

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Madwoman in the Attic

Secret Life of Me

Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2013

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In about 80% of the episodes in this quirky, imaginative, hilarious book, Maira Kalman looked into my soul. She is a fabulous satirist, subtle and accurate.

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Diane U

the author offers us a way to capture fleeting moments of joy in a world where sorrow often lies not far ...

Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2015

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This is an extraordinary book. Through the unusual medium of seemingly simple but powerful pictures and small pithy segments of text, the author offers us a way to capture fleeting moments of joy in a world where sorrow often lies not far beneath the surface. Kalman brings us into her special universe of oddities, the honey cake with which her family celebrates holidays, her oddball box collection, hats people wear, bizarre hairdos. She invites us to make our own serendipitous mental collection as a distraction from discord or sorrow. In some ways we already do that in our family, pick out the bizarre moments in daily life, but Kalman expands those moments into a program for living: We humans are special, even in our frailty.
I immediately bought 4 more copies as gifts for those close friends and family members who have the gift of gentle humor and quirky observation.

6 people found this helpful

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Cassia Lupo

Humble inspiration

Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2009

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An illustration student myself, I fell in love with Maira's style of painting when I was introduced to her by a great professor. She is now a huge inspiration for my own work.
It is apparent through this beautiful book that she believes in the human connection, empathy and positivity. She does not put herself above the viewer with overly rendered, overly designed painting or wordiness but lets simple journal-like musings and her paintings speak volumes. She lets herself be unaffected by opinion as we used to be as children scrawling out whatever came into our heads and appreciating the colors we made. Her paintings are very intimate and inviting for those reasons. Though her style comes from that childlike reaction, her experience and sense of design is apparent. Short of wanting us to show up on her doorstep and be her best friend, she seems to be reaching out for connection with us. More broadly, I believe she wants us all to connect with each other and to be able to empathize with the stranger because we are all weak in so many similar ways and strong in others. We're all the same really. This book is really wonderful. I wish I could sit in the kitchen with her drinking tea, eating cake and looking at her collected treasures but after reading this book, I feel like I have.

11 people found this helpful

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carrie difiore

In perfect condition

Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2023

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A lovely book and in great condition

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Sheila Smyth

Good book.

Reviewed in Canada on November 15, 2023

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An excellent book. I enjoyed it immensely.

Jerome B

Attention, ce n'est pas un ouvrage sur l'incertitude

Reviewed in France on June 13, 2022

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J'allais laisser une mauvaise note car il ne traite pas d'incertitude d'un point de vue business comme je l'attendais, c'est en fait un ouvrage artistique reposant sur l'incertitude. Je n'en avais pas l'usage mais il fait un très beau cadeau

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Vivi Figueira

Prazer de ver/ler...

Reviewed in Brazil on March 1, 2018

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Para quem gosta das ilustrações da artista, o livro é um verdadeiro presente, um prazer de se ver.

Para quem ainda não conhece, Maira Kalman é uma ilustradora americana, nascida em Israel, bastante conhecida pelas suas ilustrações tanto em livros infantis, como em revistas, capas, etc. Suas ilustrações são bastantes coloridas e tratam situações/interesses do cotidiano. Há também frases, pensamentos, como um diário.

Este livro é o resultado mensal, de um ano de trabalho para o blog "The Principles of Uncertainty", para o New York Times, e recebe o mesmo título.

Dos seus livros infantis, ainda não tive o prazer de compra-los/ve-los. Por conta destes já foi nomeada para o ALMA, que é um prêmio na área de livros infantis, reconhecido mundialmente.