Plywood (V&A Museum)

An astounding book, all the more so because of its unassuming title. Who would have guessed that the material plywood had such varied and surprising uses, from the famed WW2 Mosquito bomber airplane to spruce veneer bathing suits! Author Wilk not only describes these myriad forms, but places them in historical and cultural context. The research is unassailable, the writing is clear and engaging, and the hundreds of fascinating illustrations, from gorgeous color images to obscure cartoons, are a seemingly endless source of information, amazement, and humor.

Ten times while reading this I wished all design scholars worked with the diligence and attention to meaningful history that Christopher Wilk brings to this and all of his books. What a treasure, and what an important contribution to design history. There's not enough space for me to note all of the wonderful new information that comes out here, so I'm going to focus on one. Edward S. Evans, who would soon go into business with Charles and Ray Eames, commissioned a PLYWOOD BUILDING from renowned architect Richard Neutra in 1940! The Eames texts are excellent in and of themselves, and this nugget of architectural history helps fill in the picture of that important era better than any other book. Bravo Christopher Wilk, bravo Victoria and Albert Museum. My copy came from the Victoria and Albert Museum directly, but this book is available here on Amazon at a great price.

The depth of research that must have gone into the preparation of this book strikes me as extraordinary. The result, a fascinating and thoroughly engaging read.

Birthday present for male friend. He was delighted.

excellent no for the exhibition

Very interesting