Summaries and Customer Reviews are supplied by Amazon.com

The Principles of Uncertainty is an irresistible invitation to experience life through the psyche of Maira Kalman, one of this country's most beloved artists. The result is a book that is part personal narrative, part documentary, part travelogue, part chapbook, and all Kalman. Her brilliant, whimsical paintings, ideas, and images-which initially appear random-ultimately form an intricately interconnected worldview, an idiosyncratic inner monologue. Kalman contends with some existential questions-What is identity? What is happiness? Why do we fight wars? And then, of course, death, love, and candy (not necessarily in that order).

The tremendous success of Kalman's 2005 illustrated edition of Strunk and White's The Elements of Style established her as an original, inspirational voice, and the quirky, hilarious, heartbreaking style of The Principles of Uncertainty reveals Maira Kalman for what she truly is: a national treasure.

Average Customer Rating:

Witty, funny and wonderful

Customer Rating:

Everything Maira touches turns into the most funniest, quirkiest and happiest thing. This is one of my favorite books, its sort of like a new version of Chicken Soup for the Soul. The illustrations are amazing, color combinations are vibrant, writing is witty that it just becomes such a pleasurable visual read. She is even more funnier when she speaks. She's like the intelligent, amazing and awesomest aunt that you wished you had.

Poignant and thought-provoking fun

Customer Rating:

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!

Elements of Whimsy	Customer Rating:
This book holds a permanent place on my coffee table. It is a wonderfully illustrated and observed year in a life. Page by page, it offers captivating visual and written poetry of the everyday, as well as ruminations on "the big picture."

Random, charming thoughts	Customer Rating:
This isn't really a book for reading, it's a book that you'll dip in and out of, reading the humorous and sometimes touching vignettes at your whim - much like the blog that spawned this book. Some of the illustrations are better than others - I particularly like the historical portraits and full-colour pages. Nonetheless it's a beautiful illustrated book and a sweet gift for someone.

A Book to Return to Again and Again	Customer Rating:
This is such a beautiful, unique book. Each time you see a picture or read a section, you think and then think again something altogether different. This is a book not to read, but to experience. Thank you Mrs. Kalman.