Giveaway! Angels: A Pop-Up Book by Chuck Fischer

Whether you consider angels to be divine messengers, spiritual guides, or the stuff of legend, you will find something to marvel at in this awesome book.

Fischer's original art, inspired by classic images from art history, is crafted into astoundingly intricate three-dimensional pop-ups with fold-outs and moveable parts. Angels brings to life the most captivating stories of these celestial beings, from the angels of the zodiac to Biblical angels to angels in the arts and popular culture.

Chuck Fischer's paintings hang in some of the finest residences in the world. His designs have been reproduced on holiday ornaments and home furnishings, including wallpaper and fabrics in the permanent collection of the Cooper-Hewitt Museum. He is the author of five previous pop-up books: The White House, Great American Houses and Gardens, Christmas in New York, Christmas Around the World, and the forthcoming In The Beginning. He lives in New York and Florida.

My Review:
Thanks to Hachette Book Group for my copy of this colorful pop-up book. No one does pop-up books as well as Chuck Fischer!

Although children will enjoy it, in no way is this a children's book; it is created for adults and is a comprehensive study of angels arranged into three sections: "Messengers," "A Hierarchy of Angels," and "Secular Angels." Text is interspersed throughout the book by inserting booklets--themselves tiny works of art. A good idea is having the "Acknowledgment" and the "Image Credit" pages as pull-outs.

This volume is smaller than other works of the author; perhaps because the price is less than the others. Nonetheless, it is large enough to do the job. I would encourage careful handling to preserve this treasure. This would make a marvelous gift.

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The generous folks at Hachette Book Group are allowing me to host this book giveaway for ONE (1) copy of this special book!

• Winners are restricted to the US and Canada. No PO Box mailing addresses, please.
• Leave your email address in code in your comment Example of email in code: you[at]yourmail[dot]com
  
• I'll close the comments at 6 PM EST November 3rd and pick the winners. I will contact the winners via email to get their mailing information. The winners will have three days to respond. If I do not hear from a winner within three days, I will select another winner(s).
• If you're interested, just say so in a comment with that all-important email address in code.

Christmas Around the World by Chuck Fischer

Master pop-up artist Chuck Fischer's most glorious creation yet this is the perfect holiday gift. Featuring France, Germany, Russia, Scandinavia, Great Britain, Italy, and the United States, every spread is packed with delights: a luxurious central pop-up image, plus removable booklets, pullouts, mini pop-ups, and more. The text illuminates unique Christmas traditions, gift legacies, and portraits of mythic figures, such as England's Father Christmas and Italy's La Befana. Like Christmas in New York, this one is destined to become a treasured keepsake and a bestseller for years to come.

My Review:
This pop-up book takes my breath away! It is not for children but rather is to be used as a family keepsake, to be passed down from generation to generation. This is a collector’s gift, a work of art. Each two-page spread tells the history and traditions of Christmas from around the world. There are hidden surprises like pullouts and mini booklets that are filled with information.

The reader learns about Father Christmas, Boxing Day, and plum pudding in England, along with some authentic Victorian illustrations. The first nativity scene, presecio, or creche came from Italy, along with La Bafana, the Christmas Witch. From Germany came the Advent Calendar, the legend of Tannenbaum or Christmas tree, and Saint Nicholas. From France comes reveillon, a feast--late-night after midnight mass, Pere Noel, and pictures of the City of Lights, Paris, at Christmas. From Russia came the real Saint Nicholas and Baboushka. We learn that Scandinavia is where the Festival of Light continues. The decorations and the history of Santa are found in the pages about North America. Included in the back of the book is a box that pulls out and contains a Santa and sleigh that can pop together and be used as a stand-alone decoration!

A fantastic book to own or to give!

In the Beginning: the Art of Genesis by Chuck Fischer

An ingenious series of three-dimensional spreads with fold-outs and narrative booklets, In the Beginning shows how the timeless narratives of the Book of Genesis have inspired artists for thousands of years and continue to do so today.

This spectacular gift book features Fischer's original artwork on intricate pop-ups created in collaboration with paper engineer Bruce Foster, which represent the classic stories from the first chapter of the Bible. With spreads that range from a medieval-inspired Garden of Eden to an stunningly tall tower of Babel to a magnificent diorama depicting Jacob's dream of a stairway to Heaven, this volume is destined to become a treasured keepsake and perennial favorite on every family's shelf.

My Review:
When I first opened this gorgeous volume, I thought that it was a special book for an older child--someone who would understand how to treasure such a piece of art. However, upon closer inspection, I realize this is no children's book. This is for adults who can properly appreciate not only the artwork--which is breathtaking--but also value the art history included. For centuries, the book of Genesis has been told by artists through their work. Copies of those masterpieces are used to illustrate the text, giving the reader much more than they would expect from a pop-up book.

Details are amazing. The Tower of Babel measures 16" in height. Jacob's dream is like a stained glass window (inside a book!). Hold it up to the light for a breath-catching treat. There's a time line of Joseph's life.

More than a children's book, I can see this as a special gift for an art history enthusiast, a lover of the Bible, or as a coffee table volume. What a conversation piece!