MixedWall Street JournalIn a book that’s long on technical details and short on compelling anecdotes, Mr. Houston’s profile of Herzstark is a notable highlight ... The rest of Mr. Houston’s intermittently fascinating account is a creation story of tech breakthroughs begetting first-of-their-kind digital calculators.
Kyle Chayka
MixedThe Wall Street JournalIt’s unclear whether the Kondo-style approach to home organization has anything to do with seismic shifts in art and architecture—and that’s the fundamental flaw of Mr. Chayka’s book. Because of this disconnect, The Longing for Less leaves you wanting more: either a deep explanation of the cultural factors contributing to the rise of minimalist aesthetics today, or an incisive piece of art criticism that casts new light on the Minimalist art movement. You get neither ... For someone who rejects aesthetic minimalism, Mr. Chayka takes a while to get past it ... Mr. Chayka’s mistaken assumption is that today’s professed minimalists, by taming their consumerism, are expressing their entire life ethos. Some just want organized sock drawers.
Simon Garfield
MixedThe Wall Street JournalWho can resist the charm of a fanatical hobbyist achieving precision on a ridiculously small scale? The author, however, isn’t always seduced by his chosen subject ... The author is entitled to be skeptical, but many of the miniature-makers could be said to be engaged in \'pointless\' exercises. The magic of a miniature, like that of a book, is all in how it’s done ...In Miniature unfortunately, sometimes seems padded out to a size larger than required. The author occasionally violates his own definition of miniature—\'a reduced version of something that was originally bigger\' ... One wishes Mr. Garfield had brought to his project the same exactness that his subjects bring to theirs. If he had, In Miniature might hold up to closer scrutiny.
