More thinking about "What next?"

[pegkerr]

Have been doing more thinking about an entry kijjohnson wrote, where she said she needs to identify some key pieces of research in order to get going on the monkey book.

It made me realize, I'm still missing something key, too. Architecture. I've been thinking about Minneapolis magic, but missing this thing about Solveig, the passion of her life. I really know nothing about it. What about architecture? What does this book have to do with Solveig-as-architect . . . something about space and place, and how it is designed, and artistry, etc.? How does that relate thematically to heart of flesh/heart of stone? How does being an architect help Solveig defeat Rolf?

When I was researching The Wild Swans, I got hooked on reading gay periodicals to get inside Sean and Elias's culture (and I'm still hooked on them, five years later). I need to read what Solveig reads. What do architects read? *Sigh.* I assume that their professional periodicals are expensive and harder to obtain than copies of the sorts of things I was reading when writing The Wild Swans: Lavender and The Advocate, etc. What are the key books about architecture that I need to read?

It's probably time to call or e-mail Inga again.

Peg

Comments

[papersky.livejournal.com]

There's an architecture museum downtown, would you like me to go in there sometime before Minicon and pick up whatever bumph they have around for you? It may all be in French, of course, but it might be worth looking. Is there an architecture school at a nearby university you could check out?

Also, on magic and space, have you read Dame Frances Yates book on memory palaces?

[splagxna.livejournal.com]

really, the only thing i know about architecture is that it is very difficult to get a job in that field atm - a large number of the resumes we get are from used-to-be architects.

[longstrider.livejournal.com]

If you want to read the architecture journals, check out UM's Architecture & Landscape Architecture library. Ask a reference librarian and explain what you want, I'm sure my colleague (whomever they may be) would happy to help you. :-)

[uminomamori.livejournal.com]

There's always Architectural Digest, I'm not sure it's quite academic but that's the only one I can think of. Check the library at the UofM maybe... there's always academic journals out there for everything. The Landmark center is some nice architecture:)

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

That's kind of like reading Food & Wine to figure out what it would be like to be a professional cook.

B

[uminomamori.livejournal.com]

Heheh:) Well I'm just an artist and they're good enough for drawing reference:)

You could always just read though a art history text book because half it ends up being architecture:)

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

"I assume that their professional periodicals are expensive and harder to obtain..."

I assume that copies of last year's professional periodicals are close to free, and just as useful to you.

B

[eal.livejournal.com]

Actually. I wouldn't count on it. Some professional types hang onto their periodicals for close to forever, and they are almost impossible to get a hold of.

Having said that: if there is a university with a school of architecture near you, then they'll have most of those periodicals in their library -- depending on the school, you might be able to check out say last year's.

A lot of universities allow the "general public" to purchase a card for their library. Perhaps you'll get lucky :)

Beth

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

I have reference materials about the single most important architectural event in Minneapolis: the destruction of the Gateway. I can also provide you with many pictures of long lost buildings from the 1860s onward that show what used to be around at the time some previous ice palaces were built. I even have a menu from the West Hotel! lileks.com has some really good pages examining current and past MPLS architecture, too.

K. [about architecture as a field, the other advice you've gotten is good, I think]

[kishmish.livejournal.com]

I once read Ayn Rand's "The Fountainhead", in which the main character Howard Roark is a very passionate architect and lives for it. The book spent pages describing the feeling and the art and theories of architecture and while I read it I almost wanted to be an architect. It's not a reference book, but it might help with giving a passion for architecture.