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Product Description
Product Description
Over the past fifteen years, Steampunk - a mash-up of Victorian and sci-fi aesthetics with a splash of punk rock attitude - has gone from being a literary movement to a part of pop culture and a way of life. This subculture celebrates the inventor as an artist and hero, re-envisioning and crafting retro technologies including antiquated airships and steam-powered robots. The Steampunk aesthetic now permeates movies, comics, fashion, art and more, and has given a distinct flavor to iconic events such as Maker Faire and the Burning Man festival. The Steampunk Bible is the first book of its kind, a fully illustrated compendium tracing the roots and history of this subculture, from the work of its godfathers Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, to the key figures who coined the word that would spawn a literary genre, to the vast community of craftsmen and artists who translated that spark into a lifestyle with clothing and accessories such as goggles, corsets, pocket watches, and with an attitude to match. This ultimate resource, filled with scores of illustrations and photographs, will appeal to aficionados and novices alike as author Jeff VanderMeer takes the reader on a wild ride through the clockwork corridors of Steampunk past, present and future.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
79 of 81 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
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Length:
1:13
Mins
This is a nice hard-backed overview of all things Steampunk.
If you're already heavily into the genre, I'd guess that you may be familiar with a lot of the material you'll find here, but I'd also be willing to bet that you'll find some new treasures too.
Beautifully illustrated on high-quality paper, it covers everything from the historical roots of Steampunk all the way to its possible future directions. In between, you'll find sections on the literature, the graphic novels, the movies, the fashion, the artwork and 'toys', and frankly, just about everything else you could wish for.
I've attached a short video flip-through, to give you a rough idea of the physical appearance of the book. As you'll see, while it's lavishly illustrated, it doesn't skimp on textual content at all.
Personally (as a fan of most Steampunkiana) I purchased this mainly from curiosity and because it was by Jeff Vandermeer. I'm very glad I did. It's a delightful book, and I can't think of many ways it could have been improved... perhaps short of publishing it in Victorian-style antiqued leather, or something... now THAT would have been nice!
Anyway, it's a great, well-produced book and at a low price. Definitely recommended.
If you're already heavily into the genre, I'd guess that you may be familiar with a lot of the material you'll find here, but I'd also be willing to bet that you'll find some new treasures too.
Beautifully illustrated on high-quality paper, it covers everything from the historical roots of Steampunk all the way to its possible future directions. In between, you'll find sections on the literature, the graphic novels, the movies, the fashion, the artwork and 'toys', and frankly, just about everything else you could wish for.
I've attached a short video flip-through, to give you a rough idea of the physical appearance of the book. As you'll see, while it's lavishly illustrated, it doesn't skimp on textual content at all.
Personally (as a fan of most Steampunkiana) I purchased this mainly from curiosity and because it was by Jeff Vandermeer. I'm very glad I did. It's a delightful book, and I can't think of many ways it could have been improved... perhaps short of publishing it in Victorian-style antiqued leather, or something... now THAT would have been nice!
Anyway, it's a great, well-produced book and at a low price. Definitely recommended.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
It's not a bible, it doesn't cover everything, but it makes a very good stab at covering a lot so is worthy of the four stars that I gave it. For a smallish, cheapish book it covers a lot of ground and if you want an introduction to the genre this book will deliver that. The pictures are marvellous, the text adds to the discussion. Production quality is also high.
It also partly manages to avoid the rapidly tiring steam punk cliches, namely brass goggles and victorian corsets. I realise that once something goes mainstream that the rise of the 'off the shelf' is likely and a stereotype is born, but the Steampunk Bible disposes of fashion in a chapter and then gets back down to business exploring more obscure and more rewarding aspects of the genre. For people new to Steampunk, there's a useful spread on page 54 devoted to explaining the subgenres of steampunk. For the record, I think I'm probably electropunk; a genre not listed there - but interested in early electrical rather than steam fantasy - but a subgenre clearly evident.
Finally it is written by someone with a clear understanding of the genre. There is little space for pointless gears stuck on inanimate objects, but lots of space for things that people have made that I for one may never get to see for real. The maker's chapter alone made me glad to be alive and is worth the cover price.
It also partly manages to avoid the rapidly tiring steam punk cliches, namely brass goggles and victorian corsets. I realise that once something goes mainstream that the rise of the 'off the shelf' is likely and a stereotype is born, but the Steampunk Bible disposes of fashion in a chapter and then gets back down to business exploring more obscure and more rewarding aspects of the genre. For people new to Steampunk, there's a useful spread on page 54 devoted to explaining the subgenres of steampunk. For the record, I think I'm probably electropunk; a genre not listed there - but interested in early electrical rather than steam fantasy - but a subgenre clearly evident.
Finally it is written by someone with a clear understanding of the genre. There is little space for pointless gears stuck on inanimate objects, but lots of space for things that people have made that I for one may never get to see for real. The maker's chapter alone made me glad to be alive and is worth the cover price.
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Although bought for a friend, who can't get enough of steampunk, I had a sneaky read through it before I gave it him and was so pleased with this buy. I knew he would love it as it has the history of steampunk right up to the modern day and where its at now. It's quirky, its imformative and its original, filling the mind with fantastic ideas of how to and where to look, along with all the whys. The book is filled additionally with wonderful photographs and drawings referencing popular as well as not so well known work across the globe.
If you have a passing interest in steampunk or are simply inlove with it this is definatly a must have, 5 stars. To be honest, although its probably not for everyone, for what it says it is and for the genre it's in I really cant fault it.
If you have a passing interest in steampunk or are simply inlove with it this is definatly a must have, 5 stars. To be honest, although its probably not for everyone, for what it says it is and for the genre it's in I really cant fault it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Steampunk Bible.
This is the perfect book for my wife and me to delve into. The sort of 'mad world' which keeps us smiling. Where do they get these ideas?
Published 2 months ago by Francis P. Chaffe
full steam and aloft
excellent introduction to the subject detailed profoundly illustrated and a joy to read
a brilliant christmas gift all year long
a brilliant christmas gift all year long
Published 5 months ago by mark1000
Wonderful book
Wonderful book full og exiting stories and facts, and lots of delicious pictures descriping the steampunk universe and spirit.
Very recommendable reading and eyecandy!
Very recommendable reading and eyecandy!
Published 7 months ago by sussi
Amazing book
I bought this book after looking at the video reveiw and was not disapointed. I took it into college and now the tutor is going to order one. Read more
Published 7 months ago by HH
The Steampunk Bible
This book has great infomation about steampunk and was great for a art project I was doing. It explains everything clearly even diffrent types of steampunk. Read more
Published 7 months ago by JoshDR
A Treasuretrove of Steam
Whether this is the definitive book on Steampunk or not doesn't really matter that much - it has so much in it and covers the whole subculture pretty exhaustively that it's a... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Peacock Wings
Marvelous, Fun Almanac of Info
This book is exactly what it says it is, a beautifully laid-out, densely packed, well-illustrated almanac of information, and at a reasonable price to boot. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Alessandra Kelley
Disappointing
While the idea is perfectly acceptable it seems that The Steampunk Bible is no such thing. It relies on an Americo-centric definition that misses out a great deal of marvellous... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Mr. D. Harris
A must for steampunk fans
What a beautiful book! I would highly recommend to anyone with an interest in Steampunk, it really has something for every fan. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Princess Claudia
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