Anyone familiar with Christopher Gray's Streetscapes column in the Sunday NY Times will love this compilation of his articles.

The column focuses on New York's official and unofficial landmarks and historic sites. Changing New York serves as a handbook on what still is discoverable, a eulogy for lost treasures, and a call to action on endangered sites. All this combined with Gray's knack for uncovering connections through his meticulous detective work.

This is a excellent visual sourcebook for artists and craftspeople plus there is also a brief biography at the end of the book that describes the types of work Benirschke did and those artists and styles that influenced him. The designs would adapt well to graphic arts use (magazine and book covers, newsletters, menus, calling cards, wrapping paper, stationery, rubber stamps, greeting cards and posters) as well as to fabric arts (fabric design, batik and embroidery) and fine arts (painting and woodblock designs).

All of the pictures are done in two colors on white in one of four color combinations: burgundy/dark orange; hunter green/light orange; hunter green/purple; and brown/dark olive-mustard green. Although intended as a source for teaching and for inspiration, you could also laminate these pictures and use them to make pins, bookmarks or ornaments (note however, that the designs are printed on both sides of the page).

Should you buy it? Well, it's an interesting book and worth getting if you want to learn about Max Benirschke in particular or Art Nouveau in general or if you're looking for an alternative to the ubiquitous Mucha. There are a number of beautiful designs here that I have seen in other places but had no idea who had drawn them so it was nice to finally put the images with the artist.

Sandburg writes in a direct, vernacular language. He demonstrates an appreciation of the lands, people, and animals of the United States. He pays particular attention to working class life, industrialization, and ethnic diversity. A series of poems deal with American wars from the Revolutionary War to World War I. Throughout, Sandburg's voice is at times ironic, mystical, ecstatic, and/or tender.

There are a number of particularly memorable selections in "Cornhuskers." I loved "Wilderness," which begins "There is a wolf in me." "Prayers of Steel" uses remarkable erotic language to explore the use of steel in America's development. Another impressive poem is "Alix," about a champion racing mare.

Sandburg writes, "I speak of new cities and new people." In "Cornhuskers," he created one of the first great poetic testaments of the 20th century.