Now I Sit Me Down: From Klismos to Plastic Chair: A Natural History

“This is a book to savor in a favorite chair. This latest contribution from Rybczynski serves as further evidence that he is one of the best writers on design working today.” Publishers Weekly (starred review). In his telling, the chair becomes a seemingly immortal character traveling, Forest Gump-like, through the vicissitudes of our shared history.” Doug Childers, Richmond Times-Dispatch“The chair becomes anything but everyday in Rybczynski’s discerning history A worthy addition to Rybczynski’s well-regarded oeuvre, this cultured examination should be read in one’s favorite reading chair.” Booklist (starred review)“Rybczynski is totally engaging in this smoothly flowing, sharp, witty

The history of chairs is the history of who we are. He reveals the history of chairs to be a social historyof different ways of sitting, of changing manners and attitudes, and of varying tastes. And he pairs these stories with his own delightful hand-drawn illustrations: colonial rockers and English cabrioles, languorous chaise longues and no-nonsense ergonomic task chairsthey’re all here. Rybczynski weaves a rich tapestry that draws on art and design history, personal experience, and historical accounts. We learn how the ancient Chinese switched from sitting on the floor to sitting in a chair, and how the iconic chair of Middle Americathe BarcaLoungertraces its roots back to the Bauhaus. A grand tour of the chair through the ages by our foremost writer on designHave you ever wondered where rocking chairs came from, or why cheap plastic chairs are suddenly everywhere? In Now I Sit Me Down, the distinguished architect and writer Witold Rybczynski chronicles the history of the cha

Galileo said Who thinks about chairs? You will in a new way if you read this book.. A short but delightfully detailed history of chairs, imperial and lowly, gilded and plastic--with simple line drawings which enhance the information. It made me walk around the house critiquing my conglomeration of seating products. Author even cites The Onion's satirical claim that the US doesn't need to produce. History takes a seat. An architect knows that little things mean a lot. This is a gem of a book. It's about chairs: their importance and their history. There is fascinating history behind the designs and designers why chairs look (and sit) the way they do. I especially like the thumbnail biographies of the designers: the crafting and . The chain's history This the 5th book I have read by this author and as with the previous The chain's history beeverd This the 5th book I have read by this author and as with the previous 4 it was a pleasure. The author manages to distill an entire history of a particular subject into a enjoyable read for the most pedestrian historian. I plan to work my way through many more of his sizable works.. it was a pleasure. The author manages to distill an entire history of a particular subject into a enjoyable read for the most pedestrian historian. I plan to work my way through many more of his sizable works.

Among his award-winning books are Home, The Most Beautiful House in the World, and A Clearing in the Distance, which won the J. He is the author of How Architecture Works and Mysteries of the Mall and has written about architecture and design for The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The New York Times, and Slate. He lives with his wife in Phi