Buzz Lightyear’s motto is a fitting quote for a book on the history of Pixar Animation Studios. Toy Story was Pixar’s first feature film, but their subsequent movies have really brought the art of animation into the 21st century. Pixar would be an awesome place to work because they produce an outstanding product and it seems like their employees really enjoy themselves. The office space doesn’t look so bad, either. I’m excited to read the book so that I can learn more about Pixar and hopefully find out how some of my favorite movies (Nemo, Monsters Inc.) were conceived and developed.
The book is a steep $51 on Amazon preorder, but that will get you a hefty 320 page tome of Pixar trivia. Unfortunately, it won’t be out until the end of October, but we can look forward to seeing Ratatouille this summer while we wait.
Via Luxo
The cover art for the upcoming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has been released, and as usual, Mary GrandPré has done a fantastic job. The US edition of the seventh book follows the tradition of the previous six in placing Harry front and center. Voldemort, however, appears for the first time, his snakelike eyes locked on Harry and his gnarled hands extending from under his billowing cloak. Follow the link to view the full front and back cover image.
One of my favorite things about the US Harry Potter covers is that each has its own completely unique color scheme that makes it possible to tell the books apart at a glance. Deathly Hallows is drawn in largely yellows, oranges, and browns, which to me either signals rebirth or death (sunrise/sunset), although right now I’m leaning towards death because of the title and also because the cover feels slightly dark and foreboding. Both Harry and Voldemort are wearing brown cloaks, which is very intriguing. Is it just a visual reminder of their fateful connection, or does it signify something more?
The cover, of course, provokes many questions. What is the setting? They seem to be in a large outdoor arena or stage. It looks like the area in the Department of Mysteries where Sirius falls “behind the veil.” Is it the Deathly Hallows? Who are all the people in the background - Death Eaters, members of the Order of the Phoenix, or both? Why are Harry and Voldemort both wandless? However, the detail that provokes my interest the most is: why is Harry not looking at Voldemort in the full cover image!? Even though Voldemort is looking at Harry, both appear to be casting spells towards something that is beyond the curtain. This may be simply because they are on opposite covers of the book, but I think that it is actually a really important clue. Could Harry and Voldemort be working together to accomplish something? Seems preposterous to me. More likely is the possibility that Harry is sacrificing himself to save whatever he is looking at. What’s clear is that either way things don’t look good for Harry. After seeing this cover, I am much more inclined to believe those that think he is going to die in the story. Only 114 more (long) days until these and many other questions will be answered.
One last thought: The US cover art absolutely blows away the UK editions. Harry looks like a maniac on the UK Deathly Hallows cover. Mary GrandPré has a unique, visually appealing style that has really helped to define the Potter series.
You can view the full, high-resolution cover images of both of the US and UK editions of Deathly Hallows at The Leaky Cauldron.
It’s rare that I get time to read anything for pleasure in college, but during spring break last week I managed to finish an entire book! Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam is a memoir that I’ve been wanting to read for awhile. I saw “October Sky” in the theater; it’s a captivating movie that really brings to life the events of the book. “October Sky” is an anagram of “Rocket Boys,” and I feel confident in saying that it refers to the launch of Sputnik, which occurred in October of 1957. Homer Hickam was inspired to start building rockets as he watched Sputnik cruise through the October sky above his Coalwood, West Virginia home.
The book is phenomenal. The language flows as if Homer were telling you his story out loud; it’s the kind of book you can finish in a day or two. Initially, the boys have no idea how to go about building a rocket. They are only aware of how a rocket should look and how to make an explosive fuel source. Predictably, their first effort is a dud, but through experimentation and many good ideas, and eventually a textbook on missile design, the boys manage to achieve heights of many miles. Throughout the story Homer emphasizes both the joys and setbacks that accompany any scientific endeavor. Some designs work really well, and some explode. But each time, the boys pick up the pieces, analyze what went wrong, and learn from the failure.
In the process, the rocket boys go from simple designs and methods to complex analytical calculations. In a great example of learning for learning’s sake, they teach themselves trigonometry so that they can calculate how high their rockets fly, and calculus so that they can deduce the most efficient dimensions for their nozzle designs. Homer encloses this scientific narrative in a compelling memoir of a family torn apart by a coal-mine which mirrors the tension in the town as a whole.
I recommend Rocket Boys to anyone who has felt the elation that accompanies discovery and wants to be taken back to when space-flight was yet a dream waiting to be achieved.
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