the story of a conversation between an author and a photographer

THINKING IT THROUGH
Tony Watkins
Haruhiko Sameshima

Thinking it through was originally published in Home and Building from 1988 to 1996 when Kirsty Robertson, then editor for “Home and Building” invited Tony Watkins, who had for many years been a contributor to the magazine, to begin a new column called simply, “Thinking it through”. She also invited Haruhiko Sameshima to contribute a photograph for each column. Haru had never met Tony. 

For each issue Tony sent an article to Haru and Haru replied with a photograph. Tony in turn responded to each photograph with another article in the next issue. This book is the story of that conversation between an author and a photographer.

Tony Watkins’ multifaceted career includes architect, author, educator, activist among others.  In his role as educator and through various organisations Tony has helped form local and global policy on sustainable development and architecture. He is one of the founders of International Architects Designers and Planners for Social Responsibility, initiator of Agenda 21, and the Peaceful Cities concept at the UN Habitat II Conference in Istanbul in 1996. As co-director of the International Union of Architects Sustainability Work Programme, representing more than 27 million architects globally, he advocated vernacular architecture which sustains the life of the planet and does no harm to stories, traditions, culture and place.  Tony has also authored numerous books and articles including: “The Human House,” “Piglet the Great of Karaka Bay,” and “Vernacular – An architecture for the RMA and Agenda 21.

This is a unique book featuring 46 essays that richly profile Tony’s accumulated philosophies on sustainability, architecture and environment, each illustrated by Haru’s photographs.

Published jointly by Karaka Bay Press and Rim Books.   ISBN 978-0-473-22308-3 $30.00
See the content and few teaser pages HERE

112 pages 300mmx245mm soft cover with flaps. Full colour illustrations.

Rim Books 
PO Box 68896   Newton   Auckland   1145   New Zealand
+64 (0)21 1705171 info@rimbooks.com

Work in progress - authors and editors in conversation

Eric Chinksi:  In The Fun Parts you're returning to short stories after publishing a novel, The Ask. Do you approach writing stories and novels differently? Sam Lipsyte:  Once I know what I'm writing I start to approach them differently, but in the beginning I'm just trying to get something down on the page. As I go I can start to sense whether it's opening up and might be something longer or if a closing is already in view. Sometimes I know it's a short story from the start but often it takes a little while. Nathanael West, who wrote rather short novels, said, "You only have time to explode." I think of that when I write the short pieces. You are creating a new world and new language to navigate it and there will be some nice effects along the way, but you are usually after a single moment for the piece to turn on. You are putting something -- characters in the case of some stories, the very mode of utterance in others -- under increasing pressure. It's the same with the novel, in some sense, but you vary the pressure, digress in a controlled way, gather in more stories to feed into a larger narrative. Eric Chinski:  I don't think it quite hit me until I heard you read from The Ask a few years ago, but there's clearly a Sam Lipsyte sentence. I heard music at that reading [....] Read on...

Photo Essay: Object Lessons by Mark S. Weiner

When I'm working on a book, I cover an entire wall with butcher paper and write notes and ideas on it in bold, black marker. I've done this ever since I was in college. I think I got the idea from one of those posters about how to write published years ago by the International Paper Company. This tube has just a few feet left, and I'll buy another one soon. Read on...