Origami Odyssey: A Journey to the Edge of Paperfolding [Hardcover]

Of my 90+ origami books, this book ranks easily in my top 10, and counts as one of two of Peter Engel's books I rate as "must-reads" for origami enthusiasts and artists. If you've read Engel's previous book, Origami from Angelfish to Zen (Dover Origami Papercraft), aka _Folding the _Universe_ (and if you haven't, I strongly suggest you do; it is a must-read, more a Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid of origami than "an origami book," and as essential in its own way as the much more explicitly mathematical Origami Design Secrets: Mathematical Methods for an Ancient Art, Second Edition by Robert Lang), then you will have some idea what to expect from _Origami Odyssey_, and probably own it already based on your experience with the first.

For the uninitiated, _Origami Odyssey_ isn't your typical origami book. It has diagrams; but they aren't standard fare, instead they are recognizably Engle's original designs... they have a particular aesthetic quality that stands out more than those of many origami designers. There's information about the history of origami, but not the potted history most have... Engel's history is the story of his personal odyssey, from his beginnings as a folder to his time with the master, Akira Yoshizawa, and through his Indian journeys and the spell they cast upon him.

Engel shares, with great candor, the deep personal connections between his personal life and the art and aesthetics of origami. His story of how his children--and the death of a friend--inspired his work and challenged him to find new directions, is in turn inspiring. For aspiring folders, particularly those more talented than I, the stories are also instructive: his children helped him intensify a personal style, while the death of Engel's friend--and that friend's urgent dedication to origami in his final years--provoked Engel into a new phase of his design work. His careful documentation of the development of his Bodhi Leaf is valuable aesthetically and conceptually, as are thoughts on how he moved from a solidly geometrical design approach to one that retains the geometrical ideas but be informed by his love of music and art.

And lest you think this is purely a conceptual and personal book, the models in the book are top-notch. Mostly at the intermediate level, but most importantly they are *elegant*. The models truly represent an aesthetic, artistic approach rather than a mathematical approach to origami advancement as a function of complexity... they aren't like the ever-more complex insects and dragons that generally look like figurines to me, something Joisel would have folded if he were a technician rather than a master. The instructions accompanying the diagrams are filled with personal touches that make my struggle at folding most of them even more enjoyable. Even the photos are interesting and, at times, exquisite.

If you want a book about origami that is also a work of written art embracing the artistic and aesthetic life, the first sections of _Origami Odyssey_ will be just your cup of tea. If you want great diagrams for great models, the final sections will please and perhaps even dazzle you. For most who love origami, both will fill what seems to be a noticeable gap in writing about origami. You will not be disappointed.

While I understand the critical reviews posted thus far, I think the reviewers have not been completely fair to Mr. Engel's latest book. As my title states, this is first and foremost not a book for beginners. Most of the models are not complex, but there is a very limited basic folding section and Mr. Engel's diagramming style requires a fairly solid grasp on all of the fundamentals of Origami. Also, the introduction is probably of more interest to a seasoned folder, or one interested in going beyond just basic folding and learning how one's personal journey can and does influence one's art. Peter Engel has been designing Origami models for decades now and at least to me, it is useful to learn a little bit about an artists history and perspective to better appreciate not just his/her art, but the form in general.

So what is to like about the book. Let me begin with the most obvious: presentation. The book is beautiful! Right now, Tuttle and Passion Origami in France have the highest production standards in the Origami world. Every book they publish is both beautiful to look at and flip through, is laid out immaculately and is very durable (origami books tend to be opened and laid flat a lot to follow directions). This book is no exception. Secondly, the model selection while not necessarily "complex" by today's standards (none of them are over 81 published steps with most averaging between 30 and 60), they are all mostly interesting. The only one I have folded at the time of this writing is the Sun and it is excellent. Other models that appeal to me though are the Owl, Bat, Sea Turtle and Waves, just to name a few. The leaves section is interesting in that Engel explores asymmetry in folding to achieve a more natural (read "accurate") looking model. The DVD, while a nice bonus only has diagrams for the Top, Stingray and Owl. I would have liked to see the sun video diagrammed also due to some of the complex 3D folds required.

The negative aspects of this book are mostly taste issues for me. Again, since I've only folded the Sun at this time, I can only comment fully on its diagrams. The sequence of steps required to fold the nose could have possibly been diagrammed a little clearer. Though it is difficult to show 3D folds in a flat diagram. I was still able to figure out what needed to be done, but I have also been folding for years. My biggest complaint is with the DVD. Since it is in my mind a bonus feature of the book, this is not a huge issue. I really think Mr. Engel had a great opportunity here to show video diagrams for all of his models on the DVD. Yes it would have taken some more time, but it would have made the DVD not just a bonus, but a must have companion to the book. All in all though, I am glad to see it included and hope that this is going to become the new norm for Origami books. Technology has made teaching and learning Origami so much easier and I applaud artists for embracing it.

I am giving this review 5 stars because I truly believe the previous reviews give a negative perception of what is truly a very good, high quality Origami book. I think the actual rating should be roughly 4 stars as the book isn't without flaws but definitely better than the 2 star reviews imply.

"Origami Odyssey, a Journey to the Edge of Paperfolding" by Peter Engle is a wonderful book. Living up to "Folding the Universe" (Engle's previous Origami tome, a landmark work in technical difficulty and philosophy in western paperfolding), or supassing it, is a difficult task for any Origami artist and author yet Engle accomplishes both. Engle's models in this book, especially the leaves, encompass the true heart of Origami. The models remind the viewer immediately of the real leaf, creating recognition of nature, a spark of life. The models would appear simple (how difficult can a leaf be?), but are actually very complex. In this way the models mirror the real world, where the biological processes involved in the evolution and growth of a leaf are varied and incredibly complex. Engle has perfectly captured the paradox of Origami, simple designs with incredible complexity, artificial constructs that pay homage to the natural world, strict confines in medium (one uncut square) in which the entire universe can be folded. Kudos Mr. Engle.