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Required Reading: Wabi-Sabi by Leonard Koren

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Required Reading: Wabi-Sabi by Leonard Koren

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Required Reading: Wabi-Sabi by Leonard Koren

by Published: October 31, 2014

The New York Times calls Leonard Koren “a maker of deceptively modest books about deceptively modest subjects”–his topics include gravel and sand gardens, tea ceremonies, and flower shops.

His book Wabi-Sabi, first published in 1994, is considered required reading for the thinking designer. His more recent title Which Aesthetics?  is another must-read. Koren, who studied architecture at UCLA, writes: “Aesthetics is pervasive in our lives and behavior. It’s basic, it’s primal. The way we dress, style our hair, decorate our homes, prepare our food, give names to things–these are all aesthetic activities. Then there’s the novels we read, the music we listen to, the movies we view, the video games we play, the art we make and collect.”

Imperfect Publishing publishes all current Leonard Koren titles, including Wabi-Sabi. Bay Area fans, please note that Leonard will be signing his books at our upcoming San Francisco Holiday Market on December 13 at Heath.

640 koren house point reyes

Above: Koren’s house in Point Reyes, in Marin County, Northern California. See the whole house at the New York Times. Photograph by Paul Dyer.

Required Reading WabiSabi by Leonard Koren portrait 4

Above: Koren not only writes, he also designs his own books, down to the typeface. Wabi-Sabi: For Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers  is $10.88 at Amazon.

Required Reading WabiSabi by Leonard Koren portrait 5

Above: Which ‘”Aesthetics” Do You Mean?: Ten Definitions is $10.93 at Amazon.

Take a look at our current Required Reading list:

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on February 23, 2012, as part of our Wabi-Sabi Week.

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Frequently asked questions

Wabi-Sabi is a Japanese aesthetic philosophy that embraces imperfection, impermanence, and authenticity in design and life.

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