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February 1, 2019
In this winding history of labyrinths, essayist Eliot fills a literary void many readers may not have known existed. With the help of ample illustrations and physically twisting text, Eliot introduces readers to history's great maze makers and their philosophies. Although the labyrinth tradition dates back to some of the earliest human populations, some of the most popular maze phenomena are relatively new. For example, the first corn maze (maize maze, if you will) didn't debut until 1993. It was shaped like a stegosaurus in homage to Jurassic Park, released the same year. The characters that pepper the maze narrative are just as complicated as their passion. Take Greg Bright, a twentieth-century maze designer who believed that an effective maze should be painful, and solving it key to survival. The book also touches on famous mazes (both literal and symbolic) from film and literature?everything from the hedges of the Overlook Hotel in The Shining to the spiraling affections of the characters in A Midsummer Night's Dream. An utterly unique reading experience.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)