[.ca] Origami To Astonish And Amuse (ISBN 0312254040)

Well worth waiting for!:
Having seen many of these models as they developed (through my subscription to the Bay Area Rapid Folders newsletter), I could hardly wait for this book to finally achieve publication! And it certainly lives up to my expectations--old favorites beside new, all genuinely astonishing and amusing....

Super!:
I kinda fell into origami, and my mom bought me this book on a whim one day after I had expressed an interest in paper folding. This book is amazing. Shafer is hilarious. He inserts random comments into all of his instructions keeping the reader/folder in stitches. The instructions are very easy to follow, though origami does reqire practice and mastery of basic skills. But Shafer provides your basic skills and very easy folds to the more complex folds. Once you master the basics, you'll be on your way to making such crazy models as "Hands Folding a Square Base" and a "Transvestite Puppet." I very highly recommend this book either to a beginner or to and advanced folder.

Origami to Astonish and Amuse:
I was surprised for a great Origami book that includes excellent models for different skills (23 simple, 8 low-intermediate, 20 intermediate, 12 high-intermediate and 26 complex, in total 89, and not 400 as is written in the cover) and different interests: Action Models, from beginners (Baby Bird, Men's Suit), intermediate (clapping hands), high intermediate (surfer on a wave), to complex (nail clippers), and in other areas like Symbols and Signs (some billfolds, a pyramid and a balancing eagle that poses at the top of the pyramid), Heart-related origami (Cards, envelopes) and others (like a square base with hands that folded it -a la Escher-). The book includes tips and ideas to fold variations for the models. If you are interested in Origami to entertain children and adults, or making not traditional models, this is the book. I recommended specially for intermediate to expert folders.

Origami to Astonish and Amuse : Over 400 Original Models, In:
The book had many fun, yet ODD projects. And definitely, not for beginners. Although, there are some that beginners can do.

Amusing origami at its best:
This book is clearly designed to amuse. Most of the subjects are not serious, but rather a humorous or otherwise twisted take on classic origami. A few of the steller models include the pocket knife (folding, complete with multiple utensils) and nail-clippers. Other interesting models include a box with four classic cranes built into the lid, a surfer on a wave (action model) and the invisible duck (to be folded out of invisible paper of course, the wackiness of the book is evident here). Overall grade: 8.6 out of 10 Recommended to everyone who doesn't require serious models. Plenty of models to challenge all skill levels.