My husband brought this book home from the library on a whim, and I found myself instantly enchanted with it. Perhaps that was a pun, but it’s so applicable to the situation, I’ll let it stand.
“Gnomes” is an art book which documents the mythical beings from a standpoint that you would swear you were reading about a creature or person who actually existed. It is a chance to suspend your disbelief and allow yourself to sink into a world where absolutely anything is possible.
We start with a quote from the flyleaf: “To my amazement, I have heard that there are people who have never seen a gnome. I can’t help pitying these people. I am certain there must be something wrong with their eyesight.” — Axel Munthe
The introduction is delightfully tongue-in-cheek. Here I quote some passages:
“It is our belief that this book fills a deplorable gap, for the published literature on gnomes is virtually nonexistent. . . . The gnomes consulted for this book were extremely reserved when pressed for answers to some of our questions, and as a result there are certain deficiencies or imperfections in our work.”
Historical background comprises the first chapter, wherein we read about the six-inch high statue of a gnome that was found in 1200 A.D. in a well-preserved fisherman’s house in Norway. Engraved on the base were the words, translated: Gnome, actual height. Documentation is then given of gnomes appearing in various places, to various persons, including Publius Octavus in 470 A.D. We then head into a geographical discussion, where we are shown graphs with the gnome population around the world. They are heavily spread across Europe, but very thinly across America.
We are then shown what a gnome wears. The male traditionally wears the red cone hat, thick belt, and boots, while the female dresses in camouflage colors. I guess this is why, when we hear about a gnome, they are generally male.
We are given a rundown of all the organs in the gnome body and their uses, including the great sense of smell, and then we learn about the different types of gnomes. The book concludes with various gnome legends from around the world.
So if you’ve ever wondered what a gnome wedding is like, or what herbs gnomes use to cure the sniffles, or what their shoes are made of, this is a fabulous resource book for you.
(This book was published in 1979 by Pan Books and does contain one illustration of a female gnome nude from the front, although the only picture of that type.)
