A review by forkdora
Mr. Wilson's Cabinet of Wonder: Pronged Ants, Horned Humans, Mice on Toast, and Other Marvels of Jurassic Technology by Lawrence Weschler
4.0
In Part 1 of Mr. Wilson’s Cabinet of Wonder, Lawrence Weschler takes us on a tour (for lack of a better word) of the Museum of Jurassic Technology (MJT). His narrative is extremely erratic with no clear order that I could identify. He jumps from one topic to the next without going into depth on a thing. One moment he is talking about a display, the next he is describing the museum’s proprietor then onto another display and then back to some half-hearted fact-finding he had done on the first display. By the end of the section I was left feeling that I hadn’t learned a thing and actually had more questions than I had before starting the book. I couldn’t even tell you what described in the museum was real, part real or entirely fake. I believe my feelings upon completion of this book were probably exactly what Weschler felt on leaving the museum on every visit – intrigued, but completely confused.
Part II examines the history of ‘wonder cabinets’, where museums like the MJT got their start. In Part 1 I thought it was the author’s intention to leave me completely baffled, but Part II had the same effect. The history is greatly glossed over with no real rhyme or reason to its order, sometimes having artifacts relate back to the MJT and sometimes not. I don’t know if it’s because I read this particular section on an empty stomach, but I believe the best detailed section of this book is when Weschler describes his lunch at an Indian restaurant down the street from the MJT. Although this book left me wanting much more, there is one thing I do know for sure – If I ever make it out to the MJT I am having lunch at the India Sweets and Spices Mart.
Part II examines the history of ‘wonder cabinets’, where museums like the MJT got their start. In Part 1 I thought it was the author’s intention to leave me completely baffled, but Part II had the same effect. The history is greatly glossed over with no real rhyme or reason to its order, sometimes having artifacts relate back to the MJT and sometimes not. I don’t know if it’s because I read this particular section on an empty stomach, but I believe the best detailed section of this book is when Weschler describes his lunch at an Indian restaurant down the street from the MJT. Although this book left me wanting much more, there is one thing I do know for sure – If I ever make it out to the MJT I am having lunch at the India Sweets and Spices Mart.