The Principles of Uncertainty

Book excerpt: Maira Kalman paints her highly personal worldview in an inimitable combination of image and text. The Principles of Uncertaintyis an irresistible invitation to experience life through the psyche of Maira Kalman, one of this country's most beloved artists. The result is a book that is part personal narrative, part documentary, part travelogue, part chapbook, and all Kalman. Her brilliant, whimsical paintings, ideas, and images-which initially appear random-ultimately form an intricately interconnected worldview, an idiosyncratic inner monologue. Kalman contends with some existential questions-What is identity? What is happiness? Why do we fight wars? And then, of course, death, love, and candy (not necessarily in that order). The tremendous success of Kalman's 2005 illustrated edition of Strunk and White's The Elements of Styleestablished her as an original, inspirational voice, and the quirky, hilarious, heartbreaking style of The Principles of Uncertaintyreveals Maira Kalman for what she truly is: a national treasure.