This quote from Thoreau aptly applies to the work of Flagstaff, AZ. artist James Turrell. Turrell has been fascinated all his life with the concept of light and its use in art and architecture. Add to this his notion that the individual should experience this art alone, embracing what the piece has, and does not have, to offer, and one has the basic mindset to take on his art.

To best experience Turrell, one needs to go to an exhibit and take the time necessary to participate IN his art. Like a good book or good music, art reqires a level of active participation to fully realize the piece's potential and to maximize its impact. A Turrell exhibit is a glorious thing- each person actively participates, taking in his color concepts, becoming one with them. Whether in one of his famed "skyspaces," where the participants sit in a consistently lighted room to look through an oval shaped hole in the roof at dusk to watch the changing lighting patterns- the light from the roof diminishes and the consistent railing lighting in the room dominates- or vice versa if one sees the exhibit at dawn, to his "dark rooms" where the viewer is in a 99.9% darkened room with the faint glimpse of an outline of light, allowing the mind and eyes of the viewer to re-conceive its surroundings and realities- not unlike an ink blot test, but in the dark, Turrell's pieces are challenging the concept of light and how each of us perceive it and use it in our lives.

What his art offers is vividly displayed in this book, a wonderfully in-depth one that showcases his growth and remarkable consistency brilliantly. His art is eclectic, ranging from the aforementioned "dark rooms," "Skyscapes," "blue rooms" (viewers in a room with a blue light dominating it, again, challenging perceptions and optics), to a recent "skyscape" that allowed perceived viewings of an eclipse, to his re-construction of a dormant crater (outside of Flagstaff, AZ) to allow unique views of the sky, light, the world. Each piece of art challenges the concept of optical illusion vs. reality- the light offers 3 dimenstional viewing in a 2 dimensional world based on angles of the light, the walls, etc- as well as the common perceptions of light in art.

Again, Turrell should be viewed in a proper exhibit, but this book offers a brilliant overview of his career. The text is in both German and English, but still offers precise pictures, diagrams,and Turrell's philosophies on art, light, and the world. It's a brilliant work by one of today's foremost artists.

The book begins with Janice and her family at home at the beginning of the Revolution. Janice's father is a troy, which means he was a support of the British. The male central character (whose name escapes me, but I'll refer to as Mark)was an indentured servant working for her father. He and Janice are friends, who eventually fall in love, but there are obstacles in the way. For one thing, he leaves the Meredith's family's service before his indenture period is over in order to join the Revolutionary army. Before he leaves he gives Janice a locket. Inside is a picture of a beautiful woman, who the reader and Janice eventually meet.

The book continues with Janice's adventures during the revolution. She meets "Mark" several times throughout the book. Janice also meets many well known historical figures along the way, including George & Martha Washington. "Mark" becomes an officer and is on General Washington's staff.

Janice meets the woman, whose picture is in the locket and is jealous. Eventually, she learns who the woman is. At one point Janice and "Mark" are engaged, but the engagement is broken. Janice's father is an active troy and he becomes a prisioner of the Revolutionary Army. Janice asks "Mark" for his help to save her father. He ends up doing something that could get him in serious trouble himself. He never tells Janice. Her father is free, but the engagement is broken. It is Martha & George Washington, who eventually tell Janice what "Mark" did to save her father and at what risk to himself.

I rate this book "5 star." As I said it is one of my all time favorite books, which I would love to read again. Even after 30 years I remember the book. This is a book for adults and one that parents can feel comfortable giving to a 13 year old to read.