{"id":43665,"date":"2025-02-18T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-18T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/?p=43665"},"modified":"2025-02-11T16:12:23","modified_gmt":"2025-02-11T23:12:23","slug":"sar-symmetry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/sar-symmetry\/","title":{"rendered":"Sar \/ Symmetry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em><strong>Books That Belong On Paper<\/strong>\u00a0first appeared on the web as Wink Books and was edited by Carla Sinclair.<\/em>\u00a0<em><a href=\"https:\/\/booksthatbelongonpaper.substack.com\/\">Sign up here<\/a>\u00a0to get the issues a week early in your inbox.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4><strong>A CATALOG OF INDIAN STYLE AND DESIGN<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-6.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"43676\"  src=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-6-1024x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43676\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-6-1024x1024.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-6-300x300.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-6-150x150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-6-768x768.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-6.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-1.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"736\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"43677\"  src=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-1-736x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43677\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-1-736x1024.jpeg 736w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-1-216x300.jpeg 216w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-1-768x1068.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-1-1105x1536.jpeg 1105w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-1.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 736px) 100vw, 736px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-2.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"43673\"  src=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-2-768x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43673\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-2-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-2-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-2-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-2.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-3.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"43674\"  src=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-3-768x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43674\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-3-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-3-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-3-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-3.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-4.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"43675\"  src=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-4-768x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43675\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-4-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-4-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-4-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-4.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-5.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"43678\"  src=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-5-768x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43678\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-5-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-5-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-5-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-5.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-7.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"43679\"  src=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-7-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43679\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-7-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-7-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-7-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-7.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-8.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"43680\"  src=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-8-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43680\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-8-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-8-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-8-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-8.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-9.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"43681\"  src=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-9-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43681\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-9-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-9-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-9-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SAR-9.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Sar: The Essence of Indian Design<\/em><br>by Swapnaa Tamhane and Rashmi Varma<br>Phaidon Press<br>2016, 304 pages, 8.2 x 1.0 x 10.6 inches, Hardcover<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/geni.us\/guRB\">Buy on Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Look, it\u2019s Indian design! Everyone has heard of Japanese and Scandinavian design, but few know that India also has a long history of design. It doesn\u2019t permeate the culture as deep as Japan or Scandinavia, but I know from living there that India does have a critical mass of distinctly unique objects. To help pin down the essentials of that style, this catalog of India design examples makes a case that there is a very functional design approach both in historic and modern India. This is the first book I know of that presents that style in one place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u2013 Kevin Kelly<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4><strong>SYMMETRY \u2013 UTOPIAS ARE NEVER PERFECT, ARE THEY?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-1.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"43666\"  src=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-1-1024x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43666\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-1-1024x1024.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-1-300x300.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-1-150x150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-1-768x768.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-1.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-2.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"43667\"  src=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-2-1024x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-2-1024x1024.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-2-300x300.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-2-150x150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-2-768x768.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-2.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-3.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"43668\"  src=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-3-1024x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43668\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-3-1024x1024.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-3-300x300.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-3-150x150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-3-768x768.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-3.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-4.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"43669\"  src=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-4-1024x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43669\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-4-1024x1024.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-4-300x300.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-4-150x150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-4-768x768.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-4.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-5.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"43670\"  src=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-5-1024x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43670\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-5-1024x1024.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-5-300x300.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-5-150x150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-5-768x768.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-5.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-6.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"43671\"  src=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-6-1024x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43671\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-6-1024x1024.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-6-300x300.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-6-150x150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-6-768x768.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-6.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"969\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"43672\"  src=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-969x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43672\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-969x1024.jpeg 969w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-284x300.jpeg 284w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY-768x812.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/files\/2025\/02\/SYMMETRY.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Symmetry Volume 1<\/em><br>by Matt Hawkins<br>Image Comics<br>2016, 128 pages, 6.5 x 9.9 x 0.6 inches (softcover)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/geni.us\/aPvrd\">Buy on Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Utopias are never perfect, are they?&nbsp;<em>Symmetry<\/em>&nbsp;offers some good heady sci-fi in the vein of&nbsp;<em>1984<\/em>,&nbsp;<em>Ender\u2019s Game<\/em>,&nbsp;<em>Equilibrium<\/em>, or&nbsp;<em>Fahrenheit 451<\/em>. Imagine a world where humans are coddled and raised by machines, think&nbsp;<em>Wall-E<\/em>, but people haven\u2019t become total blobs. Gender and identity are decided by the individual when they turn thirteen. And all races have been separated, so that most people will grow up not even realizing that other nationalities exist. Then one day a solar flare causes the machines to shut down and the wall between nations to break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What follows is a great story that seems very relevant in today\u2019s world. I think&nbsp;<em>Symmetry<\/em>&nbsp;does what sci-fi does best, it makes you think about what\u2019s happening around you and where things might go if we aren\u2019t careful. It\u2019s clear that the creators spent a good deal of time thinking through these issues, and how the world in their book works. There\u2019s actually a pretty lengthy sociological write-up included that dives further into some of the ideas that helped shape the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Volume 1<\/em>&nbsp;is satisfying, but definitely leaves you wanting more. The cel-shaded illustration feels like something out of a video game, which actually matches the story perfectly. Thankfully,&nbsp;<em>Volume 2<\/em>&nbsp;is due out in December, so we\u2019ll get to explore more of this world. Get caught up.&nbsp;<em>\u2013 JP LeRoux<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Issue No. 54<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13684,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[31],"tags":[2398],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43665"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13684"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43665"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43665\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43683,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43665\/revisions\/43683"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}