The World of Origami

My mom likes origami, so I got her this as a gift, she loves it.

Of the many Oriental art forms that have entered Western culture, few is more accessible and enjoyable as origami. Known primarily thru the paper crane, this Japanese art form is actually quite complex and capable of producing a wide variety of objects from paper. This book by Isao Honda showcases many of these objects such as birds, insects, mammals, vehicles, etc... along with the instructions on how to make them. This book is quite long for an origami book, and is probably more oriented towards teenagers and adults. Many of the projects shown are quite involved, and may be beyond the abilities and/or patience of little kids. But for someone who already has practice in origami, this book is wonderful, and I highly recommend it.

In the 1970s, my grandfather used to send origami books home from Japan. The prize was the big hardcover by Isao Honda. The oversize paperback is a significantly abridged version -- and that's the only thing wrong with it. Since then, I've had dozens of books on origami & related arts. None but Honda's, though, gives me the feeling of having a one-on-one experience with a master. There's only one thing I can make from memory that didn't come from that book. So, the paperback isn't as good as the original, but it's still one of the best ever produced. If you love the art, you need this on your shelf.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars, because when I learned origami, I had the unabridged book and liked it a bit better (or else I am just being nostalgic.) My grandfather taught me as a child to do origami. He could make a fantastic toy concertina that you could "play." This book has a lot of fun animals, using the two paper technique. I like that, because you can learn units that are similar and get an origami portfolio fairly fast. The selection of interesting boxes is fun, too.There are many other great origami books, but this is probably the first you should buy. It's a classic.

I own 35 origami books, from airplanes to zebras. Plain and simple for first timers to old timers. The only book that would beat it, would be the original book with a hardback cover printed in 1965. It was unabridged from the Japanese version with additional 35 pages using triangle and diamond(rumbus) shaped paper.

Other origami instructions make rough geometric shapes that you really need to use your imagination on to see animals, etc. Honda's instructions make detailed, fun, and realistic looking creatures and objects. Best origami book I have ever used!!