The Philosophy of Andy Warhol : (From A to B and Back Again)
by Andy Warhol
List Price:
Our Price: $8.49
You Save: $6.46 (43%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $4.65 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Andy WarholEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1977-04-06
ISBN: 0156717204
Number of pages: 276
Publisher: Mariner Books
Book Reviews of The Philosophy of Andy Warhol : (From A to B and Back Again)
Book Review: Reviewing Andy's Book
Summary: 5 Stars
From the first page I knew Andy Warhol would become one of my favorite artists. The first conversation barely made sense, but I still loved it. The jumbled thoughts and dialogue between characters A and B parallel the inner dialogue we all have, but Andy wrote it all in his book. In this fascinating book, "The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (From A to B and Back Again)", he takes readers into his mind so they can better relate to him and understand him.
The first chapter, "Love (Puberty)", is an autobiography starting in the late 50's and going back to his childhood. Andy devoted most of the next chapter, "Love (Prime)", to a girl, Taxi, who, as I took it, was his only "love" or infatuation. By the third chapter, "Love (Senility)", Andy begins getting into his philosophy. He separates ideas in short paragraphs. Some of his philosophy is reasoning, for example, "When you want to be like something, it means you really love it. When you want to be like a rock, you really love that rock. I love plastic dolls" (53). Other times he simply wonders or poses questions, for example, "People with pretty smiles fascinate me. You have to wonder what makes them smile so pretty" (54).
Andy Warhol threads anecdotes, biographical information, and his philosophy throughout the book. Andy tells about how even he deviates from his own style, about experiences with other "superstars", and about his own "aura". Being a celebrity himself, he devotes a whole chapter to fame. The anecdote he uses to describe his "aura" is when he goes to dinner with kids from his office. One brings a friend who is completely surprised at having dinner with Andy, "Everybody else was seeing me (Andy), but he was seeing my `aura'." (77). He explains how he's deviated from his own lifestyle. He stated in chapter 6, "Work", "I know I should have gone to the pound for a pet, but instead I bought one. It just happened. I saw him and I fell in love with him and I bought him, so there my emotions made me abandon my style" (94). Often in the book he describes an event and tells the philosophy and reasoning of it. A particular incident that stands out is described in chapter 7, "Time". Andy was filming in Rome with Elizabeth Taylor. She was always hours late, so one day the rest of the crew decided to be late too, but that one day Elizabeth Taylor was on time. He compares this to having his hair gray. He said, "when I do something with a normal amount of energy it seems `young.' Liz Taylor when she's on time seems `early'. It's like you get a new talent all of a sudden..." (115). Although it takes some getting used to, the almost journal style this book is written in lets readers step in Andy's shoes, almost becoming him.
"The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (From A to B and Back Again)" can be described as magnetic, spellbinding, and mesmerizing. From the events he describes and the philosophical ideas he outlines, readers begin to understand Andy Warhol. At first, I thought considering Campbell's soup cans fine art was strange, but by reading this book I am more willing to accept that. I'd recommend this book to anyone, artist or not.
Summary of The Philosophy of Andy Warhol : (From A to B and Back Again)
A loosely formed autobiography by Andy Warhol, told with his trademark blend of irony and detachment
In The Philosophy of Andy Warhol?which, with the subtitle "(From A to B and Back Again)," is less a memoir than a collection of riffs and reflections?he talks about love, sex, food, beauty, fame, work, money, and success; about New York, America, and his childhood in McKeesport, Pennsylvania; about his good times and bad in New York, the explosion of his career in the sixties, and his life among celebrities.
Artists, A-Z Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Artists, A-Z Books
Rembrandt: His Life, His Paintingsby Gary Schwartz
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 1991-11-05; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $48.50
Life with Lowryby Tilly Marshall
Hutchinson; Published: 1981-02-16; Hardcover; Book
Andrew Wyeth: A Secret Lifeby Richard Meryman
Harper; Published: 1996-10-11; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $22.00
Price in other shops:
Georg Baselitz: Paintings 1964-67 [exhibition: May 1-31, 1985]by Georg Baselitz
Anthony d'Offay Gallery; Paperback; Book
Florence and Its Beauty: A Practical Guidebook to the Town and Its Monuments with 350 Illustrations and a Plan of the Principal Places of Interestby Sandra Orienti
G. Ramella - Florence, Italy; Published: 1956; Unknown Binding; Book
Lord of the Rings Sketchbookby Alan Lee
Harpercollins Pb; Published: 2008-09-01; Hardcover; Book
Picassoby Patrick O'Brian
Harvill; Published: 1994; Paperback; Book
The Art of Adventureby Galen Rowell
Collins Pub San Francisco; Published: 1989-09; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $17.02
Price in other shops:
Calder JewelryOther Distribution; Published: 2007-12-17; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $365.00
POPism: The Warhol Sixtiesby Andy Warhol, Pat Hackett
Mariner Books; Published: 2006-09-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.90
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
Edie: American Girlby Jean Stein
Grove Press; Published: 1994-10-14; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.94
Price in other shops:
The Andy Warhol Diariesby Andy Warhol, Pat Hackett
Grand Central Publishing; Published: 1991-01-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.99
Price in other shops:
The Refinement of America: Persons, Houses, Citiesby Richard Lyman Bushman
Vintage; Published: 1993-08-31; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.00
Price in other shops:
Borrow: The American Way of Debt (Vintage Original)by Louis Hyman
Vintage; Published: 2012-01-24; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.55
Price in other shops:
I'll Be Your Mirror: The Selected Andy Warhol InterviewsDa Capo Press; Published: 2004-07-07; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.87
Price in other shops:
a: A Novelby Andy Warhol
Grove Press; Published: 1998-02-17; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.98
Price in other shops:
POPism: The Warhol Sixtiesby Andy Warhol, Pat Hackett
Mariner Books; Published: 2006-09-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.90
Price in other shops:
Andy Warhol: A Documentary FilmPARAMOUNT PICTURES; Release date: 2006-11-21; DVD
Best price: $11.67
Price in other shops:
POPism: The Warhol Sixtiesby Andy Warhol, Pat Hackett
Harvest Books; Published: 2006-09-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.66
Price in other shops:
Andy Warhol, Prince of Popby Jan Greenberg, Sandra Jordan
Laurel Leaf; Published: 2007-12-11; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.26
Price in other shops: