This book was jammed with all sorts of snowman information. I am visual so I loved the old photos of streets full of snowman and how they grew to have their own individual personalities. The title of the book makes it seem like it might be more of a coffee table book but it reads like a research book. That aside I soaked up the statistics. It was enjoyable and even though less of visual stimulation as most coffee table books are I would still put it in that league where you sit down, pick it up, and start perusing. ( )

This book was quite a surprise. I had no idea that the snowman had such a lengthy and interesting history. From postcards, print ads, commercials, packaging, songs, movies and more, he is the lowest paid actor/model ever. Reading about his denigration (drinking, women, assaults) made me realize, I didn't know this poor guy at all. Seriously, there was so much information in this book that I had never known before, I read it quickly and found myself turning back more and more to double check information. The illustrations were amazing. The author's personal collection of Snowman memorabilia was quite extensive and showed various times in his history. If you are an arts and Photography buff, you would love this book. Learning about the development of the snowman in art, including sculpture, photography, lithograph and more was interesting. I could go on and on about what was contained in this book in just a bit over 200 pages, but I recommend you pick it up. BTW, this is not a children's book, they would be devastated to see some of the ways the snowman was used over the years. Now, if there was snow on the ground here, I would take my grandchildren outside today to make our own snowman. As one blurb says, "With over two hundred illustrations, The Illustrated History of the Snowman is a truly original winter classic -- smart, surprisingly enlightening, and quite simply the coolest book ever." I am glad I picked this one out. The publisher, Rowman & Littlefield - Globe Pequot, generously provided me with a copy of this book upon my request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

( )

While the history portions were more topical than chronological, readers came away knowing snowmen were around in medieval times and possibly earlier. The strength of this book is in its images. I found the photos of snowmen in popular culture fascinating. A town in Maine broke its own record in building the largest snowman--well, actually a snow woman. The book features the snowman in books, movies, advertising, postcards, art, war, and more. It's a fascinating book that features snowmen from around the world. I received an advance electronic copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )