Miroslav Sasek

Discovered the most beautiful books today when the Child and I popped into the city to exchange some of her Christmas presents. While she was ensconsed in the teen section of Dymocks, my eye was caught by This is Rome by Miroslav Sasek. Unbeknownst to me, back in the late 1950s Sasek began writing and illustrating what would amount to 18 best-selling children's travel books that, going by the Rome edition, deliver each city in a beautifully wrapped nutshell. I felt like I was back walking the cobblestones of Rome and breathing in the beautiful people flying by on scooters, not underneath George Street surrounded by vampire books.

This is Rome was re-released in 2007 and others have follwed. Each page is absolutely framable (not that I'm going to cut them up) and I've decided to collect the books of all the cities I've been to.

Today I paid $29.95 but when I came home I ordered This is Paris from the Book Depository for just $18.44. There's even a This is Australia.

Sasek died in 1980 but is being embraced by a whole new generation (or two). If you like Charley Harper, chances are you'll also fall for Miroslav Sasek.