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“Beguiling…a timely interrogation of what, exactly, constitutes success—of how to live…[Van den Broeck’s] tiered confection is a small marvel: a monument to human beings continuing to reach for the skies, even after their plans dissolve in dust.” —New York Times
“A poetic tale of thirteen flawed buildings that spelled catastrophe for their designers…resembles a pop version of Iain Sinclair’s psychogeography or Out of Sheer Rage, Geoff Dyer’s anti-biography of D. H. Lawrence.” —The Guardian
“[A] gorgeous and roving debut…Van den Broeck’s exploration extends beyond the lives and works of her subjects, turning into both a philosophical meditation on creativity and a brilliant character study of misunderstood artists. The result is a genre-bending work that’s sure to fascinate those interested in art and architecture, as well as anyone curious about the dangerous mechanisms of the creative mind.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“A lively, deeply engrossing exploration into the nature of architectural creation.” —Shelf Awareness
“Through this thoughtfully entertaining, psycho-geographic journey [Van den Broeck] explores and illuminates her idiosyncratic topic with intelligence and no little humor…enjoyable and enlightening.” —Litro
“A unique survey of artistic creation…full of memorable scenes and insights.” —Literary Review
“[Bold Ventures] dares to seek out a depth rarely encountered nowadays, one necessary for calling yourself an artist…this writer has something very special.” —Low Countries
“Though Van den Broeck’s subject here is failure—buildings disappoint, designers die by their own hand—her investigation into the fragility of creative hope has a genuine obsessive power.” —Hugh Howard, author of Architects of an American Landscape
“What a sensible, intelligent, and beautiful book.” —Stefan Hertmans, author of War and Turpentine
“You only really need to read two sentences to understand that someone who truly knows how to write is at work here.” —Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer, author of Grand Hotel Europa
“A darkly comic meditation on the nature of creativity and the narrow margins between triumph and despair. Part memoir, part travelogue, and part reflection, this unique and hugely engaging book takes a fresh look at the tragicomic condition of being human.” —Carolyn Steel, author of Sitopia