Review: Accidentally Wes Anderson

Title: Accidentally Wes Anderson

Author: Wally Koval

Publisher: 12th January 2021 by Hachette Australia

Pages: 368 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: non fiction, travel, photography

My Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

A visual adventure of Wes Anderson proportions, authorised by the legendary filmmaker himself: stunning photographs of real-life places that seem plucked from the just-so world of Anderson's films, presented with the fascinating human stories behind each facade.

Wes Anderson's beloved films announce themselves through a singular aesthetic - one that seems too vivid, unique, and meticulously constructed to possibly be real. Not so - in Accidentally Wes Anderson, Wally Koval collects the world's most Anderson-like sites in all their faded grandeur and pop-pastel colours, telling the story behind each stranger than-fiction-location.

 

Based on the viral online phenomenon and community of the same name, Accidentally Wes Anderson celebrates the unique aesthetic that millions of Anderson fans love - capturing the symmetrical, the atypical, the unexpected, the vibrantly patterned, and distinctively coloured in arresting photographs from around the world.

 

Authorised by Wes Anderson himself, and appealing to the millions who love his films, this book is also for fans of Cabin Porn and Van Life - and avid travellers and aspiring adventurers of all kinds.

My Thoughts

Let me just say from the outset .... this book is stunning. Given that armchair travel is more than likely the only kind of travel that many of us will be undertaking for the foreseeable future, the beautiful photography in this book is sure to go some way to filling the desired visual stimulation. Herein lies an absolute bucket list of inspiring worldwide locations with attached tourist guide-like details. 

Koval and his wife started what has since become a famed catalogue of some of the most visually striking destinations throughout the world. The photography of this book includes contributions from many people and from many locations. The constancy through it all was that the image would embrace the style of filmmaker Wes Anderson. This shared love became known as AWA - Accidentally Wes Anderson and reportedly now has over a million followers sharing their locations on Instagram.

This stunning feature book includes locales from every continent (yes! even Antarctica!) in its mission to discover the often bizarre, quirky and unique landmarks. This is not the generic, well trodden touristy paths but rather the undiscovered, unheard of, often bypassed gems. With a well catalogued list, each page has rich colourful entries that detail more than just location and date.

A key aspect of this book is in fact the accompanying text. WOW! It often reads like a short narrative detailing a background story which truly adds a layer of depth and appreciation to the whole experience. This is not just a pretty book to flip through - the historical context and story is absolutely fascinating, providing readers with true meaning and understanding.

Accidentally Wes Anderson is the perfect companion to fill the hole in our global pandemic days. It is an invitation to travel the world on an adventure that is unique and fulfilling. What a wonderful coffee table conversation starter, a visual aesthetic delight that is sure whet your whimsical appetite for the wonders of our world.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.