Retro Book Fair: 'Vision - How, Why, and What We See'

Hello, all! I know that it's been quite a while since I've written a legitimate post, so I thank you for your patience and loyalty. You know how life can be sometimes... It can really make it hard for us ADD afflicted to focus on ANYTHING, let alone a blog! But enough about that!

I'm excited to share with you a new (old) children's book that I recently got at a local used bookstore. The book is titled, 'Vision - How, Why and What We See' and it is one in a series of books called the 'Golden Library of Knowledge'. 'Vision' was printed in 1962, and I think the charming illustrations (by Weimer Pursell) depict that. Here, take a look at some of them, beginning with the book's cover...






I really dig this cover!
The combination of the colors used
and the stylization of the image make
it very pleasing to the "eye".



Outer organs of the eye serve a primarily

protective purpose.

The convergence of the telephone lines, the decreasing
size of the poles, and the haziness of the more distant
buildings help to create perspective.



Why does an apple look red? First of all, you are

probably looking at the apple in good light. If

you look at it in very dim light, the apple will

look black for the sight-receiving cells in the

retina that "see" color are the cones, and cones

are useless in dim light.

To see red, you must have good color-sensitive

cones. Many animals and some people have

cones which are able to see small details distinctly,

but cannot recognize some or all colors. They are

said to be color-blind.

  

White light entering a prism breaks

down into the colors of the spectrum,

as seen above. It is possible for an

inverted prism to recombine the

spectrum into white light again.
























Color-blind people are unable to see

the red O and purple X, above.



Many birds have keener vision than we have.

The hunting birds - vultures, hawks, and

shrikes - can spot very small animals on the

ground hundreds of feet below them.





The Snellen Eye Chart, above, was

designed to aid all who train in

testing distance vision against an

accepted norm.



So did you have fun learning tidbits about vision in the Golden Library of Knowledge? I thought you might! Be sure to come back next time Retro Book Fair stops by the circus... I have a pretty good feeling even more vintage fun is in store! Meanwhile, have a wonderful weekend, everybody!!

~ All images taken from the book, 'Vision - How, Why, and What We See' by Janette Rainwater. Illustrated by Weimer Pursell. Published by Golden Press, New York. ~