David Knowles (3) (1966–)

Seeing the ad for Jefferson's apartment is likely to inspire disbelief. A sizable place in a wonderful location, and at an absurdly low price, anyone would jump at the chance to live there. The sublets don't know that the men are screened out immediately, and that only the most beautiful women get to live there. It is necessary for Jefferson's work, for once the new tenant has moved in he takes up residence in his other apartment - the boarded up building across the street, where he snaps pictures of them through their open windows.

That was before Maya, however. Maya is the newest tenant, and things are going horribly wrong for Jefferson. The scripted interview goes off track, he accidentally tells her about the other apartment across the street, and when she finally settles in she is never around for him to take his pictures. Even though his voyeuristic nature is creepy he mostly seems to have his wits about him, but the events surrounding Maya quickly send him down the slippery slope of insanity. His secluded life seems to be unraveling around him, and this unknowing woman is the only one who could possibly be responsible!

I can see why some people would be put off by The Third Eye. Initially it feels like it's going to be another one of those books that rely on shock value, with a creepy man spying on innocent women. Then, after it becomes clear that there is much more than that, the author tends to leave the reader hanging a bit towards the end. That, of course, is the whole point. Like a piece of art (and as described in the book), it isn't supposed to give you all the answers. Art is about interpretation, and there is a lot of interpretation to be had here. In fact, I think this would make an excellent book club choice. I have no doubt it would inspire a lively discussion.

Whether you read it in a group or by yourself, I really think the book deserves more credit than it seems to have received. It's dark, intelligent, and absolutely delightful from a technical standpoint. I also love how everything discussed by the characters within the book could easily apply to the book itself, especially considering the book is in a first-person perspective. Really, it's all quite clever, which is why I couldn't care less about how well the plot was resolved. 4 stars!… (mehr)

Photography has lost its magic since digital camera technique makes it easy and available to anyone, everywhere, whether you own a camera or a mobile phone. The old exposure camera still suggested some form of craftmanship, in the play with angle, light and shutter time, etc. Now, photography has become so commonplace that many people do not even carefully look what pictures they shoot. Why look now, we'll look later.

The camera obscura an age-old invention, known to the ancients, and used since the Renaissance, had its hey-day in the Victorian Age. While a camera obscura can be constructed of various sizes, nowadays the most spectacular experience in to visit and sit inside the camera.

Such a camera consists of a dark room, in which the outside, surrounding reality is projected on a table, through a system of lenses and mirrors. The lense, mounted on a kind of periscope, can be turned 360 degrees. In recent years, there is quite a revival of interest in the camera obscura. The experience is described as meditative, magic.

Secrets of the camera obscura by David Knowles is a novella which explores the history of the camera obscura. Through alternating episodes, we read about the history of the camera obscura, starting with the invention in China, the use of the camera by Leonardo Da Vinci and Johannes Vermeer, who may have used it. These accounts are fictionalized.

The other story line, is the murder of an Italian woman, a regular visitor of the camera obscura in an American city. The story is written from the perspective of the owner / caretaker of the camera, who apparently observed the murder from within the concealment of the camera.

The two story-lines are connected through violent murders, involving decapitation, the use of the camera obscura, and the motive of concealment. Another theme which is featured is that of betrayal.

What have I learned so far from the story of Mo Ti and Chuang Chou? Many things. First of all, that the betrayal of a friend's trust is at the root of the problem, and at the heart of our story. (p.54)

The end of the story is a bit obscure, perhaps fitting the setting.… (mehr)