Eye of the beholder Editor’s note: Each month we see lots of books. Some of the curious arrivals are featured in this space.
The word “supercilious,” from two Latin words meaning above the eyelid, refers to the disdainful raising of an eyebrow to express contempt. That must be the expression I had on my face when I first encountered The Eyebrow, by Hollywood makeup artist Robyn Cosio and fashion writer Cynthia Robins. Yes, as Ecclesiastes noted long ago, of the making of books there is no end, but there are limits. What’s left after this? The Book of Moles? Or perhaps What Your Perspiration Patterns Say About You? However, as I flipped through this photo-stuffed compendium of folklore and fashion victims, I came perilously near being converted to its theme. If shamelessly useless trivia and new perspectives appeal to you as much as they do to me, you must own this book. Besides, any tome with Myrna Loy and Lauren Bacall can’t be all bad. There’s even a chapter on the male eyebrow, including those of Clark Gable and Yul Brynner.
By now you are no doubt asking yourself in despair, “Is there hope for the unkempt awnings over my own unfamous eyes?” Take heart, aspiring browbeaters: You too can tweeze your way to beauty and prevent the demon brow from taking over your entire face (which is precisely what happened to Cousin It on The Addams Family), for among the historical anecdotes you will find a lot of how-to advice. Most of it sounds painful, but hey, nobody ever said beauty is pretty.
