Reviews
Editors note:
A packed edition has once again allowed only short reviews of the titles below. Apologies to respective authors, but all will be of interest to the labyrinth enthusiast. Caerdroia is always pleased to receive copies of labyrinthine titles for review and subsequent addition to the Labyrinth Library!

L'univers Secret du Labyrinthe Paul de Saint-Hilaire, 
Robert Laffont, Paris, 1992.

This French-language publication is Saint-Hillaire's latest work on mazes and labyrinths, following on from his 1977 title Le Mystére des Labyrinthes, and a valuable addition to the labyrinth literature. The book is basically in two parts - the first half, after an introduction to labyrinths, is largely theoretical and what with its proposals of giant representations of the constellation of Hercules laid out in a curious mix of labyrinths, Stonehenge and various other monuments, all of differing ages and influences, may well be skipped over by many of Caerdroia's readers. The second half however is a very thorough catalogue of mazes and labyrinths, ancient and modern, with a particular emphasis on France, Belgium and Germany. A number of these are previously unrecorded, including a particularly interesting example from the church of Hern-St.Hubert, 7km. north of Tongres (illustrated opposite). Over 500 examples are listed in all, and while the classification and lack of references for this catalogue are at times frustrating, the wealth of information here makes this a essential work.

Wayland's House Nigel Pennick. 
Nideck Publications, 1993. £1.65 +p+p.

The latest in a series of booklets from Nigel, this title looks at the legends of Wayland the Smith, connected closely to the labyrinth in Iceland  and compares them directly with Daedalus, the original artificer of the labyrinth. Much of interest here for the labyrinth enthusiast and available from Caerdroia, see p.63.

Within the Labyrinth All Ellen Cooney. 
Duir Press, 919 Sutter St.#9, San Francisco; $10+ p+p.
A collection of 70 or more poems from long-term supporter Ellen Cooney of San Francisco. Nicely produced and liberally illustrated, the poems cover a range of styles and subjects - all of them labyrinthine - with a number written after the poet had visited different mazes, particularly the hedge and turf mazes of England. For those of you keen on poetry - essential!

About PictureBook & Multimedia 
Peter Kruger & Brian Samuel. Digithurst, 1992. Newark Close, Royston, Herts. SG8 5HL. £4.95.

Best filed under Computer Philosophy, I guess, this back-to-back production of a multimedia software manual and a study of the the role of books, television, advertising symbolism and the labyrinthine ways in which they 'work' in our modern computer age, is unusual to say the least. I enjoyed Kruger's piercing comments on modern society, but realise that not all would agree with him!

The Great Conjunction Anon. 
Available from Unpopular Books, Box 15, 138 Kingsland High Road, London E8 2NS. £2 + 30p p+p.

Pity the poor reviewer - perhaps too long spent staring at the sun, or a VGA monitor more like - but what is the connection between the 'great conjunctions' of Venus, Uranus and Neptune, the death of King William II and the Mizmaze on St.Catherine's Hill, Winchester? Despite this publication from the London Psychogeographical Association and the Archaeogeodetic Association (!), your reviewer is still puzzled, particularly by such claims as the consternation caused amongst astrologers at the time of the 1648 conjunction. especially as it was some 133 years before Uranus was identified as a planet by William Herschel (and Neptune didn't enter in to this equation until 1846!) would seem quite remarkable. Still, it was good of them to mention Caerdroia for further reading on mazes.