Book excerpt: This intriguing book is an informal, close-up biography of the friendship between Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983) and Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988). Author Shoji Sadao, who was friend and business partner to both, chronicles the respect, affection, and support they had for one another. Fuller's development of his Dymaxion Map and Car, and Geodesic geometry, are discussed in detail as is Noguchi's multifaceted career as sculptor, landscape architect, industrial designer, dance-set designer, and artist without borders who challenged the artificial opposition between the fine and applied arts. Sadao's role as partner to both gives him privileged access to details unavailable to others, resulting in a warm and intimate—and fully illustrated—narrative that documents an exceptional relationship.