---
product_id: 258981256
title: "PENGUIN Mess: The Manual of Accidents and Mistakes"
price: "$53"
currency: NZD
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 5
url: https://www.desertcart.nz/products/258981256-penguin-mess-the-manual-of-accidents-and-mistakes
store_origin: NZ
region: New Zealand
---

# PENGUIN Mess: The Manual of Accidents and Mistakes

**Price:** $53
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** PENGUIN Mess: The Manual of Accidents and Mistakes
- **How much does it cost?** $53 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.nz](https://www.desertcart.nz/products/258981256-penguin-mess-the-manual-of-accidents-and-mistakes)

## Best For

- Customers looking for quality international products

## Why This Product

- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Description

Buy PENGUIN Mess: The Manual of Accidents and Mistakes by Smith, Keri online on desertcart.ae at best prices. ✓ Fast and free shipping ✓ free returns ✓ cash on delivery available on eligible purchase.

Review: I purchased this book along with Wreck this Journal on recommendation of my psychology student friend who suggested it for me as I do suffer with minor obsessive compulsive disorder in the sense that I need things to be organized and perfect. This book is very similar to Wreck this Journal, as a matter of fact some of the pages are identical, the front of the book is more about general destruction, while the latter parts of the book are more about exploration of textures, materials, different paints, colours, techniques and also tells the user to reference people, places, things etc. There is a lot of general doodling, but usually with some sort of instruction - ie photo of landscape with instructions to draw a storm of some description. I am not looking forward to burying it for 3 days! I must say! I will probably do that when I am done with it. I love that this book is a bit more educational to artistic techniques, people etc. The beginning of the book speaks about an interview with a Dutch Sailor summing up the work of Bas Jan Ader referencing a piece called "Broken Fall" which shows a man bouncing up and down swinging on a branch over a creek. The sailor references that "moment of transcendence when you leave everything behind and leap into the unknown". I feel this book encapsulates that statement very well. There is a lot of experimentation and tasks that do not have a particularly obvious outcome, and while not dangerous, the book challenges your views on what art or perfection is. I have done a few pages and in describing them verbally it sounds like I am destroying a perfectly good book, but actually when I look at pages there are little bits and pieces on some pages I love, some I hate. But the unknown has become known and I have referenced a lot of Ader's work, who i have become very intrigued with. This book has become a permanent fixture with me along with Wreck this Journal. I find rather than pulling out a phone and going into my own little world on a bus, train etc this is a fun way to pass the time. Ive had several strangers ask me about the books and I've happily filled them in. I would recommend this book to just about anyone. Some pages are fun to do with younger children. I feel it would be particularly good for an art student or fan. I haven't got to the pages yet, but I am looking forward to pages exploring textiles and texture. Its great fun, and I love it.
Review: Ce livre est tout à fait génial.Je le recommande à toutes les personnes créatives. En tout cas je ne suis pas du tout déçue

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #313,248 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #22,213 in Self-Help #121,791 in Textbooks & Study Guides |
| Customer reviews | 4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars (194) |
| Dimensions  | 12.8 x 1.4 x 19.6 cm |
| Edition  | 1st |
| ISBN-10  | 1846144477 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-1846144479 |
| Item weight  | 240 g |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 224 pages |
| Publication date  | 27 August 2010 |
| Publisher  | Penguin Books Ltd |

## Images

![PENGUIN Mess: The Manual of Accidents and Mistakes - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/A19L7nq2lzL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
*by D***B on 17 February 2014*

I purchased this book along with Wreck this Journal on recommendation of my psychology student friend who suggested it for me as I do suffer with minor obsessive compulsive disorder in the sense that I need things to be organized and perfect. This book is very similar to Wreck this Journal, as a matter of fact some of the pages are identical, the front of the book is more about general destruction, while the latter parts of the book are more about exploration of textures, materials, different paints, colours, techniques and also tells the user to reference people, places, things etc. There is a lot of general doodling, but usually with some sort of instruction - ie photo of landscape with instructions to draw a storm of some description. I am not looking forward to burying it for 3 days! I must say! I will probably do that when I am done with it. I love that this book is a bit more educational to artistic techniques, people etc. The beginning of the book speaks about an interview with a Dutch Sailor summing up the work of Bas Jan Ader referencing a piece called "Broken Fall" which shows a man bouncing up and down swinging on a branch over a creek. The sailor references that "moment of transcendence when you leave everything behind and leap into the unknown". I feel this book encapsulates that statement very well. There is a lot of experimentation and tasks that do not have a particularly obvious outcome, and while not dangerous, the book challenges your views on what art or perfection is. I have done a few pages and in describing them verbally it sounds like I am destroying a perfectly good book, but actually when I look at pages there are little bits and pieces on some pages I love, some I hate. But the unknown has become known and I have referenced a lot of Ader's work, who i have become very intrigued with. This book has become a permanent fixture with me along with Wreck this Journal. I find rather than pulling out a phone and going into my own little world on a bus, train etc this is a fun way to pass the time. Ive had several strangers ask me about the books and I've happily filled them in. I would recommend this book to just about anyone. Some pages are fun to do with younger children. I feel it would be particularly good for an art student or fan. I haven't got to the pages yet, but I am looking forward to pages exploring textiles and texture. Its great fun, and I love it.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
*by D***E on 13 June 2015*

Ce livre est tout à fait génial.Je le recommande à toutes les personnes créatives. En tout cas je ne suis pas du tout déçue

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
*by M***M on 26 October 2020*

Un libro dal concept fantastico, che non solo ti permette di commettere errori, ma ti spinge a farli (è proprio questo infatti l'obiettivo), senza sensi di colpa. Ci sono moltissime idee e spunti per viaggiare con la fantasia senza doverci pensare troppo. Nonostante lo abbia comprato molto tempo fa devo ancora "sbloccarmi", lo consiglio vivamente a chi ha bisogno di "sciogliersi" e scrollarsi di dosso il senso di dovere e di perfezione.

---

## Why Shop on Desertcart?

- 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016
- 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories
- 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price
- 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members)
- 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection
- ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews

**Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.nz/products/258981256-penguin-mess-the-manual-of-accidents-and-mistakes](https://www.desertcart.nz/products/258981256-penguin-mess-the-manual-of-accidents-and-mistakes)

---

*Product available on Desertcart New Zealand*
*Store origin: NZ*
*Last updated: 2026-01-24*