A Book Art Extravaganza

Even though books are art in and of themselves, it's become quite the trend to turn this readable art form into something purely aesthetic. (And YA author and reality TV star Lauren Conrad used them for more "practical" purposes, to much controversy.)

Scottish artist Georgia Russell removes and uses the pages of books to create her artistic visions:

Artist: Georgia Russel

Other artists, like Robert The, turn a single book into a carved-out sculpture that doesn't look at all like a book:

Artist: Robert The

While Brian Dettmer carves elaborate scenes into the pages of books:

Artist: Brian Dettmer

There there's photographer Cara Barer who manipulates pages into a book-like sculpture:

Artist: Cara Barer

And yet other artists (Su Blackwell, for one) create pop-up scenes within the pages of a bound book (my personal fave):

Artist: Su Blackwell

Artist: Su Blackwell

Artist: Unknown

Artist: Unknown

Artist: Unknown

These are all versions of book art I had seen before. But just this week, a friend of mine introduced me to a new style of carvings. Specifically those of artist Guy Laramee.

Now, Laramee's unique carvings aren't like the ones by Robert The or Brian Dettmer, where they take a single book and work their magic. Instead, Laramee takes multiple books and carves and paints landscapes along the top edge:

Artist: Guy Laramee

Artist: Guy Laramee

Artist: Guy Laramee

Laramee, naturally, explores the single book art form as well:

Artist: Guy Laramee

Artist: Guy Laramee

But there's something about his pieces that feels very different to me than anything else I've seen before in the book-art family. He takes a man-made book and turns it into something that feels truly of nature, an intriguing dichotomy, I think. But Laramee himself has an even more complex reasoning behind his art, that of the expression of cultural erosion over time, particularly now as the book itself is gaining recognition as a "dying art."

In his Artist Statement he says:

 Cultures emerge, become obsolete, and are replaced by new ones. With the vanishing of cultures, some people are displaced and destroyed. We are currently told that the paper book is bound to die. The library, as a place, is finished. One might ask so what? Do we really believe that “new technologies” will change anything concerning our existential dilemma, our human condition? And even if we could change the content of all the books on earth, would this change anything in relation to the domination of analytical knowledge over intuitive knowledge? What is it in ourselves that insists on grabbing, on casting the flow of experience into concepts?

[...]

My work, in 3D as well as in painting, originates from the very idea that ultimate knowledge could very well be an erosion instead of an accumulation.

[...]

So I carve landscapes out of books and I paint romantic landscapes. Mountains of disused knowledge return to what they really are: mountains. They erode a bit more and they become hills. Then they flatten and become fields where apparently nothing is happening. Piles of obsolete encyclopedias return to that which does not need to say anything, that which simply IS. Fogs and clouds erase everything we know, everything we think we are.

After 30 years of practice, the only thing I still wish my art to do is this: to project us into this thick “cloud of unknowing.”

See Laramee's full Artist's Statement HERE

An interesting concept, no? :)

Be sure to check out his projects on his website, complete with further explanations (and sometimes poetry) about his specific purpose in creating each collection. (My favorite is The Great Wall.)

Artist: Guy Laramee

Typewriters Galore

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap Tap. Zing! Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. 

That is me typing on my typewriter when I was eleven years old.

I'd found it at a garage sale in my development. All I could think was "WANT." So, I rode by bike home, dug up the cash, and hurried back over to buy it. When I got it home, I hooked it up and it didn't work. Then I fiddled--not something a kid should probably do with an old piece of machinery if she actually wants it to ever work again, but somehow after cleaning the ribbon, taking out pieces and putting them right back in, I got the keys to pound out some inked letters on paper. I wrote poems, plays, random prose. I loved that thing. To this day I don't know what happened to it. I remember that it stopped working and I needed to replace a part, but I never did. I think my mom threw it away after that because it was just gone.

Ever since, I have been dying for a "new" typewriter. I was ecstatic when I was at "journalism camp" at Northwestern the summer between my junior and senior year of college, we were required to do type our articles on Smith Coronas. I'll gaze into store windows when an typewriter sits up front until someone literally drags me away. I reblog photos of typewriters whenever possible on Tumblr. I adore them. I don't know what it is.

So, naturally, when Flavorwire posted a great slideslow of fun typewriters that are currently on the market last week, I drooled.I I saved the link for later second and third viewings, and of course, for purchase potential. Then today, another typewriter-related article from The Atlantic was sent to me by a friend, this time discussing more than just regular old typewriter options. This time, it focused on 25-year-old guy who, after finding a typewriter on the side of the street one day, decided to find a why to hook it up to a computer:

Jack Zylkin, an engineer, hooks antique typewriters up to modern computers and tablets to create functioning writing machines -- and then sells them on Etsy. It's almost a perfect storm of hipster obsessions. Vintage? Check. Handmade? Check. iPad? Check. Open source? Check. Et cetera. You might be tempted roll your eyes, but watch this documentary from Etsy's Handmade Portraits series and see if he doesn't convince you that there's something extremely satisfying about merging antique machinery with glossy, networked devices. The video was produced by Jenny Schweitzer, who provides more background on the project here. 

See the original post HERE

I don't know if I would want one necessarily, though it is pretty damn awesome.

I will have to ponder this further. 

Costner Co-writes New Adventure Series for S&S

Today's SHOCKING news: another celebrity has landed a book deal.

This time, Atria Books (an imprint of Simon & Schuster) has inked an agreement with actor Kevin Costner for a adventure series, according to GalleyCat:

Actor Kevin Costner has signed a book deal with Simon & Schuster’s Atria Books imprint for an adventure series. It begins with The Explorers Guild, Volume One: Passage to Shambhala in 2014. The book is aimed at a broad group of readers, ranging from “young adult to more mature mystery and adventure enthusiasts.”

Writer and art director Jon Baird (pictured, left) also worked on the project with Costner (middle), which will be illustrated by Rick Ross (middle). Rob Weisbach and Fonda Snyder at Rob Weisbach Creative Management negotiated the deal with publisher Judith Curr. Atria senior editor Sarah Durand and assistant editor Daniel Loedel will edit the book.

Here’s more from the release: “Behind the staid rooms of an old world gentlemen’s club operates a darker, more mysterious organization: The Explorers Guild, a clandestine group of adventurers who seek out the places where light gives way to shadow and reason is usurped by myth … Set against the backdrop of World War I, with Western Civilization spiraling into chaos, the first installment in The Explorers Guild series, A Passage to Shambhala, concerns the Guild’s quest to find Shambhala, the golden city of Buddhist myth. Each member is driven toward the City for a different reason: one believes that finding it will save his brother’s life; another hopes that it will reveal a path to spiritual enlightenment. Some believe the power of the city can be used to restore peace, while others are certain that Shambhala is responsible for bringing mankind to the brink of apocalypse.”

See the original post HERE

While the market seems to be more and more inundated with celeb authors, it's nice to see that Costner chose to co-write his book--and to publicly acknowledge it. What a strange concept for a celeb novelist! And while the plot sounds a little all over the place to me--and with way too broad a targeted audience--I'm somewhat intrigued.

Other celebs with book deals this week? Musician Carlos Santana and actress Jessica Lange.

Say "Happy Roald Dahl Month" with Literery-themed Recipes

I learned today that September is Roald Dahl Month. A bit of a strange coincidence too given how often I've talked about Roald Dahl lately with not only by cubemate, but also with random people coming by to troll the free book shelf, my father, my six-year-old sister, and many others. He just keeps popping up!

And when I saw that the Huffington Post did a post about foods from children's books, it reminded me immediately of Roald Dahl and the crazy cookbooks based on his stories.

I owned both of these cookbooks once upon a time. I'd flip through the pages, giggling at the ridiculousness, but I'll admit that I never once made anything from them.

I kind of wish now that I still had these gems so I could make something with my sisters, yet in the hustle and bustle that is growing up, the books seem to have vanished. At least HuffPo has given me some new literary dishes to give a whirl (and they've thrown in some Roald Dahl-related treats too!):

Harry Potter: Butterbeer

Alice in Wonderland: Jam-filled "Eat Me" Cupcakes

The Hunger Games: Lamb Stew with Dried Plums

James and the Giant Peach: Peach Juice

Oliver Twist: Gruel

 See the complete article and slideshow HERE

Two New Indy Bookstores in Astoria, NY Neighborhood

Just about nine months after the news that Astoria's only independent bookstore was closing, there is now word of TWO new bookshops in the hood: one specifically for kid-lit--and already open--and one coming soon for more mainstream adult titles.

According to the Daily News, The Story Nook opened this past February to offer children's literature to local kiddies. While I'm very excited that this occurred, it's surprising that this is the first I've heard of it. Sounds like The Story Nook needs some publicity help---so GO TO THE STORY NOOK.

Now that that's been dealt with, here's more from the Daily News on the upcoming Book Shop:

The borough’s only independent bookstore that sells mainstream titles is slated to open in Astoria early next year, much to the delight of local book lovers.

Despite a tough economy and a bruising market for book sellers, Lexi Beach said she plans to go ahead with plans for the Astoria Bookshop.

Beach, 31, who manages accounts for a website that sells digital audio books, is already arranging author events in the community to build awareness — and anticipation — for the shop.

“I’m confident that a good portion of the community will be very excited about having a place to buy books locally,” said Beach, who is raising funds for the shop.

“Obviously, anyone with a computer or smartphone can buy books online,” said Beach, who plans to host community events in the space. “But there’s something about a bookstore, a physical place to go and browse books, that is special.”

She began mulling the venture after hearing from friends of the need in the neighborhood following the closing of Seaburn Bookstore in December.

The longtime Astoria store hadn’t turned a profit in years, owner Sam Chekwas previously told the Daily News. A much smaller version of the shop was relocated to a Long Island City warehouse where he has a book publishing business.

Tim Fredrick, editor of the Newtown Literary, a journal that will feature the words of borough authors, said Beach’s store will be a boon to local authors.

Beach “is very interested in promoting Queens authors and Queens writing,” he said. “It’s really a shame to have to go to another borough to buy books.”

Mackenzi Farquer, owner of SITE NYC, an Astoria boutique, said most of the 100 participants of a survey she recently conducted said they wanted to see a bookstore in the neighborhood.

“Astoria’s rapidly gentrifying,” she said. “There’s this pocket of Astorians who really want bookstores.”

The community may soon also have a children’s bookstore.

Faye Skandalakis opened The Story Nook in February in a small section of babyNOIR, a kids boutique, on 23rd Ave.

“I’m hoping within a year or so to open a brick and mortar children’s bookstore,” she said.

Oren Teicher, CEO of the American Booksellers Association, said he’s starting to see “modest growth” in the number of bookstores nationally “after many years of decline.”

The demand is a product of the closure of the chain book retailer Borders, consumers desire to shop locally and lower technology costs, he said.

But small bookstores still face a host of challenges — including the rise of e-book readers and online retailers, such as amazon.com, that can offer rock-bottom prices.

“Being able to compete in a market where anyone can sit at their computer screen and have access to any title in print, that certainly represents a challenge,” Teicher said.

See the original post HERE

 

I'm excited to hear about these new shops and my fingers are crossed that they are able to survive the brutal market that has flooded the publishing world. I too have considered opening my bookstore again--a dream of mine since I was a kid--but the market scares me away. But I guess it's true that it's all about location, location, location. And if Astorians want their bookstores, give 'em some!

I, for one, can't wait. Thanks for being brave Lexi and Faye!

Tom and Huck Get a Makeover

At home on my bookshelf sits an old, hardcover-bound copy of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. Its pages are a bit yellowed as I've had the edition since I was a little girl, the margins and leading wide enough for easy reading and the illustrations floating prettily around the pages in blank ink. Soon after acquiring the edition, I became obsessed with the flick "Mark Twain and Me," watching in a loop on rainy days.

Now, that was how I was introduced to Mark Twain. But kids today might soon be experiencing a different kind of meet-cute. A steampunky one, according to GalleyCat:

Mark Twain‘s famous characters Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn could star in a steampunk sequel to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. ABC has ordered a script for the possible show titled Finn & Sawyer.
 
The Hollywood Reporter has the scoop: “The drama hails from Detroit 1-8-7 duo Jason Richman and David Zabel and is described as an adventure-themed reinvention that revolves around the two famed literary characters who re-meet as young men in their 20s and form an investigative firm in a bustling and steampunk New Orleans.”

If you want to read Twain’s most famous novels, visit our Free eBook Flowchart to download free copies of the digital books. What is steampunk, you may ask? Follow this link to find out more about the genre. (E. W. Kemble illustration via the 1884 edition of Huckleberry Finn; link via i09)

See the original post HERE

The Hollywood Reporter goes on to share more details about the modernization:

Richman and Zabel (ER) will write and executive produce the project from ABC Studios and Temple Hill Entertainment.

Finn & Sawyer is the latest adaptation of the famed novel, which was first published in 1884. Coincidentally, ABC adapted the material for a 1975 TV movie that starred Happy Days duo Ron Howard and Donny Most as Huck and Tom, respectively, and again in 1985 with Drew Barrymore as Hucklemary Finn for another movie of the week.

See the original post HERE

I'll admit that this concept could be a very fun one, bringing together two of the most popular young characters in American literature. It reminds me a bit of Jim O'Brien's "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" in a way actually, and those are definitely fun. Yet, the fact that as a result of this new show, many kids will probably meet Tom and Huck in a twisted, steampunked version of the classic Twain novels, is sad to me. They will miss out on so much.

Best Novel of All Time? Cast Your Vote!

While New York Magazine is anticipating the best books come fall, the Huffington Post is exploring the best novel ever.

Using a bracket structure similar to the one popular for March Madness or the Super Bowl--or any other sporting event in the world, really--they have collected a number of novels and are currently voting on the first bracket of works:

The Best Novel of All Time? It's an impossible statement of course, but while we wait for the big titles of the fall to hit, and everyone is talking about voting on a bigger scale, we thought it would be a good opportunity to argue over some truly great books.

We scoured "Best of" lists from the past 10 years, and compiled a top 15 of incredible reads (we chose the ones that appeared the most number of times across the lists), with the final slot filled by our readers. Our only rules were that we were judging books either written in, or widely translated into the English language, and no more than one novel per author. A randomizing magic hat did the rest of the work.
So here is our first round of voting. The below graphic might be a little hard to see - click here for a larger version - but the voting should be pretty straightforward underneath.

Votes close at 9am EST on Wednesday. There are some HORRIBLE choices to make in this first round. "Gatsby" or "Mockingbird"? "Solomon" or "Bovary"? "Emma" or "Solitude"? You have to choose! Why? Because we say so. There can be only one winner, so help decide who makes it through to the next round of entirely spurious Novel Madness.

Arguments and verbal wrestling may commence in the comments... now.

See the original post HERE

It's a fun idea--having a bit of a showdown with some of the "best" novels ever written. But I've gotta say, I wish there would've been a voting system in the first place to collect the novels. (I also would've suggested clarifying that these are the best "classic" novels, not best novels.) Personally, only ONE of the books on this list would've been on my own personal "Best of" list, and that is To Kill a Mockingbird.

Other titles I would have included in a Best of the Classics list?

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.  
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

What would be on YOUR list?