I never attached the word hate to summer until I moved to NYC. Coming from a much drier climate out west, the humidity coupled with the smell of a city street at high noon was enough to make me at times re-think why in the world I decided to move to such a crowded, stench-heavy, HOT place. At such desperate moments (and the entire month of August is, for me, a desperate moment), I like to dive back into some of the books that helped me fall in love with NYC and remind myself why, crowded-subway-cars-on-100-degree-days and all, it’s such a brilliant place to live.
Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis
Oh, how I wanted (and still want) an Auntie Mame. Hers is a life I coveted, all weird parties, nonchalance in the face of poverty (at least the kind of poverty that forces a woman-about-town to take a job as a sales clerk or find a rich husband), and wild outfits more akin to costumes. This novel is New York City in Technicolor, and a lovely, funny slice of the city in the 1950’s.
(Also, the film version starring Rosalind Russell is a must-see.)
Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger
Though most call THE CATCHER IN THE RYE their first Salinger love, Franny and Zooey is by far my favorite. I’ve wanted to be Franny and date Zooey, though I have a feeling neither situation would have turned out well. The apartment the Glass family calls home always strikes me as the quintessential New York family apartment—bursting with heavy wood furniture, shawls to wrap yourself up in for a good cry on the sofa, and lots of dust. This is a must-read.
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
In middle school, my dream was to move to NYC and work at a fashion magazine while living in a woman’s housing facility and wearing chic outfits that involved hats. True, this dream came about after I read THE BELL JAR, but it was a dream nevertheless (and one I may still harbor). What I find so brilliant about this novel is the way in which Plath took a young woman who was working towards the life she wanted, but still could not keep her demons at bay, and crafted her in such a way that, regardless of decade, location, or profession, most every woman can relate.
The New York Trilogy by Paul Auster
Before I moved to NYC, a friend joked with me that I would not be allowed out of JFK without having read this novel. New Yorkers for the most part love this book, and even if they don’t they still hold it in high regard. Consisting of three literary mysteries that interlock, this classic has recently been printed as part of the Penguin deluxe series and features cover illustrations by the incomparable Art Spiegelman.
Bright Lights, Big City by Jay Mcinerney
What would a list about NYC novels be without one of the literary brat pack represented? Great fun to read and my favorite of all Mcinerney’s novels, BLBC is a good way for those who tend to shy away from drug-fueled all-nighters (or those who embrace them) to get a taste of that particular aspect NYC living. Good times!
As drug binges are always a great place to stop, here’s to hoping that you’re cool and comfortable wherever you are. Happy August.
Well, sort of.
For whatever reason, I have only been drawn to novels by British authors lately. Every time I went to a bookstore or library for something new, I ended up leaving with a title nominated for the Booker or illuminated with praise from the London Times. I suppose there is nothing all that unusual about this, but what I did find unusual were two things:
1) There were all very odd books. Seriously. Strange stuff afoot.
2) They were all good. Damn good.
Anyone who reads a lot knows that finishing three very interesting, well written, and absorbing books in a row is rare. At least for me it is. Regardless, our friends across the Atlantic are up to some wonderful stuff these days…
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
This a lighter read, which seems weird to write since it revolves around murders and kidnapping, but just trust me on this one. Atkinson writes beautifully, and this mystery novel is dark, captivating and funny. Revolving around a private detective and three separate cases that he is investigating, the stories cross decades and details in ways that, though at times predictable, are nevertheless intriguing. This is a good summer kick-off novel as it keeps its serious side surrounded by laughs and never once dumbs itself (or the reader for that matter) down. Quite a feat indeed.
Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel
Ms. Mantel writes unlike anyone I have ever read before. At first, her style took a little getting used to, but once I fell into the tempo of this fascinating story, I could barely put it down. Though it’s touted as touching on the mundane side of being a seer of the dead, there is little mundane (at least compared to those of us who can’t see the dead) to the lives of psychic Alison and her assistant Colette. Bits of gothic horror mixed with malevolent ghosts, subtle wit and an oddball assortment of characters, both dead and alive, make for a truly fascinating read. To the faint of heart, be warned: it can be very creepy and disturbing at times.
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
This was an unexpected odd one. Ishiguro is best known as the author of Remains of the Day. Now, I’ll admit that I have not read it, but I have seen the movie and if they are anything at all alike, odd is not one of the words I would use to describe the story. What makes Never Let Me Go so different is not the over arching story, rather it’s the skeleton of the thing...THE reason why everything in the story happens at all. It’s got a whiff of scifi to it, but is written in such a quiet voice, that the scientific basis of the entire novel is relegated to the kind of background information. I was never quite sure as I was reading (and still am not) if I love love loved it, but I read it cover to cover, and that says something.
On that note, I hope that whatever country your current read comes from, it’s kicking off your summer brilliantly. Off to tea (ok, coffee).
It all started with this:
Full disclaimer: I work for the Penguin, the publisher of this brilliant tome, and have spent the last year eagerly anticipating its debut to the world. Early on, I saw only a few examples—projects from Todd Oldham, Cal Patch, and Leah Kramer—but those were enough to wet my appetite for doing wacky things with tees.
Fast forward to a few months ago. I’d been proudly (and sometime not as proudly) wearing my creations around for some time, and had received many complements and inquiries for purchase. It was easy enough to supply the occasional friend with a tee in trade for a couple of cocktails or a movie, but when relative strangers began to take interest, I realized that I’d have to enhance my skills, do a lot of research, and get organized if I was to ever make even a modest profit from my cotton creations.
As I was doing a lot with iron-ons (and quickly discovered the limits of working with), one thing that I wanted to learn was the lovely art of silk screening. Unable to find a book on the market that fit my attitude and tastes, I purchased this cool DVD from fredflare.com…
Yes, I know I took the non-bookish road, but sometimes even the most ardent book nerd needs to branch out. That said, this is a fantastic learning tool not only for the process of silk-screening, but Kingi Carpenter, the lovely lady behind Peach Beserk, even offers up small creative business advice, something that I find to be priceless. Bonus for the cute hand silk-screened bag the DVD come in.
So I had a new skill, but now I needed to learn more about that whole overwhelming, confusing, irritating world that is business, or how to run one legally and with out loosing your mind. In digging around online and in bookstores, I came across these two tomes that have been, if not comic book clear, at least accessible.
How to Start a Creative Manufacturing Business is an e-book written by Pamela Barsky, creator of her own line of crafty items and owner of a successful Los Angeles boutique. Though I think that the book, available from her website pamelabarsky.com, is VERY overpriced at its current $21.95 and lacks a table of contents, I did find a ton of helpful information that I was not finding elsewhere, especially information on pricing and how to deal with trade shows and consignment.
Though I’m not quite at the point of going full steam ahead with registering a business name and shopping for an accountant, I did want to learn what in the hell I would need to do when (and if) the time ever came. This book…
is one of the better small business guides out there, and provides a wealth of information on taxes, business plans, and all of the drier, but necessary, knowledge.
So I had the product and the business brain buzzing, but what I needed now was info on the crucial skill that is self-promotion. As luck would have it, this book arrived on store shelves not long ago…
and I absolutely LOVE it. Chock-full of info on logos, business cards, blogs, and on and on, DIY is all about self-promotion at its basest, most creative and personal level. With clear explanations, information, and examples, this book is a must have for any and all creative types. There’s even a section on customizing tee shirts!
Which brings me back to the beginning and the book that started it all. Tease goes on sale April 4th. My finished copy came in not long ago, and it was better than I even expected; it is a beautiful book. Check out Susan Beal’s West Coast Crafty column for an interview with the book’s editor and packager, Sarah Sockit, and then run out and pick up a copy. You never know what it will inspire you to do.
Happy Spring, and keep a look out on Etsy for my tee’s sold under the moniker by Reed. They’re not up there quite yet but the logo (created with the help of DIY!) is!
Bookish: Love Will Tear Us Apart, Again. By Jessica Reed
Tuesday January 31st, 2006 09:24 PM
I’m not going to speak for or against that wacky February holiday people either love or love to hate. They way I look at it, at least there’s free chocolate being thrown around the office in an otherwise celebratory-free month (ok, President’s Day, but come on). But I will say that I find it a rather boring holiday, one where an emotion as complex as love is paled into a sugary-sweet handful of candy hearts. It ignores the beautiful, ugly, painful, fantastical, frightening, tender, humorous, and brilliant things that make love, love.
These books, on the other hand, do not.
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Better known than many of his other works, and definitely an easier read than “100 years of Solitude,” Cholera is the quintessential love story, a romantic, rich, and complex tale that is so lyric and enthralling, you smell what the characters smell, hear what they hear. Spanning decades, the story centers around the lives of Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza and their unconventional courtship.
The Beautiful and the Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Anthony and Gloria are a young, beautiful married couple. Anthony and Gloria love to drink. And fight. And drink. Sound familiar? Considered heavily autobiographical, Fitzgerald’s depiction of jazz age New York and young love fraught with tension makes for a fantastic read. It’s not quite up to Gatsby brilliance, but it is entertaining as hell, and has one of the best titles in all of literature to boot.
Winner of the National Book Award by Jincy Willett
A dark and comic take on the love triangle (among many, many other things), this is the story of Dorcas, a librarian, her sister Abigail, and the effects on both of their lives when a narcissistic writer named Conrad Lowe enters with dramatic flourish. Told during a blizzard blanketing Rhode Island, this novel is wonderfully written in Willett’s unique and immensely enjoyable voice.
The Collector by John Fowles
Written in 1963, Fowles’ first novel is the story of a butterfly collector obsessed with a beautiful art student. Called the first modern psychological thriller (at least according to the back copy of the book!), this well-paced, odd, disturbing story deals with the darkest side of adoration and has a genuinely surprising ending.
Ariel: The Restored Edition by Sylvia Plath
No one would argue that Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes were in love. Of course, no one would argue that their marriage was not fraught with tension, arguments, betrayal and the depression that ultimately claimed Plath’s life as well. Ariel was the last collection that Plath wrote—it was published after her death—and the despair and confusion that she felt regarding Hughes is vividly clear in many of the poems, some of which Hughes removed from earlier publications. This edition brings together the original manuscript as Plath wrote it, along with a wonderful introduction by Freida Hughes that remains one of the most aching things I’ve read in ages.
And on that uplifting note, Happy February, however you choose to celebrate it!
Books make fantastic gifts. Unlike many things likely to be given this holiday season, they are relatively inexpensive, portable, and (hopefully) quite nice to look at. Yet selecting one can be tough as not just any book will be received with honest joy, and with so damn many titles to choose from, it can be difficult to find interesting, unique giftable tomes (very important. Many books do not make the best holiday gifts for the average reader. Self-help books wrapped up nice and neat so that you think you’re getting a novel and come to find a diet book for example. A great gift book is fun and unusual. For godsake, give them something they will actually read or paw!).
That said, after numerous visits to bookshops, websites and blogs, as well as an eye-straining number of pages read, I present you with a list of suggestions of some of my favorite finds from the latter part of 2005:
For Kids (of all ages)
Noisy Outlaws Edited by McSweeney’s
A wildly fun collection of stories from a diverse range of authors. Not at all surprising as it comes from the good people at McSweeney’s, the cover becomes an envelope you can use for mailing in an ending to the Lemony Snickett introduction. A wonderful book.
For the Hipster
Still Lovers by Elena Dorfman
Photographs of singles, couples and yes, even families, with their life-like, full-sized generally-considered-to-be sex dolls.
For the Traveler
The City of Fallen Angels by John Berendt
A decade after his phenomenal bestseller, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, John Berendt returns with another journey into the world of the mysterious and eccentric that inhabit beautiful places—this time, Venice, Italy.
For the Curious One
Spook by Mary Roach
The logical book to follow her fantastic Stiff, Spook is a witty examination of ideas and theories regarding the afterlife.
For the Outdoor Poet
The Singing Fish by Peter Markus (powells.com)
A small press publication of poetic short short fiction dealing with, among other things, mud and fish.
For the Crafter
Holiday Knits by Sara Lucas and Allison Isaacs
A nice, simple knitting book filled with ideas for giftable projects. Drop the recipient a hint for next years pay back by bookmarking your favorite project.
For the (Morbidly Inclined) Creative one
Three Incestuous Sisters by Audrey Niffenegger
This novel in pictures created some time before her bestselling novel The Time Traveler’s Wife is simply a gorgeous book, inside and out.
For the Manic-Depressive
My Prescription for Anti-Depressive Living by Jonathan Adler
My heart palpitated with joy when I first opened this book. Filled with brilliant ideas for making your little corner of the world a happier place to be, this has to be one of the best “coffee table” books to come along in years. Not only is it lovely to look at, but it’s compulsively readable as well.
For the City Dweller
The Works by Kate Ascher
A sort of textbook on the workings of city systems, this takes you behind the scenes above and below ground. Although specific to NYC, the book would be a great gift for any big-city dweller or lover.
For the Intellectual
Penguin Great Ideas series (penguin.com)
Each book in this series of 12—classics of thought and ideas—come beautifully packaged with type-driven covers and clean design. Some of the titles include Why I Write by Orwell, On Natural Selection by Darwin and Common Sense by Paine.
For the Easily Distracted
The Heart is Also a Furnace (powells.com)
Another small press publication, these short short sharply written fiction pieces are perfect for quick reading. Support small press writers and publishers!
For the Literature Snob
Veronica by Mary Gaitskill
The long anticipated new novel from lit’s “bad girl.” Gaitskill’s sharp prose and interesting characters make for a standout novel. Was a finalist for this year’s National Book Awards.
For the Historian
Post War by Tony Judt
A massive and very complete history of postwar Europe—East and West—by renowned historian Tony Judt.
For the Serious Foodie
The Seasoning of a Chef by Doug Psaltis with Michael Psaltis
The memoir of chef Doug Psaltis (written with his twin brother) showcasing the path from his grandfather’s Queens diner through his stint at the famed French Laundry in California and beyond.
…and I could go on and on. But, in consideration of time and space, I’ll abruptly end here with the simple request that you do your part to keep the world reading. Give books, talk books, donate books.
Happy Holidays…see you in 2006!
October may very well be the most stylish month of the year. The weather begins to cool down enough for light sweaters and jackets, school is full in session, the fall book season kicks into high gear (yes, even books have seasons), and Halloween caps it all off as the day most forgiving to whatever freaky style you feel like expressing.
In honor of some popular fashions for the fall season that October fully lets out of the closet (as well as the ever-loved Halloween) I give you a few stylish reads to curl up with as the temperature drops.
Mod
ROSEMARY’S BABY by Ira Levin
I’m a bit of an Ira Levin junkie. His novels are campy, but deliciously creepy, and very adaptable to the silver screen as proven by the numerous films made from his bestsellers: The Stepford Wives (original version only!), Sliver, A Kiss Before Dying and, of course, Rosemary’s Baby. This cult classic, which is a must see, may have skyrocketed Mia Farrow and her celebrated haircut into superstardom, but it was Levin’s 1967 novel that first made every city apartment dweller, then and now, wary of the nice, if nosey, old couple next door.
A quick read, Rosemary’s Baby is as much about the culture and feel of 1960’s Manhattan and its young uptown inhabitants as it is about satanic cults and manipulation. There is something very glamorous about the book, yet truly eerie. Today’s standards have certainly altered what we find to be frightening, but that’s the great thing about this novel—it still manages to scare, without a single razor-tipped glove or hockey mask in sight.
Goth
THE BLOODY CHAMBER by Angela Carter
Angela Carter has an unusual voice that is at once both proper and brazen. Her work is eccentric and always so damn well written that even violence and sex take on a languid, dreamy air. Carter penned many brilliant novels before her death in 1992, but this slim volume of short stories is a particularly interesting read.
A retelling of classic fairy tales, from Little Red Riding Hood to Beauty and the Beast, this is not a book for the young ones. Carter was big into exploring the roles, particularly sexual, that women play in the world, and these tales take the idea of the enchanted princess, devoted daughter, and humble wife to an entirely new level.
Victorian
JANE-EMILY by Patricia Clapp
(sorry, no cover available, but it's a good one—classic seventies)
My mother read this book to my sister and I when we were kids. I loved it but, as can happen to people who’ve read way too many books, I grew-up and found myself unable to recall the name. For years, I half-heartedly searched, telling what I could remember of the plot—a somewhat lonely young Victorian girl who is haunted by the ghost of another lonely, but slightly evil, young girl whose spirit resides in a garden globe —to book store employees, librarians, and even elementary school teachers who had the unfortunate luck to make my acquaintance. Blake stares all around. Then, one day, I asked about it on the book search forum at abebooks.com. Not even one day later, thanks to a nice woman from Vermont, I had my answer. Jane-Emily.
Sadly, this is a very out-of-print title, but used copies abound online. When mine arrived, I read it in one sitting and was happily surprised to find that I love it as much now as I did then. This is a classic Victorian ghost story for kids of all ages.
Punk
BAZAAR BIZARRE by Greg Der Ananian (on sale 10/20)
As the subtitle says, these are “not your granny’s crafts.” Der Ananian, founder of the annual Bazaar Bizarre craft fair that began in Boston in 2001, presents crafty readers with a slew of projects. Most will not be new to getcrafty kids—a sock monkey, tote bags, and cross stitch abound—but it’s how the contributing crafters have interpreted their creations and what they’ve used to create that makes this book so refreshing.
Learn how to generate clip-on hair extensions, a Trashy Quilt, playing cards, and vinyl cuffs, among other things. Color photos of the final results are bound in the center of the book, while illustrations and step-by-step instructions accompany each project. Yet the true highlights of the book, for me at the very least, are the interviews and portraits that accompany each contributor’s section. From favorite bands and films, to ideas on art versus craft, you get philosophy and vision, and are left feeling like you just sat through your favorite high school art class.
Nouveau Prep
Strunk and White’s THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE, ILLUSTRATED by Maira Kalman
(on sale 10/20)
Most of us have a cheap paperback version crammed in a bookshelf of this classic style manual we learned to love—or hate—when being forced to write boring papers in school. So why, you might ask, am I suggesting it to you? This edition happens to be brand-new, fully illustrated, and simply beautiful.
The package resembles a textbook from the 1950’s: bright red cloth cover, clean white type, simple and unadorned. Inside, it’s ripe with illustrations by artist Maira Kalman, who has created bold, interesting, and colorful interpretations of Strunk and White’s rules and examples for grammatical correctness. Kalman has managed to turn a must-have reference book into a must-have art book—a remarkable feat to say the least.
Jessica Reed is a writer, artist, and bibliomaniac. She spends her days working in publishing, her nights working on her crafts, and her late nights passed out in her Brooklyn apartment. She wishes she had more time.
It appears that, due to a particularly sweltering August, I have lost part of my brain to melting. That said, please be advised that this month’s Bookish will be little more than a very detailed list. I couldn’t even muster a theme! But, dear readers, cooler weather is upon us and, with plenty of holidays just around the corner to provide any number of concrete ideas, there is hope for a full recovery. With that…
Bookish, lite.
Banned Books week is September 24-October 1. Sadly, this is still a huge issue, and it is up to us to make sure that the freedom to read and write what we please stay available to us, especially in times such as these. Most of us know that Harry Potter titles are constantly at the center of banning battles, but it may come as a surprise to learn that Maya Angelou, Judy Blume and Maurice Sendak, among many others, are popular authors to target. Visit www.ala.org to learn more about this important week and to read the list of the most frequently banned books.
To those of you in New York City (or looking for a good reason to visit), two upcoming literary events are worth mentioning:
Dorothy Parker fans, stock up on your whiskey and witticisms. September 30-October 2 is Parkerfest 2005. This annual celebration of the lovely Ms. Parker is going to hit NYC by storm. Plenty of events are planned for the entire weekend, but the coup de grace will be the Saturday night Bathtub Gin Ball and Speakeasy Boat Cruise. A three-hour ride around Manhattan on a 1930’s yacht, the night will feature live jazz, dancing, an auction, and a costume contest. Oh, and an open bar. To find out more or purchase tickets, visit www.dorothyparkernyc.com
Denyse Schmidt, quilter extraordinaire, will be teaching a one-day workshop at Make in the lower east side on September 17. She’ll be signing copies of her new book as well. www.makeworkshop.com
Speaking of her new book, “Denyse Schmidt Quilts” has finally hit the shelves. Detailed instructions and patterns for projects as far ranging as slippers, scarves, tote bags, and even a heating pad cover, are all offered up, along with all the info needed to create one of her wackishly modern quilts. Beautiful photographs accompany all projects.
And, on a final note:
Urgent 2nd Class by Nick Bantock
In my late teens, I had a mad crush on a boy named Van who played guitar and had floppy red hair. For my 18th birthday, he gave me a copy of Griffin and Sabine by Nick Bantock and, I kid you not, changed my life just a little bit. Years later, and I’ve long lost touch with Van, but I own every single Nick Bantock book in print. His blend of words and images opened up a whole world of ideas, and showed me that books could be interactive in a way that I had not experienced since my childhood pup-ups.
“Urgent 2nd Class” has not left my bag since I picked it up a few weeks ago. This guide to creating, as the subtitle states, “Curious Collage, Dubious Documents, and Other Art from Ephemera,” is really quite brilliant, and a must-have for any Bantock fan, paper crafter, or artist-crafter in general.
Don’t Get Too Comfortable by David Rakoff
This is the newest collection of essays from the “This American Life” contributor and writer of the hilarious “Fraud.” Wonderful all-around, of particular interest to readers of getcrafty will be his essay entitled "Martha, My Dear" where he waxes poetic on his own love of crafting, as well as his visit to the Martha Stewart Living Craft Department and his attempts to learn what has happened to all of the handmade gifts he’s bestowed upon lucky recipients over the years. He’s the kind of guy you read and then really, really want to be friends with.
Happy reading.
Jessica Reed is a writer, artist, and bibliomaniac. She spends her days working in publishing, her nights working on her MLS, and her late nights passed out in her Brooklyn apartment. She wishes she had more time.
Bookish: Inspiration is 1% Perspiration. By Jessica Reed
Monday August 15th, 2005 12:18 PM
The perspiration required to lift a book, that is.
I have a love-hate relationship with the inspirational sort of books written for the creatively stalled. Not that I don’t own a whole slew of them, titles filled with stories, project jump-starts, and exercises meant to unclog the tunnels of the right brain, but I don’t read them very often as I sometimes find them, well, a little too inspirational. Too happy. Weird, I know, given that I did buy them for that purpose in the first place.
As someone who, among other things, writes, takes photographs, etches glass, bakes, embroiders, knits and tries really hard to sew a straight line, inspiration for me tends to come from other sorts of books. Stories and images that are so well-crafted, creative, dark or funny, or often just plain brilliant, that I feel compelled to create something of my own. Now, given how obsessively I read, I happen to come across quite a few books that inspire me in some way, but I do have my old-faithfuls, titles that I read and look at over and over again. That said, I thought I’d offer you a few suggestions for books that don’t tell how to be creative, but rather show what creativity can do.
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
I would recommend anything and everything by Mr. Gaiman, as I think he produces fantastic work all around, but this slim volume written for children is one of my favorites, and always leaves me wanting to make strange things with buttons.
Confessions of a Window Dresser by Simon Doonan
Last month I wrote a small bit on his latest book, Nasty, but it’s his first memoirish tome that I keep by my worktable at all times. The images of his weird and wonderful window displays are enough to make me want to do something crazy. Crafty-crazy, of course.
How to Eat by Nigella Lawson
I usually avoid cookbooks without lovely, glossy pictures because I really like to see what the things that I cook should look like as opposed to how they tend to look when I’m at the stove, but I make an exception for this book. Recipes in general inspire me, (And not just to cook. The ideas for some of my better photographs came to me while reading cookbooks.) but there is something extra about a Nigella Lawson book—she can write. Absurdly well.
Twilight by Gregory Crewdson
Crewdson takes elaborately staged, cinematic shots that are beautifully composed and intensely strange. Each image strikes me as one piece of dozens of possible stories. I also like to read about his process for setting up the shots, and the lengths that he goes to in order to produce such surreal work (Oh, to have a large budget). This is a book I turn to again and again.
The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce
I love reference books, but I especially love ones where the author has taken liberty with accepted truth. This is a cynics dictionary, filled with witty, acid definitions like "Famous: Conspicuously miserable," and "Craft: A Fool’s substitute for brains." I like to grab this book, close my eyes, open to a random page and point my finger at a word, then use it to try and jump-start a current project. Usually it just jump-starts a new one, but at least it helps me do something...
...Like in this case, I happened upon his definition for "Friendship: A ship big enough to carry two in fair weather, but only one in foul." Idea! Figuring that my friends were an untapped resource for alternative inspirational reading material, I chatted up a few of the crafty, creative ones to see which books they rely on for a kick in the creative bum.
Betsy, a writer and artist whose mildly obsessed with paint-by-number these days, reads Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple mysteries.
Brian, a photographer, likes “any and all” graphic novels. I tried to get him to elaborate, but he just ignored me.
Erin, an compulsive entertainer, gets ideas for her many themed dinner parties from biographies, but turns again and again to The Sisters: The Saga of the Mitford Family by Mary S. Lovell.
Kate, who designs clothing and jewelry, loves to look at books that showcase the work of graphic designer Paul Rand.
Robert, an illustrator and silk screener, can’t get enough of Edward Gorey, particularly Amphigorey and Amphigorey Too.
Ah, Edward Gorey. It really is hard to go wrong with him as inspiration.
On that note, enjoy looking for inspiration beyond the usual suspects, whatever your “fool’s substitute for brains” may be.
Jessica Reed is a writer, artist, and bibliomaniac. She spends her days working in publishing, her nights working on her MLS, and her late nights passed out in her Brooklyn apartment. She wishes she had more time.
I never really thought of myself as a book collector. Sure, I had a few hundred (yes, hundred) books taking up space in my apartment, but they were simply titles that I had bought one by one because, at the time, they looked rather interesting. Even if I owned the entire body of work by particular author, I always thought that a collector was someone who bought old, rare books or invested in insanely expensive signed Faulkner first editions. Collectors were serious, stuffy, haunted people; in the few films that have been made about book collectors someone always gets killed or possessed by the devil or, at the very least, maimed in some way, and I certainly had most of my mind and all of my limbs.
And then one day, I set out with tons of purpose and very little money to buy one particular book—My Way of Life by Joan Crawford. How-to books that tell women the best ways to be, well, women, have always been a fascination of mine. Perhaps it’s the hopeful idea these books create that everything a girl needs to know to be pretty or popular or a good hostess may lay within a few hundred pages. Regardless, it was Mommie Dearest herself, dishing diet advice and decorating tips, and I had to have it. I found it easy enough, used on amazon, for around $10. At the time, that was a lot of money for me to be spending on a book that I really, really wanted but shouldn’t-I-buy toilet-paper-or-bread-or-something-more-practical? I bought it anyway.
That was the moment I realized you become a book collector when you seek out titles beyond simply wanting something to read on the train or before you go to bed. I knew that, given all of the fantastic books to devour out there, I may never read it cover to cover, but that wasn’t the reason for sacrificing two days worth of lunch money in order to buy it; my desire for the book had to do with the idea that such a book even existed. And with that, I happily became a collector.
So what do you do if you want to take a varied mass of books and start what could proudly be called a collection? Unless your interest is in signed first editions or books that are investment pieces (in which case, a whole new set of rules apply), the books that you buy needn’t be expensive—I found one of my favorite and most prized books for 50 cents. Look for both new and used books, especially online and in used/thrift shops. Independent bookstores can be better than chains because, although they may not stock every new title under the sun, they are more likely to stock quirky, niche books on their shelves.
The trick to buying is to be a conscious shopper—have a pretty good idea of what kind of book you want—and follow the trail from book to book. The review sections in magazines are often a good place to start as they sometimes list comparable titles, and it never hurts to read the often-overlooked bibliographies and suggested reading sections in most non-fiction titles. As well, scour the recommendations on amazon, especially the customer generated lists which can provide a gold mine of titles. Lastly, do not dismiss the information superstars that are used book store employees. Although sometimes a little harder to approach, they tend to be more knowledgeable than the chain people, and can be veritable encyclopedias of book info.
The wonderful thing about collecting books is that it takes you beyond general fiction and the broad categories of non-fiction. Once you’ve picked up a few titles, look for specific links between your books to create personal collections that reflect your life, interests and passions, and get a little creative with your collection names. I’ve started one collection called “How to Become Almost Anything” (the Crawford falls into this, as does my copy of The Official Preppy Handbook and books that I have on disguise and creating a new identity), and another that pulls together “Books by and about Wacky Women.” *
Once you have your books gathered, display them. The proper way to store a book is vertically on a bookshelf with a nice space between each title. The purists may strike me down for saying this but, unless you’re investing or wanting to pass the books onto future generations, there is no reason to keep them stuffed on a shelf. Display your collection on a table or stacked in unexpected places. This is especially important if you collect your books for the cover art (another collection that I have). One way to show-off these titles is to install thin shelving (like the kind some use when they want to rotate art frequently), and then put the books face-out.
Whatever you choose to do with your books, the most important thing is that you use them. Once your have a strong collection (or two, or three…) going, it becomes practically impossible to read every word, but al least get to know the books in your collections. Take care of them, share them, reference them, dust them, love them. Then you really are a collector.
Recommendations:
Amazon.com
Abebooks.com (great for used and out-of-print titles)
Kitchenartsandletters.com (website for the wonderful NYC shop that specializes in vintage cookbooks)
Book Finds by Ian C. Ellis (especially if you're interested in investment books)
* Two recent additions to this collection are very worth mentioning:
Nasty by Simon Doonan. This is the third book from the wonderfully eccentric window dresser. Following the glimpses into his world in Confessions of a Window Dresser and Wacky Chicks, Nasty is a very funny, touching, and oddly inspiring portrait of Doonan’s life. It’s easy to call him David Sedaris’s British doppelganger, but it would be wrong to dismiss him as just that. This is a terrific book.
The Secret Life of the Lonely Doll: The Search for Dare Wright by Jean Nathan. One of my favorite books last year when it came out in hardcover, the paperback is due out at the beginning of August, and is a fascinating and tragic biography of Dare Wright, photographer and writer of the popular 1950’s children’s book series, The Lonely Doll.
Jessica Reed is a writer, artist, and bibliomaniac. She spends her days working in publishing, her nights working on her MLS, and her late nights passed out in her Brooklyn apartment. She wishes she had more time.
If I had even the faintest fondness for patchouli oil, I’m sure that I’d be soaking in it given my recent reading preferences. After a lengthy trip to lands of esoteric fiction, I’ve found myself deep in book after book about that in-and-out subculture know as Bohemia. Following are snapshots of three of my favorite (and, consequently, recently published) titles:
The Bohemian Manifesto: A Field Guide to Living on the Edge by Laren Stover
From the gem of a writer who brought us The Bombshell Manual of Style, comes a manifesto for the modern Bohemian that is not only entertaining to read, but a distinct pleasure to look at, ripe with heavy handed illustration and thick, glossy pages. This is a book for the coffee table (made all the more Bohemian if it doubles as a coaster and picks up a ringed coffee or red wine stain). Not as much a manifesto by definition (this isn’t in any way motivated by politics or a desire to change the world), but rather a lifestyle guide with principles from Bohemia past, the book is broken apart into broad sections such as Bohemian Psychology, Bohemian Lifestyle, and Bohemian Case Studies. Within these, readers can discover what kind of Bohemian they (or their friends: i.e., fun party reading for the literati) may be: Nouveau, Gypsy, Beat, Zen, or Dandy. There are extensive looks at decorating, food, reading material, art, even choice vehicles and names. Although she includes bits here and there on the history of Bohemia, Stover selected to leave out much of the darker side. As she writes in the introduction, “When a group elects to live on the edge, it’s not always pretty, blissful, or ecstatic. I dwell upon the originality, quirks, courage, decorative deviance and exuberance, the aspirational elements of Bohemia unclouded, for the most part, by somber depressions, morbid fantasies and extreme poverty. “ Suggestions for reading further on the darker sides of the sub-culture is not included, but Astrology and a neat little quiz finish off the tome that is encapsulated Bohemian itself: oddly attractive, non-sensical, and eccentric to the core.
The Starving Artist’s Way: Easy Projects for Low-Budget Living by Nava Lubelski
As the subtitle suggests, this is a book crammed full of cheap ways to create, be it food, furniture, or clothing, but what takes it above and beyond the slew of project guides out there is the lifestyle aspect. This is genuinely for starving artists (or those who just like to pretend to be—we all know someone) and contains, along with project instruction, a slew of condensed art history lessons. Learn about Anne Wilson, a contemporary conceptual artist working with textiles, as you learn how to make placemats out of hot glue and magazine pages. Read up on Gustav Klimt while getting gift-wrap ideas, or sculptor and video artist Mike Kelley while attempting to make giant, edible gummy bears. Lubelski has sectioned the book in five main parts: Food, Home Decorating, Wearables, Potions, and Spectular Special Events and Gifts. Within these areas fall a seemingly endless and amazingly varied selection of things to create. Some of my favorites that I’ve made include the Pomegranate Liqueur (although I don’t have the patience to make the juice myself), the Peanut Butter Cube Cups (make sure your PB isn’t too runny or the chocolate will never mold around it), the “Seven Years’ Bad Luck” Mirror, and the Out-of-Focus Photo Album. A few of the projects are a little too freaky (felt made from wads of pet hair), or aesthetically unpleasing (detergent-Bottle Wall Sconce) for my tastes, but that’s one of the great things about the book—there is something for everyone. My only irritation is at the lack of clear images accompanying the projects. Minor illustrations are shown for some of the more intensive projects, but those are few and far between.
Still, this would be a fantastic addition to any bohemian library.
And last, but certainly not least, comes a little real-life inspiration…
Holy Skirts by René Steinke
The Baroness Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven was an original in every sense of the word. Fleeing her oppressive father and family in Germany, she wound up becoming a sensation in the New York Dada art scene. A poet, nude model, and crafty lady, she wandered Greenwich Village in the early twentieth century wearing such fantastical creations as a bra made from tin cans, a bustle complete with flashing taillight, and my personal favorite, a birdcage necklace—housing a live bird, of course.
What Steinke has done is taken the world of the baroness a step further, playing with the facts of her incredible life to create a novel rich with her loves, tragedies, and accomplishments. She comes to life on these pages, and I read having to remind myself that not every word was true (Steinke ends the book with an author’s note that offers some insight into her changes, as well as suggestions for further factual reading). Holy Skirts was what I consider a perfect “beach read” (I don’t read chick lit or mass market thrillers, nor do I go lay on the beach, but if I did…), a literate-lite, engrossing, sometimes sad, and often inspiring story about a woman who lived and loved with an enthusiasm bordering at times on insanity.
(FYI: René is the cousin of another fantastic female writer, Darcy Steinke)
