The folks at the amazing Spanish art collective Luzinterruptus, who are known for their illuminated installations in public places, are at it again. Back in March we covered their "literature vs. traffic" piece, where they covered a street in lower Manhattan with 800 lighted books. Now they have landed in Madrid.This past October, to celebrate a poetry festival, Luzinterruptus filled 1000 envelopes with poems by some of the participants, added some tiny lights, and proceeded to hang the envelopes in the garden outside the building where the festival took place. At the conclusion of the festival 100 of these envelopes...
In the Stacks: Los Angeles Public Library
For this installment of In the Stacks we visit the vast online archive of the Los Angeles Public Library. Enjoy!A couple of Bookmobiles: Decorated Los Angeles Public Library Bookmobile, 1974. Photo by Joe FriezerBookmobile at Stonehurst School, 1957. Photo by Milton Martinez A few for the political crowd: Books for freedom, 1964. Photo by George Brich American Nazi party pickets bookshop, 1962Books for a Strong America" a right leaning display in a Northridge Hughes Market. 1962Some general book treats: Caption for this one: "Wrapped in Thought. Four-year-old Philip Ross finds "ABC Easter Bunny" more interesting than his guns and spurs, 1960 Mark Twain Branch book march and rally, 1971 Books and...
The Library Photos of Massimo Listri Grace the Morgan
To coincide with the recently completed renovation of its interior The Morgan Library is hosting an exhibit of the library photographs of Massimo Listri.The monster photographs, each about five feet in width and four feet in height, depict the grand libraries of Europe which served as an inspiration for Charles Follen McKim, the architect commissioned by Pierpont Morgan to build the library in 1902.Some of the libraries represented include:The Malatestiana Library in Cesena, Italy, which was completed in 1454, The St. Gall Monastery Library in Switzerland, Trinity College Library at the University of Dublin, The Laurentian Library in Florence, which was designed by Michelangelo,and...
Obama visits elementary school to read from his new book
SAUL LOEB, AFP/Getty ImagePresident Barak Obama made a surprise appearance at Long Branch Elementary School in Arlington, VA today.Obama read to about 90 kids from his new children's book Of Thee I Sing a book comprised of illustrated letters written to his daughters describing the lives of 13 great Americans. He also read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas" by Clement Moore and like author's at most readings took questions from the crowd.Of Thee I Sing has sold 50,000 copies in the first five days making it the fastest-selling picture book in history for the publisher, Random House Children's Books.The Oval, at...
The Book Chainsaw Massacre
Warning! Real Books Were Harmed in the Making of This Video is how this trailer begins and boy they ain't kidding.For his latest book, BLANK, published by the exciting new Seattle-based publisher Jaded Ibis Press, artist Davis Schneiderman and friends broke out the hardware and annihilated a bunch of books (and almost a Kindle).Though a bit over the top; the shock factor is sure to send quivers down the spines of the some book lovers, the reality of modern-day publishing is one of waste and destruction. As the publisher points out:Each year in the U.S. alone hundreds of thousands of new titles are published...