"The Book in Time & Place" is the title of the artist book exhibition currently on view at the Anderson Gallery at Drake University and features work from the The University of Iowa Libraries Special Collections and Drake Universities Cowles Library."The goal of the exhibition is to enhance understanding of 20th century artistic and literary developments within the world of books," said Sarah McCoy, Drake assistant professor of graphic design and art and design.It is a fitting title given the massive upheaval the book world is currently experiencing. As the 21st century moves along the pressure on the traditional book...
Kindle in a Book
"Love your Kindle but miss the feel of holding a real book?"BustedTypewriter has the perfect solution. An altered book that holds your Kindle. Mind you, it's not just any book but a copy of “Buying In:The Secret Dialogue Between What We Buy and Who We Are” by Rob Walker. A perfect fit. For the more sensitive among us; also available is a copy of “Compassion and Self-Hate” by Theodore Isaac Rubin M.D.These Kindleized books, along with other altered books to carry your various technologies, are available here. Kindle not included.Thanks to Design Observer for the lead.
On Spines and Memories
"Scan your bookshelves. Consider the spines. Connect one to a specific memory. It's easy."This is how, noted designer and creative director of Marquand Books, Ed Marquand kicks off his short essay On Spines and Memories, the first volume in a new series by Marquand Editions.On how important a spine's design is to the whole of the book Marquand says "The spine becomes the most familiar part of a book after it is slid into a bookcase, but it is often designed in haste"The series will feature essays from writers, publishers, curators and the like and will focus on the various...
"Colorful Fortune" : The First Book of Poetry by Composer Harold Budd
Emerging in the 1960s from the American minimalist movement inspired by John Cage and Morton Feldman, Harold Budd has become one of the country's most prolific, consistent and influential composers and musicians. Throughout his career, poetry - or what Harold refers to as "something like poetry, but not the same thing" - has been an occasional companion to his music. His "something-like poetry" now takes center stage in Colorful Fortune, the first published collection of Harold's poems, issued in both paperback and a deluxe, hand-bound and signed editions. The first half of Colorful Fortune presents the debut of an extended...
Rebound Designs by Caitlin Phillips
Earth Day, 2009.Nell Greenfieldboyce's feature Judging a Book (Bag) By Its Cover on NPR's All Things Considered gives us a glimpse into the world of Caitlin Phillips.For five years now Phillips has been transforming discarded books into functional purses.Why purses?"The book kind of pretty much decided what form it was going to be," she says. "The spine becomes the bottom of the purse, because I keep the cover completely intact." She adds handles and a vintage button to match."Highlights:Book most often requested - Pride and PrejudiceBooks out of bounds-Phillips "won't cut up the Quran, although she will sometimes cut up...