Doris Eaton Travis

The nice thing about going to the library is the opportunity for chance finds like the one I ran across today: Century Girl: 100 Years in the Life of Doris Eaton Travis. The book came out in 2006 and is a fun photo-collage biography on the inside. Don't know Doris Eaton Travis? She's had quite a life! In fact, here's a video of her dancing on her 101st birthday in 2005!

Maps & Legends

After a long and stressful day at school, finding the book above provided just the pick-me-up that I needed. I really love Michael Chabon's books, especially The Mysteries of Pittsburgh. His later books can sometimes be harder to get into, but eventually pulled me into places I never thought I'd be. I wasn't sure about The Yiddish Policeman's Union or The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay when I started reading them. And yet, they ended up being amazing reads.

Since I'm not really a voracious reader of fiction anymore (I blame school), I didn't know that this book came out this past May. And it isn't even fiction, but a collection of essays. Non-fiction essays by one of my favorite writers? And they are packaged in a super cool hardbound book with a really cool title (Maps and Legends) and awesome three-piece bookjacket? Count me in!!! In fact, there was no price on the book that I could see, and yet I immediately took it to the register knowing that it didn't matter, that I would buy it anyway. (Well, as long as it was less than $30. Which it was.)

And thank God it will give me something else to read when I'm burnt out from design stuff!

Blurb to the fishes in the deep blue sea

After (finally) placing an order for and receiving my book last night, I can report that www.blurb.com offers an easy and convenient online self-publishing service. While at Pilchuck this summer, our instructor was busy extolling the virtues of Blurb in creating extremely polished portfolios and instructional manuals. I ended up starting to compile the photographs I was taking on campus with images of the work I was creating in order to play around with their publishing software. It turned out that I put together a cool little book!

I meant to order a copy earlier, but life intervened and I never got around to it until last week. The box was waiting in front of my door when I got home yesterday evening and a real, actual, professional-looking book was inside. You could even buy your own copy of my book if you were interested. (Not that I think you should. I didn't bother to set the price to a level that would kick any cash back to me.) There's a free preview section that allows you to view the first fifteen pages online too.

Definitely will be using Blurb again for projects like this. I love being able to archive a project or experience in this manner!

Pirate Encyclopedia

Sadly, I didn't make the above drawing. It was emailed to me, and I don't know who first made it. But it still rocks! ARRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!

You Should Probably Buy This Book

ABOUT THIS BOOK
They love nothing better than sipping free-trade gourmet coffee, leafing through the Sunday New York Times, and listening to David Sedaris on NPR (ideally all at the same time). Apple products, indie music, food co-ops, and vintage T-shirts make them weak in the knees. They believe they’re unique, yet somehow they’re all exactly the same, talking about how they “get” Sarah Silverman’s “subversive” comedy and Wes Anderson’s “droll” films. They’re also down with diversity and up on all the best microbrews, breakfast spots, foreign cinema, and authentic sushi. They’re organic, ironic, and do not own TVs. You know who they are: They’re white people. And they’re here, and you’re gonna have to deal. Fortunately, here’s a book that investigates, explains, and offers advice for finding social success with the Caucasian persuasion. So kick back on your IKEA couch and lose yourself in the ultimate guide to the unbearable whiteness of being.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christian Lander is the creator of the website Stuff White People Like. He is a Ph.D. dropout who was the 2006 public speaking instructor of the year at Indiana University. He has lived in Toronto, Montreal, Copenhagen, Tucson, Indiana, and now Los Angeles, where he lives with his wife, Jess, a photographer who contributed many of the photos in the book.

BUY IT NOW!

The book comes out in July and there is a link to the blog related to this book on the right side of this page under "Cracker Barrel." It's good stuff! Check it out! Come on, you know you know some white people, right? This will help you learn how to talk to them!