About books as toys, my city's central library runs an annual juried event, "The Art of the Book." It's for altered books, artist books, and paper sculpture. My all-time favorite is the 2022 Best of Show entry, "Book Marks." It's an old-fashioned wood card catalog filled with hundreds of compact artworks on repurposed library checkout cards.
I don't know if this book meets any of your worthwhile-book criteria, but you might like "The Social Meaning of Money: Pin Money, Paychecks, Poor Relief, and Other Currencies" by Viviana Zelizer.
From AMZ description: "She shows how people have invented their own forms of currency, earmarking money in ways that baffle market theorists, incorporating funds into webs of friendship and family relations, and otherwise varying the process by which spending and saving takes place."
If I used books as toys -- I'd open the books to a random page, choose a random word or phrase from each, and write a story or poem with as many of those words as possible. The writing wouldn't need to make sense and maybe that might be a better outcome.
The Bloomsbury sale also includes the BFI Film Classics series which is similar in format to the 33 1/3 LP series. From the few I’ve read, they tend to be more scholarly than the 33 1/3 books but quite detailed and informative.
OMG your kid is so clever! Loved his parody. And I remember this infomercial! I looked Prue Moods up on my music streaming and I’m playing it as we speak. I was a huge Enya fan back in the day.
I too love these lovely people who have found each other through your newsletter and website. It’s nice to know the Internet still has the ability to bring people together. Thank you for that Austin!
Books as toys... wow. And I was startled to see that I own every book shown in that photo of your bookshelf, except The Island of the Colorblind, which I'd never heard of till now. So thanks for that.
I'm a piler who sometimes files. The trouble is, when I file things out of sight then I forget to access/use them. I usually know right where everything is, but the occasional tidy up keeps things from getting too out of hand (glances at current piles).
About books as toys --every year the Museum of Contemporary Art in Novato, CA has an Altered Book Exhibit where artists make art out of various book themes. My friend Bonnie Kuhr turned a novel, The Dragon, into a swooping hanging creature. I've entered numerous times--great fun. One year I framed spirals of my illustrated journal. My favorite was a weaving made out of a copy of Jung's Red Book. (Is this Stealing like an Artist?) I posted them on my website -- spiralmemoir.com.
Just came across the books as toys post and noticed the books on your (?) shelf.. Sedaris, Sachs and Kalman. Looks a lot like my shelf.
Fellow 90s child! I had to revisit Pure Moods at your suggestion. Fun trip down memory lane.
PURE MOODS is available on Spotify in the original 1994 version and a 1997 re-release. Thanks for the nudge.
About books as toys, my city's central library runs an annual juried event, "The Art of the Book." It's for altered books, artist books, and paper sculpture. My all-time favorite is the 2022 Best of Show entry, "Book Marks." It's an old-fashioned wood card catalog filled with hundreds of compact artworks on repurposed library checkout cards.
https://roccitylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/AOB_2022.pdf
PS Count me as a piler until I can get around to filing.
I don't know if this book meets any of your worthwhile-book criteria, but you might like "The Social Meaning of Money: Pin Money, Paychecks, Poor Relief, and Other Currencies" by Viviana Zelizer.
From AMZ description: "She shows how people have invented their own forms of currency, earmarking money in ways that baffle market theorists, incorporating funds into webs of friendship and family relations, and otherwise varying the process by which spending and saving takes place."
It totally changed how I think of money.
Re: Pilers and Filers, I had to click and read. I have to file for the day job, but I’m much more energized by piles.
If I used books as toys -- I'd open the books to a random page, choose a random word or phrase from each, and write a story or poem with as many of those words as possible. The writing wouldn't need to make sense and maybe that might be a better outcome.
Mostly a pile but like you an austin I want it hidden in a drawer. And not have everything out. I don’t want to see it
The Bloomsbury sale also includes the BFI Film Classics series which is similar in format to the 33 1/3 LP series. From the few I’ve read, they tend to be more scholarly than the 33 1/3 books but quite detailed and informative.
https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/series/bfi-film-classics/
Thank you austin! Another week !
OMG your kid is so clever! Loved his parody. And I remember this infomercial! I looked Prue Moods up on my music streaming and I’m playing it as we speak. I was a huge Enya fan back in the day.
I too love these lovely people who have found each other through your newsletter and website. It’s nice to know the Internet still has the ability to bring people together. Thank you for that Austin!
Had no idea Bruno Munari had made these wonderful sculptures, books as toys!💥 such a gem. Have only read Design as Art.
He was extremely prolific, hard to wrap one's head around the output, especially because so much was in Italian. His "Workshop" series of books are spectacular. Here's one of them: https://austinkleon.com/2020/05/31/roses-and-pansies-in-the-salad/
Books as toys... wow. And I was startled to see that I own every book shown in that photo of your bookshelf, except The Island of the Colorblind, which I'd never heard of till now. So thanks for that.
Big reader. Nice. Me too.
Can someone link Ghibli Park without the paywall? I know there’s a way to do it and I’m very curious but also very lazy.
I'm a piler who sometimes files. The trouble is, when I file things out of sight then I forget to access/use them. I usually know right where everything is, but the occasional tidy up keeps things from getting too out of hand (glances at current piles).
About books as toys --every year the Museum of Contemporary Art in Novato, CA has an Altered Book Exhibit where artists make art out of various book themes. My friend Bonnie Kuhr turned a novel, The Dragon, into a swooping hanging creature. I've entered numerous times--great fun. One year I framed spirals of my illustrated journal. My favorite was a weaving made out of a copy of Jung's Red Book. (Is this Stealing like an Artist?) I posted them on my website -- spiralmemoir.com.
Cool!
awesome!
Oh I love these! Especially the memory spirals. Your whole site us beautiful. Bookmarked!
Thank you !!!!!