Thursday, November 30, 2023

D. W. by garth graeper (2013)


 D.W.

garth graeper

greying ghost

(c) 2013

I have always admired what greying ghost did and the way that they presented work, and shipped their books with odd ephemera. I scored a number of these "not-broadsides, not-books" from them somewhere along the lines. Good stuff. 

Tuesday, November 28, 2023

Water Bugs and Dragonflies : Explaining death to children (1983)


 Water Bugs and Dragonflies : Explaining death to children

The Pilgrim Press 

New York, NY

(c)1983

Happy little booklet. Illustrations by Gloria Ortiz. It's a tiny tiny. And I have to found some poetry chapbooks right quick. 

Thursday, November 23, 2023

Making the Difference : The Story of Wal-Mart (??)


 Making the Difference : The Story of Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart Visitors Center

Bentonville, AR

date uncertain

This is an oversized self congratulatory bit of propaganda that I am including here since it's a staple-bound "booklet" filled with zombie capitalism at its worst. How much does the Walton family avoid in taxes? Why are employees of Wal-Mart dependent on Medicare and Medicaid? 

I have not shopped in a Wal-Mart in 23 years (who said I am counting?)

Saturday, October 28, 2023

Stories, Anecdotes, and Humor from the Civil War (1983)

Stories, Anecdotes and Humor from the Civil War

Hugh and Judy Gowan

 Daisy Productions

Martinsburg, PA

(c) 1983

Staple bound booklet showing "lighter moments" of the US Civil War with B&W photos. um - okay
 

Friday, October 27, 2023

Indian Beadwork: A Help for Students of Design by Clark Wissler (1927)


 Indian Beadwork : A Help for Students of Design

Clark Wissler

Guide Leaflet No. 50

American Museum of Natural History

(c) 1927 , 2nd edition

This is a beautiful booklet that I found to be handsome, informative, and charming - especially how they called it a "leaflet". But it also is an interesting relic in the sense that it is a booklet about Native people's crafts and craftsmenship written by a white man less than 30 years after the Wounded Knee massacre that makes the end of the "Indian Wars" in the United States. The booklet almost bleeds with irony. 


what'a hole History Geology of the Carlsbad Caverns by John Moseley (1948)

what'ahole History Geology of the Carlsbad Caverns

John Moseley & W A Dunagan

(c) 1948

Full disclosure : I have been to the Carlsbad Caverns. It's amazing and claustrophobic and I refused to go back for the evening event - that being the thousands upon thousands of bats who flew out of the cave entrance to do their night hunting. I don't like bats. 

I also did not get this gem at the time, I happened across it much more recently at a local library donation drop. It was too handsome to disregard, so I brought it come with me. It really is an amazing tiny staple-bound booklet with information and B&W photos and illustrations; really, what's not to like? 
 

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

20 Poems by Lauri Otonkoski (1999)


 20 Poems

Lauri Otonkoski

duration press 

(c)1999

Number  12 in their series. Translated from the Finnish by Anselm Hollo. Some interesting design features in this one. 

Sunday, October 22, 2023

Fashion Blast Quarter by Krystal Languell / Chalky Undertaste by Emily Skillings (2014)


Fashion Blast Quarter by Krystal Languell / Chalky Undertaste by Emily Skillings

Flying Object 

flying-object.org

Hadley, MA

(c) 2014

This is a unique piece. Although it contains but 2 poems, it's a fold out. Meaning that when it is completely unfolded opened to its maximum size is roughly 3 feet by 4 feet. With images. Created by Flying Object.  Very cool. Interesting as heck. 

Empedocles's Sandal by Habib Tengour (1999)


 Empedocles's Sandal 

Habib Tengour

Translated from the French by Pierre Joris

Duration Press

Sausalito, CA

(c) 1999


Another in the series of International poets in translation published by Duration in 1999, with afterword by translator. #7 in the series. Unpaginated.