Books Come to Life

A publisher's postbag in pictures

Look at these wonderful envelopes from publisher Klaus Flugge from Andersen Press in London, which are originally published in the Guardian.

Axel Scheffer

David McKee

Satoshi Kitamura

Tony Ross

Phillippe Dupasquier

Satoshi Kitamura

Max Velthuijs

Peta Copions

David McKee

Quentin Blake

Tony Ross

http://www.guardian.co.uk/childrens-books-site/gallery/2011/apr/21/illustrated-envelopes-posy-simmonds-axel-scheffler-tony-ross-david-mckee?CMP=twt_gu#/?picture=373125672&index=0

A City of Books

Watch this great animation This is Where We Live, a film for 4th Estate Publishers' 25th Anniversary.

Penguin 75

I've started reading Penguin 75 at the swimming pool today, and it's really delightful. Penguin art director Paul Buckley asked 75 designers and authors about the cover of their book. Some of them are hilarious, like the first one of 100 facts about pandas, in which Gregg Kulick tells about his his method design (the technique that designers employ to become one with their graphics). See bellow, I hope you can read it, but better: buy the book!

I wish I was an editor here.

Maira Kalman's Principles of Uncertainty

Around the corner from my B&B at Potrero Hill is a charming, small book store. The owner is a fan of Maira Kalman. Of course I didn't know, but when I bought The Principles of Uncertainty the shop keeper went wild and showed me all the books she had of her. Admitted, while reading in bed I was directly fascinated too. About the story, the atmosphere and the whimsical paintings. The ultimate picture book for grown-ups. I'm going back tomorrow to buy some of the other ones.
If your not able to do that, look at Kalman's NY Times columns here, it's really worthwhile. http://kalman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/25/time-wastes-too-fast/

Tod McLellan

I really like these photo's of Tod McLellan (www.toddmclellan.com), and look how he works at the video on his website > new work. Amazing!

Labels & Storytelling

I'm the kind of person that buys things because they look good. Even food. Or wine. Sometimes they taste horrible, but other times you have some real good stuff. In San Francisco I saw a marvellous exhibition today in the Museum of Modern Art: How wine became modern. As an editor I was totally charmed by the part of the Labels & Storytelling. It's a new phenomenon for me, but a lot of wine houses are telling stories now a days! Here are some of my favourites.
Also look at this superb website of Linnea Vineyards: https://www.linnaeavineyards.com/#3

Tamara Drew

How can you catch the English countryliving in a movie? Nylon reporter Luke Crisell wrote this month:

'The middle classes rarely afforded much screen time. That might well be because they're very boring, especially in the countryside. In the UK, te rural middle classes bumble along picturesque lanes with dry-stone walls, ride horses, read ludicrously boring local newspapers and gossip in the pub. [...] At least, that's the stereotype.'

Now Stephen Frears (The Queen) used this stereotype to make the film Tamara Drewe, set in the bucolic, rolling hills of Dorset (the south-west).

Surprisingly it's based on a graphic novel: Tamara Drewe from Posy Simmonds (Mariner/Houghton Mifflin, 2008). It's actually remarkably recognizable and hilarious.

The story takes place over the course of four seasons at a writer's retreat on a farm, where the arrival of hot young columnist Tamara Drewe and her rock star boyfriend disturbs the affairs of the couple that owns the farm, their handyman, a writer who farts around in one of the guest houses, and two of the local high school girls.

Research reveal another unexpected fact. Posy Simonds is not only a woman, she's a true English one as well (how not emancipated of me to think of a man first, and subsequently about a young woman!)

When you're intrigued, just like I am, look at the trailer. Or better, watch the movie, it's real fun.
Welcome to the English countryside ....

Book trailer (12): I Am Number Four

This is the book trailer of the number one selling Teen Book I am number four, according to the New York Times.

The Hands of Karsh

I work a lot with the great photographer Mandy Pieper (www.mandypieper.nl) and while I'm interviewing she's obsessively observing the people I talk with. Afterwards, when she's making the pictures, I do the same and also notice the eye of a good photographer.
One of the things I learned from her is the importance of the hands. Maybe it's a well known principle in photography, but when you notice it, you see how truthful it is. A portrait with hands is different from a portrait without. Last week I saw another proof of it: the photo's from photographer Yousuf Karsh. In the marvellous documentary Fotograaf Yousuf Karsh schrijft geschiedenis, Dutch for Photographer Karsh writes history I saw the importance of the hands again. What a first-rate photographer he is.
(If you want to see the documentary, here it is in English and Dutch: http://www.nps.nl/page/programma/238/het-uur-van-de-wolf/aflevering/detail/11163495/fotograaf-yousuf-karsh-schrijft-geschiedenis)

Photo's: Back to the Future

I love this idea. I wish I would have had it: the Back to the Future project from Irina Werning. It's simple: because she loves old photo's, she's asking people to pose for her in the same way they did years ago as a child. The result is great, these are my favourites.
More photo's on: http://irinawerning.com/back-to-the-fut/back-to-the-future/

Catfish

Which social media do you participate in? After LinkedIn and Twitter I never felt the need to become a member of Facebook, but after seeing the film Social Network from director David Fincher (Fight Club) I made myself a half account and a lot of friends richer.

A few days ago I saw Catfish, a heart touching documentary that shows another side of the so-called Facebook friends. It's about New York photographer Yaniv 'Nev' Schulman and his intimate Facebook contact Abby (a talented 8 years old painter) & her sister Megan, and uncovers the promise and dangers of a web-connected world. I don't want to reveal much, so go & see it! It's really worthwhile.

Book Trailer (11): Ex

An attractively designed trailer for the Dutch edition of Blood Woman by Helen Fitzgerald.

Coverjunkies Black & Whites

Spotted at Coverjunkie: black & white is the new colour for covers. If you want to be an outstanding magazine, you need at least one black & white cover this year. Okay, one or two spot colours are aloud. See for yourself.
It's very enjoyable to look at all the other covers at Coverjunkie too. www.coverjunkie.com