We’re keeping it up in the Fort, thanks to a faithful reader!

The truth is I’ve let the busy get in between my grubby little fingers and I myself haven’t been able to keep up with the universe. But, never to fear, we are alive and well, and have plenty to share and plenty behind the curtain. Just you wait. In the meantime, I have (humility be damned) been given the honor of being Mayor of Powell’s books on Foursquare. Which means there are new books to share!

Luckily Powell’s Books is directly the midpoint between my dwelling and my working places, so it’s now a larger part of my life than it’s been in years. When I lived at the University I’d walk to the store once or twice a week. Now I have the pleasure of discovering the corners and districts within the City of Books that I’ve never ventured before. It always delivers. Every single time. Here’s what’s on the floor:

If this offends you I’m sorry, but I’ve never purchased or opened an idpure in my life. They bill themselves as “The Swiss Magazine of Graphic Design and Visual Creation.” Sold. And the content, it’s like The Giving Tree! Be-still my heart cavity. This is how to use color and grids, everyone. This is how you do it.

Monocle. Required reading for human folks. Plus it looks great on a wood floor or table. Or anything wood. Also I’d like to have that vest, it looks as crisp as a cracker!

Installation Art
Gingko Press, 2010, Sandu Publishing

This is a great collection of some work that blows brain cells consistently. The spread above for example – explorations on turning a room inside-out through reflective laser-cut triangles.

“The piece connects all of the openings in the room with a singular surface, turning it inside-out and giving viewers reference to the exterior of the room without physical access to it.”

I find this sort of work a direct challenge, and I’d like to devour every part of the corpus that created these works.

3 x 3 Illustration Annual no.7

Published by 3×3 Magazine, 2010

The cover of this year’s 3×3 by Alessandro Gottardo (Shout) is so sweet and incredible that it’s difficult not to pick this book off the shelf. It practically jumps in your tote and whimpers. A completely excellent catalogue of contemporary illustration, art directed beautifully and well considered. A great handbook of juicy, inspiring work. Careful though, the 3x3mag.com website apparently contains malware. Yuk!

Never Cry Wolf
Farley Mowat, Little, Brown, 1963

Mr. Farley Mowat is basically Canada’s spokesperson for all things wild. In the same way John Muir was a conservation writer to his generation, Mowat is to his. He writes from his now aged hands, tales of wild places, untouched splendor, and all the details that he cares to notice and record. What a hunk. Congrats on selling 14 million and one books sir. Long live Mowat! And check out that slick cover art! This one fits nicely in the palm of the hand.

Travels in Alaska
John Muir, Houghton Mifflin, 1915

Oh John, you tease. I hiked your trail last summer to the top of Half Dome, now you taunt me with writings on your travels in Alaska. It was actually a quiet day in Powell’s when I first read any of Mr. Muir’s writings. His days as a shepherd in the Yosemite Valley are chronicled by journal entries in another book that I can’t recall. I didn’t purchase it, I stood there in the aisle and read it for over an hour. I can’t really get my mind around that man. Thinking of him travelling north through Portland in 1879 makes him more real, though. Did he stop in at any bars I frequent in Old Town?

“The little steamer that had been my home in the wonderful trip through the archipelago departed on her return to Portland, and as I watched her gliding out of sight in the dismal blurring rain, I felt strangely lonesome.”

I’ve got you, John. Don’t be lonely!

Reed’s Maritime Flags
Thomas Reed Publications, 2002

This is only to appease my obsession with the maritime tradition, sadly I find myself only more frothy after flipping through this manual. Come. On. It’s actually developing into a problem. This little (actually it’s quite wide) book goes as far as to map out the ensign by region of the flag itself, i.e. canton, hoist, and fly. Then it goes on to describe in detail flag maintenance (a true shipman would never let his flag fly overnight), and the difference between house, builders, racing, and battle flags. Battle flags!

The Lore of Sportfishing
Tre Tryckare, E. Cagner, Crown Publishers, 1976

So this one isn’t for reading, unless I get really desperate. The 2,500 illustrations are excellently rendered and preserved in this, one of the most “lavish — and practical! — books ever produced on different aspects of fresh and saltwater game fishing.” Quite the title these publishers give, I do agree with the lavish part. Practical? Not sure how well it would last in the field. But spread after spread after spread of gorgeous illustrations was enough to make me want to snag this one. Sorry, that was in poor taste.

Good Shot, A book of rod, gun, and camera
Bob, Dan & Ray Holland, Knopf, 1946

This one, however, is on the top of the pile. The cover is simple, so not shown, but the silvery prints on each spread inside are so very lovely. Composed, authentic, and full of story. The entire package is a dream, from the copy to the smell of the pages. I can’t believe I found this piece of artwork, I feel very lucky to have accidentally found it at Powell’s. A passage:

“Any sportsman worthy of the name should put little fish back in the stream and let them grow up. That is one of the first things a trout fisherman should learn.”

“Whenever we hunt, we always give game to the farmers. It makes for better farmer-sportsman relationship, and it is the fair thing to do. You hunt on his land, and certainly you should share your game with him if he wants it.”