Dictionaries are an ever-changing record of language, constantly being updated, amended and added to. This goes for all dictionaries: Merriam-Webster, Oxford English Dictionary, Collin’s.Updates to the dictionary can be new words entirely, or amendments for new meanings of existing words. As you can imagine, 2020 was a heck of a year with both Merriam-Webster and OED adding over 1,000 words, and Merriam-Webster just added over 500 more at the end of January 2021.They also have fun, interesting articles, and if you want to see people get really riled up, I'd recommend the article about how the word literally literally isn't exclusive to describing something literally, but can literally mean hyperbolically to really emphasize a metaphor. The article is titled Did We Change the Definition of 'Literally'? No, Literally every modern dictionary includes this definitionMerriam-Webster cites usage of the word literally in a figurative way as far back as Charles Dickens, with the line from the novel Nicholas Nickelby that reads, "Lift him out,' said Squeers, after he had literally feasted his eyes, in silence, upon the culprit".F. Scott Fitzgerald did it (“He literally glowed”). So did James Joyce (“Lily, the caretaker’s daughter, was literally run off her feet”), W. M. Thackeray (“I literally blazed with wit”), Charlotte Brontë (“she took me to herself, and proceeded literally to suffocate me with her unrestrained spirits”) and others of their ilk.Readers had some pretty strong opinions on this figuratively literal definition. Comments include:Definition 2: the dictionary is literally wrong.This is literally the stupidest thing I've ever read. I literally can't even.Unsurprisingly, the speed in which new words appeared in our collective daily vocabulary to being approved for addition to the dictionary during 2020 is unprecedented. Merriam-Webster and Oxford dictionaries both added over a thousand words during the year, a lot due to the changes in well, everything. 2020 was also the first year that the Oxford English dictionary did not announce a "word of the year" instead describing 2020 as “a year which cannot be neatly accommodated in one single word”.Oxford Dictionaries president Casper Grathwohl stated "I've never witnessed a year in language like the one we’ve just had,” and OED lexicographers described “seismic shifts in language data and precipitous frequency rises in new coinage” over the past 12 months.Collin's dictionary and Merriam-Webster did choose a word of the year for 2020, and if you're anything like me, you probably want a chance to guess what words they are, so I'll give you 10 seconds. Collin's dictionary 2020 word of the year is "lockdown"And Merriam-Webster's word of the year is maybe most predictably "pandemic"OED recorded that the use of the word "pandemic" went up over 57,000% in 2020. As well as increases of the words “remote” and “remotely” up over 300% since March 2020. 500% increases in usage of "On mute” and “unmute”, and of the portmanteaus “workation” up 500% and “staycation” up 380%.Also sidenote, if you follow the pantone color of the year, they selected two colors for 2021, and both are...well...fitting for 2021, as they look like an Oscar the Grouch color palette. But sorry, back to the dictionary. Of course 2020 wasn't just about the pandemic. OED also tracked monumental spikes in the words “impeachment”, “acquittal”, and “mail-in” up 3,000%. Use of “Black Lives Matter” and “BLM” went up over 5,000%, as did the term “QAnon”.The speed in which words have been added to the dictionary has also been record breaking. Words can’t just be added to the dictionary, not officially, without some serious consideration. It is a lexicographer's job to compile dictionaries. When a new word appears in our vernacular, lexicographers are on it, tracking and determining their impact, frequency of use, and longevity. They track slang terms, acronyms, and alternate uses for existing words. Will these words be understood by the general population, and not just a specialized or regional dialect? To be added to the dictionary, lexicographers must analyze and determine if a word has “widespread, frequent, meaningful usage.” And sometimes this takes years. For example, “OMG” was only added to the dictionary in 2009 even though it had been observed in general use for about 15 years.The speed in which new words were added to the dictionary recently is astounding. Prior to 2020, the fastest word added to the dictionary after it's noted initial usage was AIDS added to the dictionary in 1984, two full years after its first known use. Last year, Merriam-Webster added the word Covid-19 just 34 days after its coinage. Besides the pandemic, other words Merriam-Webster added to their dictionary include several words about identity and many that don't really work unless they're seen - which shows the major shift toward informal written communication like social media and texting, and the impact it has on our visual language. Words like "folx", as in F-O-L-X was added recently. Folx with an X is a variation from folks F-O-L-K-S, but differs in that Folx is a gender neutral collective noun used to address a group of people. Unlike the term "folks", the ending "-x" on "folx" specifically includes LGBTQ people and those who do not identify within the gender binary. Senior editor for Merriam-Webster Emily Brewster states in Chicago Tribune article that quote "folx" is so interesting, especially because it absolutely requires that the word be seen. It really points very directly at how prominent written language is right now, because you cannot hear the difference when somebody says the word ‘folks’ with a ks or with an x.The logogram @, meaning the "at" symbol, like the little lowercase a encircled in its own tail, also got an update in the dictionary, adding the informal usage  meaning “to respond to, challenge, or disparage the claim or opinion of (someone)” —usually used in the phrase don't @ me. This phrase also requires it to be read for it to make sense, as people don’t commonly say “don’t at me”.More 2020 amendments to existing words include “long hauler” which primarily refers to a long haul trucker, now has an additional definition as a person who experiences one or more long-term effects following initial improvement or recovery from a serious illness (such as COVID-19).Similarly, the words “pod” and “bubble” have likewise been amended to mean a usually small group of people (such as family members, friends, coworkers, or classmates) who regularly interact closely with one another but with few or no others in order to minimize exposure and reduce the transmission of infection during an outbreak of a contagious disease. More 2020 entries to the dictionary: “self-isolate”, “physical distancing”, “contactless”, “deepfake”, “dark web”, “deep web”, “microtarget”. The response to COVID-19 has moved many terms previously used mainly by medical researchers into our general vocabulary. Though these were already technically words, they were specialized and often used only by professionals in a given field, and therefore not found in general-use dictionaries. Words like “epidemic curve”, “immune surveillance”, “R-number”, “community immunity” and “herd immunity”.Some internet slang have officially made it into Merriam-Webster like “reaction gif”, when instead of responding to a comment or text, you send a gif that emotes your response. Like when someone asks what I’m doing this weekend and I send that gif of the little pig eating cookies in bed, that literally kills me every time. “Hard pass” was added as a term for a firm refusal. “Cancel culture”, “digital blackface” and “flex” also made their way into official dictionary status this year. The way we work has undoubtedly been changing for a while now because internet, with an even more tremendous shift as of late. “Gig economy”, “makerspace”, “crowd funding”, “coworking” and “gig worker” all make new appearance in the dictionary. One group of words that Merriam-Webster have been following closely are ones about identity, gender, sexuality, race, etc. Along with “folx” with an X, other new additions include the acronym BIPOC for “Black, indigenous, and people of color”, “sapiosexual” meaning of, relating to, or characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to highly intelligent people, and the term “silver fox” which to me seems a little outside the rest of the words, and I personally was surprised it wasn’t already in the dictionary, but I’m into it if you know what I’m saying. Actually I’m into all of this. But you know, don’t @ me on this.I thought maybe the word “staycation” was added this year, but I was wrong, it was added by Merriam-Webster in 2009. However “staycation” actually first appeared in print in the Cincinnati Enquirer in July 1944, in an advertisement for Felsenbrau Supreme Beer. It Read FOUR RED-WHITE-AND-BLUE REMINDERS FOR JULY1. Don’t let the hot sun cool off your enthusiasm in your Victory Garden. It’s what you harvest, not what you plant, that’s important.2. Take a Stay-cation instead of a Va-cation, this year. Trains and busses [sic] are crowded. Gasoline and tires must still be conserved.3. Fill your coal  bin now. Neither the mines, the railroads nor your coal dealer will be able to handle a last-minute rush.4. Remember, no soldier ever got too many letters. Write every week. Write today. And send it V-mail. It’s safer, faster, surer. Saves vital cargo space.V-mail is the abbreviation of victory mail, a U.S. term which, during the Second World War, denoted letters to or from home, reproduced photographically to conserve shipping space. To reduce the cost of transferring an original letter through the military post system, a V-mail letter would be censored, copied to film, and printed back to paper upon arrival at its destination. V-mail correspondence was on small letter sheets, about (7 by 9 in), that would go through mail censors before being photographed and transported as thumbnail-sized image in negative microfilm. Upon arrival at their destination, the negatives would be printed. The final print was 60% of the original document's size, creating a sheet of about 4 by 5 inchesAccording to the National Postal Museum, "V-mail ensured that thousands of tons of shipping space could be reserved for war materials. The 37 mail bags required to carry 150,000 one-page letters could be replaced by a single mail sack. The weight of that same amount of mail was reduced dramatically from 2,575 pounds to a mere 45." This saved considerable weight and bulk in a time in which both were hard to manage in a combat zone.In addition to postal censorship, V-mail also deterred espionage communications by foiling the use of invisible ink, microdots, and microprinting, none of which would be reproduced in a photocopy.Okay, glad we got that out of the way. Sorry, that was a weird tangent for Staycation which again, was NOT added in 2020, but a good example of how often words change. Like V-mail, I mean, my grandparents were alive during that time so they would probably know what V-mail is, but I didn’t. But also, I’m fairly certain that none of my grandparents ever sent an email in their lifetime and probably wouldn’t trust it. It reminds me of those ageist posts on social media that say stuff like “kids these days don’t know what this is” and show a vinyl record, or scantron sheets, or those weird silver candy balls that used to be on cupcakes when I was a kid but apparently we weren’t supposed to eat them. And they’re posted as if that means something other than “ oh wow, the times and technology change” and for some reason fruitless nostalgia is more rewarded then the ability to adapt and grow? Or more succinctly, weird flex but okay.2020 was also the year that “murder hornets” made it into the dictionary. Which, it is a little unsettling that last year was so tumultuous and wild that I forgot about murder hornets. ASMR or autonomous sensory meridian response is also officially a term now.  ASMR is a pleasant tingling sensation that originates on the back of the scalp and often spreads to the neck and upper spine, that occurs in some people in response to a stimulus (such as a particular kind of sound or movement), and that tends to have a calming effect. It is defined as a pleasant form of paresthesia, and has been compared with auditory-tactile synesthesia and may overlap with frisson. Common triggers for ASMR include listening to a softly spoken or whispering voice, or listening to quiet, repetitive sounds such as turning the pages of a book.Another comfort word added in 2020 is hygge, a Danish word roughly translated as a cozy quality that makes a person feel content and comfortable, also related to Old High German “huggen” meaning "to think, have in mind, be mindful of, and to the English word “hug”. The New Yorker, in the article The Year of Hygge, the Danish Obsession with Getting Cozy, describes hygge:It is candles, nubby woolens, shearling slippers, woven textiles, pastries, blond wood, sheepskin rugs, lattes with milk-foam hearts, and a warm fireplace. Hygge can be used as a noun, adjective, verb, or compound noun, like hyggebukser, otherwise known as that shlubby pair of pants you would never wear in public but secretly treasure. Hygge can be found in a bakery and in the dry heat of a sauna in winter, surrounded by your naked neighbors. It’s wholesome and nourishing, like porridge; Danish doctors recommend “tea and hygge” as a cure for the common cold. It’s possible to hygge alone, wrapped in a flannel blanket with a cup of tea, but the true expression of hygge is joining with loved ones in a relaxed and intimate atmosphere.And that might be my favorite recent addition to the dictionary this past year, and maybe a good note to end on. So take a long hot bath, then get back into those sweat pants, make yourself some hot cocoa or a hot toddy, or both, snack on some goldfish crackers, cuddle your pets and other loved ones, and watch something very very stupid on tv. Links:Merriam-Webster New Words 2021Merriam-Webster Literally Misuses LiterallyOxford English Dictionary has too many words for 2020How do words get added to the dictionary?Oxford English Dictionary Defining Words of 2020Coyote Bones PressBooks in the WildSmithsonian National Postage Museum V-Mail“Hygge Sounds” - Rainy Night in a Coffee Shop

Dictionaries are an ever-changing record of language, constantly being updated, amended and added to. This goes for all dictionaries: Merriam-Webster, Oxford English Dictionary, Collin’s.Updates to the dictionary can be new words entirely, or amendments for new meanings of existing words. As you can imagine, 2020 was a heck of a year with both Merriam-Webster and OED adding over 1,000 words, and Merriam-Webster just added over 500 more at the end of January 2021.They also have fun, interesting articles, and if you want to see people get really riled up, I'd recommend the article about how the word literally literally isn't exclusive to describing something literally, but can literally mean hyperbolically to really emphasize a metaphor. The article is titled Did We Change the Definition of 'Literally'? No, Literally every modern dictionary includes this definitionMerriam-Webster cites usage of the word literally in a figurative way as far back as Charles Dickens, with the line from the novel Nicholas Nickelby that reads, "Lift him out,' said Squeers, after he had literally feasted his eyes, in silence, upon the culprit".F. Scott Fitzgerald did it (“He literally glowed”). So did James Joyce (“Lily, the caretaker’s daughter, was literally run off her feet”), W. M. Thackeray (“I literally blazed with wit”), Charlotte Brontë (“she took me to herself, and proceeded literally to suffocate me with her unrestrained spirits”) and others of their ilk.Readers had some pretty strong opinions on this figuratively literal definition. Comments include:Definition 2: the dictionary is literally wrong.This is literally the stupidest thing I've ever read. I literally can't even.Unsurprisingly, the speed in which new words appeared in our collective daily vocabulary to being approved for addition to the dictionary during 2020 is unprecedented. Merriam-Webster and Oxford dictionaries both added over a thousand words during the year, a lot due to the changes in well, everything. 2020 was also the first year that the Oxford English dictionary did not announce a "word of the year" instead describing 2020 as “a year which cannot be neatly accommodated in one single word”.Oxford Dictionaries president Casper Grathwohl stated "I've never witnessed a year in language like the one we’ve just had,” and OED lexicographers described “seismic shifts in language data and precipitous frequency rises in new coinage” over the past 12 months.Collin's dictionary and Merriam-Webster did choose a word of the year for 2020, and if you're anything like me, you probably want a chance to guess what words they are, so I'll give you 10 seconds. Collin's dictionary 2020 word of the year is "lockdown"And Merriam-Webster's word of the year is maybe most predictably "pandemic"OED recorded that the use of the word "pandemic" went up over 57,000% in 2020. As well as increases of the words “remote” and “remotely” up over 300% since March 2020. 500% increases in usage of "On mute” and “unmute”, and of the portmanteaus “workation” up 500% and “staycation” up 380%.Also sidenote, if you follow the pantone color of the year, they selected two colors for 2021, and both are...well...fitting for 2021, as they look like an Oscar the Grouch color palette. But sorry, back to the dictionary. Of course 2020 wasn't just about the pandemic. OED also tracked monumental spikes in the words “impeachment”, “acquittal”, and “mail-in” up 3,000%. Use of “Black Lives Matter” and “BLM” went up over 5,000%, as did the term “QAnon”.The speed in which words have been added to the dictionary has also been record breaking. Words can’t just be added to the dictionary, not officially, without some serious consideration. It is a lexicographer's job to compile dictionaries. When a new word appears in our vernacular, lexicographers are on it, tracking and determining their impact, frequency of use, and longevity. They track slang terms, acronyms, and alternate uses for existing words. Will these words be understood by the general population, and not just a specialized or regional dialect? To be added to the dictionary, lexicographers must analyze and determine if a word has “widespread, frequent, meaningful usage.” And sometimes this takes years. For example, “OMG” was only added to the dictionary in 2009 even though it had been observed in general use for about 15 years.The speed in which new words were added to the dictionary recently is astounding. Prior to 2020, the fastest word added to the dictionary after it's noted initial usage was AIDS added to the dictionary in 1984, two full years after its first known use. Last year, Merriam-Webster added the word Covid-19 just 34 days after its coinage. Besides the pandemic, other words Merriam-Webster added to their dictionary include several words about identity and many that don't really work unless they're seen - which shows the major shift toward informal written communication like social media and texting, and the impact it has on our visual language. Words like "folx", as in F-O-L-X was added recently. Folx with an X is a variation from folks F-O-L-K-S, but differs in that Folx is a gender neutral collective noun used to address a group of people. Unlike the term "folks", the ending "-x" on "folx" specifically includes LGBTQ people and those who do not identify within the gender binary. Senior editor for Merriam-Webster Emily Brewster states in Chicago Tribune article that quote "folx" is so interesting, especially because it absolutely requires that the word be seen. It really points very directly at how prominent written language is right now, because you cannot hear the difference when somebody says the word ‘folks’ with a ks or with an x.The logogram @, meaning the "at" symbol, like the little lowercase a encircled in its own tail, also got an update in the dictionary, adding the informal usage  meaning “to respond to, challenge, or disparage the claim or opinion of (someone)” —usually used in the phrase don't @ me. This phrase also requires it to be read for it to make sense, as people don’t commonly say “don’t at me”.More 2020 amendments to existing words include “long hauler” which primarily refers to a long haul trucker, now has an additional definition as a person who experiences one or more long-term effects following initial improvement or recovery from a serious illness (such as COVID-19).Similarly, the words “pod” and “bubble” have likewise been amended to mean a usually small group of people (such as family members, friends, coworkers, or classmates) who regularly interact closely with one another but with few or no others in order to minimize exposure and reduce the transmission of infection during an outbreak of a contagious disease. More 2020 entries to the dictionary: “self-isolate”, “physical distancing”, “contactless”, “deepfake”, “dark web”, “deep web”, “microtarget”. The response to COVID-19 has moved many terms previously used mainly by medical researchers into our general vocabulary. Though these were already technically words, they were specialized and often used only by professionals in a given field, and therefore not found in general-use dictionaries. Words like “epidemic curve”, “immune surveillance”, “R-number”, “community immunity” and “herd immunity”.Some internet slang have officially made it into Merriam-Webster like “reaction gif”, when instead of responding to a comment or text, you send a gif that emotes your response. Like when someone asks what I’m doing this weekend and I send that gif of the little pig eating cookies in bed, that literally kills me every time. “Hard pass” was added as a term for a firm refusal. “Cancel culture”, “digital blackface” and “flex” also made their way into official dictionary status this year. The way we work has undoubtedly been changing for a while now because internet, with an even more tremendous shift as of late. “Gig economy”, “makerspace”, “crowd funding”, “coworking” and “gig worker” all make new appearance in the dictionary. One group of words that Merriam-Webster have been following closely are ones about identity, gender, sexuality, race, etc. Along with “folx” with an X, other new additions include the acronym BIPOC for “Black, indigenous, and people of color”, “sapiosexual” meaning of, relating to, or characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to highly intelligent people, and the term “silver fox” which to me seems a little outside the rest of the words, and I personally was surprised it wasn’t already in the dictionary, but I’m into it if you know what I’m saying. Actually I’m into all of this. But you know, don’t @ me on this.I thought maybe the word “staycation” was added this year, but I was wrong, it was added by Merriam-Webster in 2009. However “staycation” actually first appeared in print in the Cincinnati Enquirer in July 1944, in an advertisement for Felsenbrau Supreme Beer. It Read FOUR RED-WHITE-AND-BLUE REMINDERS FOR JULY1. Don’t let the hot sun cool off your enthusiasm in your Victory Garden. It’s what you harvest, not what you plant, that’s important.2. Take a Stay-cation instead of a Va-cation, this year. Trains and busses [sic] are crowded. Gasoline and tires must still be conserved.3. Fill your coal bin now. Neither the mines, the railroads nor your coal dealer will be able to handle a last-minute rush.4. Remember, no soldier ever got too many letters. Write every week. Write today. And send it V-mail. It’s safer, faster, surer. Saves vital cargo space.V-mail is the abbreviation of victory mail, a U.S. term which, during the Second World War, denoted letters to or from home, reproduced photographically to conserve shipping space. To reduce the cost of transferring an original letter through the military post system, a V-mail letter would be censored, copied to film, and printed back to paper upon arrival at its destination. V-mail correspondence was on small letter sheets, about (7 by 9 in), that would go through mail censors before being photographed and transported as thumbnail-sized image in negative microfilm. Upon arrival at their destination, the negatives would be printed. The final print was 60% of the original document's size, creating a sheet of about 4 by 5 inchesAccording to the National Postal Museum, "V-mail ensured that thousands of tons of shipping space could be reserved for war materials. The 37 mail bags required to carry 150,000 one-page letters could be replaced by a single mail sack. The weight of that same amount of mail was reduced dramatically from 2,575 pounds to a mere 45." This saved considerable weight and bulk in a time in which both were hard to manage in a combat zone.In addition to postal censorship, V-mail also deterred espionage communications by foiling the use of invisible ink, microdots, and microprinting, none of which would be reproduced in a photocopy.Okay, glad we got that out of the way. Sorry, that was a weird tangent for Staycation which again, was NOT added in 2020, but a good example of how often words change. Like V-mail, I mean, my grandparents were alive during that time so they would probably know what V-mail is, but I didn’t. But also, I’m fairly certain that none of my grandparents ever sent an email in their lifetime and probably wouldn’t trust it. It reminds me of those ageist posts on social media that say stuff like “kids these days don’t know what this is” and show a vinyl record, or scantron sheets, or those weird silver candy balls that used to be on cupcakes when I was a kid but apparently we weren’t supposed to eat them. And they’re posted as if that means something other than “ oh wow, the times and technology change” and for some reason fruitless nostalgia is more rewarded then the ability to adapt and grow? Or more succinctly, weird flex but okay.2020 was also the year that “murder hornets” made it into the dictionary. Which, it is a little unsettling that last year was so tumultuous and wild that I forgot about murder hornets. ASMR or autonomous sensory meridian response is also officially a term now. ASMR is a pleasant tingling sensation that originates on the back of the scalp and often spreads to the neck and upper spine, that occurs in some people in response to a stimulus (such as a particular kind of sound or movement), and that tends to have a calming effect. It is defined as a pleasant form of paresthesia, and has been compared with auditory-tactile synesthesia and may overlap with frisson. Common triggers for ASMR include listening to a softly spoken or whispering voice, or listening to quiet, repetitive sounds such as turning the pages of a book.Another comfort word added in 2020 is hygge, a Danish word roughly translated as a cozy quality that makes a person feel content and comfortable, also related to Old High German “huggen” meaning "to think, have in mind, be mindful of, and to the English word “hug”. The New Yorker, in the article The Year of Hygge, the Danish Obsession with Getting Cozy, describes hygge:It is candles, nubby woolens, shearling slippers, woven textiles, pastries, blond wood, sheepskin rugs, lattes with milk-foam hearts, and a warm fireplace. Hygge can be used as a noun, adjective, verb, or compound noun, like hyggebukser, otherwise known as that shlubby pair of pants you would never wear in public but secretly treasure. Hygge can be found in a bakery and in the dry heat of a sauna in winter, surrounded by your naked neighbors. It’s wholesome and nourishing, like porridge; Danish doctors recommend “tea and hygge” as a cure for the common cold. It’s possible to hygge alone, wrapped in a flannel blanket with a cup of tea, but the true expression of hygge is joining with loved ones in a relaxed and intimate atmosphere.And that might be my favorite recent addition to the dictionary this past year, and maybe a good note to end on. So take a long hot bath, then get back into those sweat pants, make yourself some hot cocoa or a hot toddy, or both, snack on some goldfish crackers, cuddle your pets and other loved ones, and watch something very very stupid on tv. Links:<a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/new-words-in-the-dictionary" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Merriam-Webster New Words 2021</a><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/misuse-of-literally" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Merriam-Webster Literally Misuses Literally</a><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/nov/23/oed-says-2020-too-many-potential-words-of-the-year-to-name-just-one-oxford-english-dictionary" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Oxford English Dictionary has too many words for 2020</a><a href="https://www.rd.com/article/how-words-get-added-to-the-dictionary/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">How do words get added to the dictionary?</a><a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/11/23/938187229/oxfords-defining-words-of-2020-blursday-systemic-racism-and-yes-pandemic" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Oxford English Dictionary Defining Words of 2020</a><a href="https://coyotebonespress.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Coyote Bones Press</a><a href="https://booksinthewild.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Books in the Wild</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj_LoG7wStY" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Smithsonian National Postage Museum V-Mail</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA1ItxM9yIE" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Hygge Sounds” - Rainy Night in a Coffee Shop</a>

Episode 20: Dictionary Words for 2020

Today’s episode is about the documentary film The Book Makers. If you haven’t already seen the film, I recommend watching it before listening to this podcast. I speak with filmmaker James Kennard, and book maker Mark Sarigianis, and although we do some talking about books in general, I think this podcast episode would be more enjoyable as an accompaniment to film. The Book Makers can be viewed streaming on PBS, or visit TheBookMakersFilm.comThe Book Makers was released in 2020 by InCa films. The documentary profiles several letterpress printers, bookbinders, historians, librarians, and artists who are working to keep books alive in the 21st century. The film profiles an eclectic group of people who have dedicated their lives to answering the question: what should books become in the digital age? From the esoteric world of book artists to the digital libraries of the Internet Archive, the film spins a tale of the enduring vitality of the book. This engaging documentary captures the painstaking but pleasurable process of creating hand-crafted books, in a diverse range of styles and mediums. The film travels from New York to Germany’s Black Forest, culminating at the Codex Book Fair in San Francisco, where the cast of characters congregates to sell their books to collectors from universities and the Library of Congress, and to curious buyers from around the world. Along the way, THE BOOK MAKERS highlights the talent, dedication and skill of these book artists, and reframes the concept and purpose of the book itself.Mark Sarigianis the proprietor of Prototype Press and is featured heavily in The Book Makers producing a fine press edition of Charles Bukowski’s novel Ham on Rye. Mark apprenticed at Arion Press and M&amp;H Type Foundry in San Francisco before starting an independent press with Davey Johnston who passed away in 2015 before their project was complete. Mark recently moved Prototype Press from West Oakland to Maryland where he now lives in and works.James Kennard is a filmmaker from the Bay Area, and The Book Makers is his feature directorial debut following a 10-year career in documentary and film production. James is now based in Los Angeles working in the film industry.Links: The Book Makers FilmWatch The Book Makers on PBS NowThe Prototype Press (Mark Sarigianis)The Codex FoundationBooks in the Wild PodcastCoyote Bones Press

Today’s episode is about the documentary film The Book Makers. If you haven’t already seen the film, I recommend watching it before listening to this podcast. I speak with filmmaker James Kennard, and book maker Mark Sarigianis, and although we do some talking about books in general, I think this podcast episode would be more enjoyable as an accompaniment to film. The Book Makers can be viewed streaming on <a href="https://www.pbs.org/show/book-makers/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PBS</a>, or visit <a href="https://TheBookMakersFilm.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TheBookMakersFilm.com</a>The Book Makers was released in 2020 by InCa films. The documentary profiles several letterpress printers, bookbinders, historians, librarians, and artists who are working to keep books alive in the 21st century. The film profiles an eclectic group of people who have dedicated their lives to answering the question: what should books become in the digital age? From the esoteric world of book artists to the digital libraries of the Internet Archive, the film spins a tale of the enduring vitality of the book. This engaging documentary captures the painstaking but pleasurable process of creating hand-crafted books, in a diverse range of styles and mediums. The film travels from New York to Germany’s Black Forest, culminating at the Codex Book Fair in San Francisco, where the cast of characters congregates to sell their books to collectors from universities and the Library of Congress, and to curious buyers from around the world. Along the way, THE BOOK MAKERS highlights the talent, dedication and skill of these book artists, and reframes the concept and purpose of the book itself.Mark Sarigianis the proprietor of Prototype Press and is featured heavily in The Book Makers producing a fine press edition of Charles Bukowski’s novel Ham on Rye. Mark apprenticed at Arion Press and M&amp;H Type Foundry in San Francisco before starting an independent press with Davey Johnston who passed away in 2015 before their project was complete. Mark recently moved Prototype Press from West Oakland to Maryland where he now lives in and works.James Kennard is a filmmaker from the Bay Area, and The Book Makers is his feature directorial debut following a 10-year career in documentary and film production. James is now based in Los Angeles working in the film industry.Links: <a href="https://thebookmakersfilm.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Book Makers Film</a> <a href="https://www.pbs.org/show/book-makers/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Watch The Book Makers on PBS Now</a> <a href="https://www.theprototypepress.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Prototype Press (Mark Sarigianis)</a> <a href="https://www.codexfoundation.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Codex Foundation</a> <a href="https://booksinthewild.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Books in the Wild Podcast</a> <a href="https://kerischroeder.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Coyote Bones Press</a>

Episode 19: The Book Makers Film

Welcome to 2021 everyone! Today I talk a little about pandemic projects, zines, and artist’s books, and have a wonderful discussion with the Quarantine Public Library. The Quarantine Public Library (QPL) is a collaborative project dreamed up by artists Katie Garth and Tracy Honn in May of 2020. QPL is an online book repository that features downloadable and printable booklets. The single-sheet eight-fold zine (or “instabook” from episode 16) format is ideal because it’s a simple structure that really anyone can create.  QPL isn’t a “zine library” so much as it is a collection of creative responses to the simple structure. The statement on the site reads:  We wanted to make something to share as many of us are staying at home, disconnected from art, books, and one another. The project is not about COVID-19, but is explicitly of its time. With brisk attention, a lot of talking and correspondence, and the enthusiastic good will of generous artists who say yes, we offer this as a gift to share and circulate in a discombobulated time.The QPL site is entirely free, offering the booklets to download and print. There is an instructional video showing how to assemble each booklet yourself. I think in these strange times, there is something comforting about making things by hand, especially a structure that is so quick and easy. It provides a small but much-needed sense of accomplishment. All donations to QPL go to EveryoneOn.org,  a non-profit that connects low-income families to affordable internet service and computers.Links:Books in the WildCoyote Bones Press (join the mailing list for more information on a possible zine exchange)Quarantine Public LibraryKatie GarthEveryone On Permalink

Welcome to 2021 everyone! Today I talk a little about pandemic projects, zines, and artist’s books, and have a wonderful discussion with the Quarantine Public Library. The Quarantine Public Library (QPL) is a collaborative project dreamed up by artists Katie Garth and Tracy Honn in May of 2020. QPL is an online book repository that features downloadable and printable booklets. The single-sheet eight-fold zine (or “instabook” from episode 16) format is ideal because it’s a simple structure that really anyone can create. QPL isn’t a “zine library” so much as it is a collection of creative responses to the simple structure. The statement on the site reads:  We wanted to make something to share as many of us are staying at home, disconnected from art, books, and one another. The project is not about COVID-19, but is explicitly of its time. With brisk attention, a lot of talking and correspondence, and the enthusiastic good will of generous artists who say yes, we offer this as a gift to share and circulate in a discombobulated time.The QPL site is entirely free, offering the booklets to download and print. There is an instructional video showing how to assemble each booklet yourself. I think in these strange times, there is something comforting about making things by hand, especially a structure that is so quick and easy. It provides a small but much-needed sense of accomplishment. All donations to QPL go to <a href="http://EveryoneOn.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">EveryoneOn.org</a>, a non-profit that connects low-income families to affordable internet service and computers.Links:<a href="https://booksinthewild.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Books in the Wild</a> <a href="https://coyotebonespress.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Coyote Bones Press</a> (join the mailing list for more information on a possible zine exchange) <a href="https://quarantinepubliclibrary.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Quarantine Public Library</a> <a href="https://katiegarth.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Katie Garth</a> <a href="https://everyoneon.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Everyone On</a> <a href="https://www.booksinthewild.com/episodes/qpl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Permalink</a>

Episode 18: Quarantine Public Library, Zines, and Time

Jap Herron

In 1917, Mark Twain published a new novella titled “Jap Herron” about a young man from Missouri who left town to become a printer’s devil for a local newspaper. The weird part about all of this? Mark Twain died in 1910… The novel Jap Herron was purportedly transmitted entirely via Ouija board through writer Emily Grant Hutchings and her psychic medium partner, Lola V. Hays. So is it a hoax? Yeah, probably… But join me today as we follow the full story.I read Emily Grant Hutching’s entire introduction to the novel in this episode, which is LONG. Also, please forgive some of my pronunciation in this episode as I am not from Missouri, and really, some of these are just not real words. (If you want to skip after my introduction, skip to to the 1 hour mark). Episode Links: Books in the WildCoyote Bones PressJap Herron - full text on Project GutenburgJap Herron - aboutJap Herron - the controversy

In 1917, Mark Twain published a new novella titled “Jap Herron” about a young man from Missouri who left town to become a printer’s devil for a local newspaper. The weird part about all of this? Mark Twain died in 1910… The novel Jap Herron was purportedly transmitted entirely via Ouija board through writer Emily Grant Hutchings and her psychic medium partner, Lola V. Hays. So is it a hoax? Yeah, probably… But join me today as we follow the full story.I read Emily Grant Hutching’s entire introduction to the novel in this episode, which is LONG. Also, please forgive some of my pronunciation in this episode as I am not from Missouri, and really, some of these are just not real words. (If you want to skip after my introduction, skip to to the 1 hour mark). Episode Links: <a href="https://booksinthewild.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Books in the Wild</a> <a href="https://kerischroeder.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Coyote Bones Press </a><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/files/33048/33048-h/33048-h.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jap Herron - full text on Project Gutenburg</a> <a href="https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/jap-herron-a-novel-written-from-the-ouija-board-1917" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jap Herron - about</a> <a href="http://www.twainquotes.com/japherron.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jap Herron - the controversy</a>

Episode 17: Jap Herron and Mark Twain's Ghost

Today we investigate a combination of book and printing terms and phrases. We also have several special guest book makers sharing their favorite bookish terms. Some of them are probably familiar, though you might be surprised of their book art origins, like “hot off the press!”, or “mind your p’s and q’s”. Other terms are fairly specialized, but fun, because who doesn't want to talk about printer’s devils and hellboxes? We will talk about the actual critters collectively known as “bookworms”, and “type louse”. Follow along the process of making a book from start to finish and cover all the bookish terms we still use today in daily language!Thanks to Mark Brown, Brianna Toswill from Penrose Press, Faith Hale, Kevin Kissinger, Lara Durback, Mary Baughman from the Austin Book Arts Center, and Selena Matranga for submitting all your favorite terms!Links:Books in the WildCoyote Bones PressThe Paper CarnivalThe Boston Post - Type LouseConservation Center for Art and Historic ArtifactsDard HunterBook Term Contributors:Mark BrownPenrose Press (Brianna Toswill)Faith HaleKevin KissingerAustin Book Arts Center (Mary Baughman)Selena Mantranga

Today we investigate a combination of book and printing terms and phrases. We also have several special guest book makers sharing their favorite bookish terms. Some of them are probably familiar, though you might be surprised of their book art origins, like “hot off the press!”, or “mind your p’s and q’s”. Other terms are fairly specialized, but fun, because who doesn't want to talk about printer’s devils and hellboxes? We will talk about the actual critters collectively known as “bookworms”, and “type louse”. Follow along the process of making a book from start to finish and cover all the bookish terms we still use today in daily language!Thanks to Mark Brown, Brianna Toswill from Penrose Press, Faith Hale, Kevin Kissinger, Lara Durback, Mary Baughman from the Austin Book Arts Center, and Selena Matranga for submitting all your favorite terms!Links:<a href="https://booksinthewild.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Books in the Wild</a> <a href="https://kerischroeder.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Coyote Bones Press</a> <a href="https://thepapercarnival.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Paper Carnival</a> <a href="https://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-typ1.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Boston Post - Type Louse</a> <a href="https://ccaha.org/sites/default/files/attachments/2018-05/Illustrated%20Guide%20to%20Book%20Terminology%20Part%20One.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dard_Hunter" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dard Hunter</a>Book Term Contributors: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bookmark_books/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mark Brown</a> <a href="https://www.penrosepress.ca/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Penrose Press</a> (Brianna Toswill) <a href="https://www.instagram.com/faaaaaaaaaaaith" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Faith Hale</a> Kevin Kissinger <a href="https://atxbookarts.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Austin Book Arts Center</a> (Mary Baughman) Selena Mantranga

Episode 16: Bookworms, Printer's Devils, and Type Lice, Oh My! 

Today I speak with Mary Baughman, co-founder and chair of the governing board for the Austin Book Arts Center, and retired conservator for the Harry Ransom Center at University of Texas Austin. We talk about the history of book arts in Texas, the mission of the Austin Book Arts Center, and the use of book arts education to encourage literacy. Mary is a member of the Lone Star chapter of the Guild of Book Workers, a founding member of Austin Book Workers, and one of the originators of the Book Arts Fair held for 20+ years at Laguna Gloria Art Museum.The mission of Austin Book Arts Center is to engage people of all ages in creative, interpretive, and educational experiences related to the arts of the book.ABAC regularly offers workshops in letterpress printing, bookbinding, papermaking, typography, book history and design, and various arts of the book. ABAC seeks to advance the book as a vital contemporary art form, preserve the traditional and robust crafts related to making books, promote the contemporary arts of making books, inspire diverse artists and learners, and engage the community in creative, interpretive, and educational experiences, including the improvement of literacy for people of all ages.There is a current Blue Skies Go Fund Me campaign for ABAC to help with losses suffered during the pandemic, As part of this fundraiser, donators at any level are invited to watch the premiere of the documentary film Good Book Action on Friday November 13th at 7pm Central Time, about Master Binder, conservator, and founder of BookLab Craig Jensen. The film premiere will be followed by a Q &amp; A with Craig Jensen and filmmaker Mark Hall.Austin Book Arts CenterCraig Jensen / BookLabBooks in the WildCoyote Bones Press

Today I speak with Mary Baughman, co-founder and chair of the governing board for the Austin Book Arts Center, and retired conservator for the Harry Ransom Center at University of Texas Austin. We talk about the history of book arts in Texas, the mission of the Austin Book Arts Center, and the use of book arts education to encourage literacy. Mary is a member of the Lone Star chapter of the Guild of Book Workers, a founding member of Austin Book Workers, and one of the originators of the Book Arts Fair held for 20+ years at Laguna Gloria Art Museum.The mission of Austin Book Arts Center is to engage people of all ages in creative, interpretive, and educational experiences related to the arts of the book.ABAC regularly offers workshops in letterpress printing, bookbinding, papermaking, typography, book history and design, and various arts of the book. ABAC seeks to advance the book as a vital contemporary art form, preserve the traditional and robust crafts related to making books, promote the contemporary arts of making books, inspire diverse artists and learners, and engage the community in creative, interpretive, and educational experiences, including the improvement of literacy for people of all ages.There is a current Blue Skies Go Fund Me campaign for ABAC to help with losses suffered during the pandemic, As part of this fundraiser, donators at any level are invited to watch the premiere of the documentary film Good Book Action on Friday November 13th at 7pm Central Time, about Master Binder, conservator, and founder of BookLab Craig Jensen. The film premiere will be followed by a Q &amp; A with Craig Jensen and filmmaker Mark Hall.<a href="https://atxbookarts.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Austin Book Arts Center</a> <a href="https://bookways.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Craig Jensen / BookLab</a> <a href="https://booksinthewild.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Books in the Wild</a> <a href="https://kerischroeder.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Coyote Bones Press</a>

Episode 15: Blue Skies for Austin Book Arts Center

James Cook

Tonight we have a true crime tale of a 19th century English bookbinder gone bad, the murder of tool maker John Paas by bookbinder James Cook. And then for some added perspective, I interview bookbinder and tool maker, (but not murderer) Brien Beidler. Quick warning, this story is particularly gory, but I try not to be too gratuitous with details. Not only was the crime gruesome, but perhaps ironically the punishment for the crime was equally as appalling that amendments were made for ethical execution methods. If you listen to regular true crime podcasts, or unsolved mysteries, or the news, you’ll be fine.Links:Books in the WildLeicester Chronicle - James CookUntold Lives Blog - James CookCriminal Corpses - James CookBrien Beidler - Beidler MadeCut the Craft PodcastCoyote Bones PressThe Paper Carnival 

Tonight we have a true crime tale of a 19th century English bookbinder gone bad, the murder of tool maker John Paas by bookbinder James Cook. And then for some added perspective, I interview bookbinder and tool maker, (but not murderer) Brien Beidler. Quick warning, this story is particularly gory, but I try not to be too gratuitous with details. Not only was the crime gruesome, but perhaps ironically the punishment for the crime was equally as appalling that amendments were made for ethical execution methods. If you listen to regular true crime podcasts, or unsolved mysteries, or the news, you’ll be fine.Links:<a href="https://booksinthewild.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Books in the Wild</a> <a href="https://leicesterchronicle.co.uk/james-cook" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Leicester Chronicle - James Cook</a> <a href="https://blogs.bl.uk/untoldlives/2011/10/credit-crunch-leads-to-murder.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Untold Lives Blog - James Cook</a> <a href="https://www.criminalcorpses.com/cases-james-cook" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Criminal Corpses - James Cook</a> <a href="https://beidlermade.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Brien Beidler - Beidler Made</a> <a href="https://www.cutthecraftpodcast.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cut the Craft Podcast</a> <a href="https://coyotebonespress.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Coyote Bones Press</a> <a href="https://thepapercarnival.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Paper Carnival </a>

Episode 14: James Cook, Bookbinder & Murderer of John Paas, Tool Maker

Hello, welcome to Books in the Wild, the podcast about book arts and book history. It has been quite awhile since our last episode, but we are back just in time for Halloween! Today we have a special spooky episode about a famously haunted library.  So get cozy in your favorite chair, turn off the lights, and get ready to hear the tale of the Grey Lady of Willard Library.Willard Library is the oldest library in Indiana, established in 1885. There have been reports of apparitions and poltergeist activity from patrons and employees of the library since 1937, and continue to this day.  Today we will discuss the history of the library and hear from some first-hand reports from Library Director Greg Hager.Links:Willard LibraryGhost Cams at Willard LibraryBooks in the WildCoyote Bones PressEpisode Transcript

Hello, welcome to Books in the Wild, the podcast about book arts and book history. It has been quite awhile since our last episode, but we are back just in time for Halloween! Today we have a special spooky episode about a famously haunted library.  So get cozy in your favorite chair, turn off the lights, and get ready to hear the tale of the Grey Lady of Willard Library.Willard Library is the oldest library in Indiana, established in 1885. There have been reports of apparitions and poltergeist activity from patrons and employees of the library since 1937, and continue to this day. Today we will discuss the history of the library and hear from some first-hand reports from Library Director Greg Hager.Links:<a href="https://willard.lib.in.us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Willard Library</a><a href="http://courierpressblogs.com/libraryghost/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ghost Cams at Willard Library</a><a href="https://booksinthewild.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Books in the Wild</a><a href="https://coyotebonespress.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Coyote Bones Press</a><a href="https://www.booksinthewild.com/show-notes-and-reading-list" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode Transcript</a>

Episode 13: The Grey Lady of Willard Library

Books in the Wild is back!  It’s been a wild year, friends! For a brief recap, I now live in Texas and work at BookLab2, a limited-edition bookbindery, though I still sometimes work for Flying Fish Press and am still producing my own work under the imprint of Coyote Bones Press (this information is relevant to the episode, I promise).This episode was recorded at the end of February 2019, which means we were all recovering from another fabulous yet exhausting CODEX Symposium and Book Fair held in the Bay Area, California. As we at BookLab II were unwinding with drinks and conversation after our trip to CODEX, I thought it would make for a great way to start off the new season of Books in the Wild. So joining me today are conservator, master bookbinder, and founder of the original BookLab and now BookLab II, Craig Jensen, and edition bookbinder and fellow BookLabber, Marc Hammonds. We discuss the history of the CODEX Symposium and Book Fair, book arts in general, how we discovered book arts, and maybe even a little bit of book gossip! Thanks for listening! Tell all your book buddies that Books in the Wild is BACK!Books in the WildKeri SchroederBookLab II - limited-edition bookbindery in San Marcos, Texas founded and operated by conservator and bookbinder, Craig Jensen.CODEX Foundation

Books in the Wild is back! It’s been a wild year, friends! For a brief recap, I now live in Texas and work at BookLab2, a limited-edition bookbindery, though I still sometimes work for Flying Fish Press and am still producing my own work under the imprint of Coyote Bones Press (this information is relevant to the episode, I promise).This episode was recorded at the end of February 2019, which means we were all recovering from another fabulous yet exhausting CODEX Symposium and Book Fair held in the Bay Area, California. As we at BookLab II were unwinding with drinks and conversation after our trip to CODEX, I thought it would make for a great way to start off the new season of Books in the Wild. So joining me today are conservator, master bookbinder, and founder of the original BookLab and now BookLab II, Craig Jensen, and edition bookbinder and fellow BookLabber, Marc Hammonds. We discuss the history of the CODEX Symposium and Book Fair, book arts in general, how we discovered book arts, and maybe even a little bit of book gossip! Thanks for listening! Tell all your book buddies that Books in the Wild is BACK!<a href="http://www.booksinthewild.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Books in the Wild</a><a href="http://www.kerischroeder.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Keri Schroeder</a><a href="http://www.bookways.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">BookLab</a> II - limited-edition bookbindery in San Marcos, Texas founded and operated by conservator and bookbinder, Craig Jensen.<a href="http://www.codexfoundation.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CODEX Foundation</a>

Episode 12: Book Talk with BookLab II

If you've ever watched any television shows or movies ever, you may have seen a familiar looking newspaper read by many fictional characters for decades. This exact same newspaper has been spotted in Scrubs, Modern Family, No Country for Old Men, Everyone Hates Chris, Back to the Future, Desperate Housewives, Married With Children, Charmed, That 70’s Show, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and even classics like Citizen Cane and Cincinnati Kid.Is this a newspaper conspiracy? No, not really. It is a stock item printed by the Earl Hays Press in California, a specialty shop that creates film props such as stock newspapers and recreations of "real' newspapers, fictional brands and products, and even fake IDs and currency. In this episode we will dive a little deeper into the legendary newspaper, and the dos and don'ts of printing film props. Links!www.booksinthewild.com – Books in the Wild podcast sitewww.coyotebonespress.com – Keri Schroeder artworkwww.thepapercarnival.com – book art ephemera by Keri Schroeder and Julie Chenprintersguild.wordpress.com – S.F. Bay Area Print Fair &amp; Wayzgoose April 21, 2018 in San Joseeditions.studio – book art co op in SeattleArticles/Links about Prop Newspapers and Prop Money:http://www.theearlhayspress.comhttp://articles.latimes.com/2001/jun/06/local/me-7100https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-property-master/http://www.madehow.com/Volume-2/Newspaper.htmlhttps://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/http://www.alostfilm.com/2011/10/front-page-story-earl-hays.html

If you've ever watched any television shows or movies ever, you may have seen a familiar looking newspaper read by many fictional characters for decades. This exact same newspaper has been spotted in Scrubs, Modern Family, No Country for Old Men, Everyone Hates Chris, Back to the Future, Desperate Housewives, Married With Children, Charmed, That 70’s Show, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and even classics like Citizen Cane and Cincinnati Kid.Is this a newspaper conspiracy? No, not really. It is a stock item printed by the Earl Hays Press in California, a specialty shop that creates film props such as stock newspapers and recreations of "real' newspapers, fictional brands and products, and even fake IDs and currency. In this episode we will dive a little deeper into the legendary newspaper, and the dos and don'ts of printing film props. Links!<a href="http://www.booksinthewild.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.booksinthewild.com</a> – Books in the Wild podcast site <a href="http://www.coyotebonespress.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.coyotebonespress.com</a> – Keri Schroeder artwork <a href="http://www.thepapercarnival.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thepapercarnival.com</a> – book art ephemera by Keri Schroeder and Julie Chen <a href="https://printersguild.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">printersguild.wordpress.com</a> – S.F. Bay Area Print Fair &amp; Wayzgoose April 21, 2018 in San Jose <a href="https://www.editions.studio/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">editions.studio</a> – book art co op in Seattle Articles/Links about Prop Newspapers and Prop Money:<a href="http://www.theearlhayspress.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.theearlhayspress.com</a> <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2001/jun/06/local/me-7100" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://articles.latimes.com/2001/jun/06/local/me-7100</a> <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-property-master/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-property-master/</a> <a href="http://www.madehow.com/Volume-2/Newspaper.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.madehow.com/Volume-2/Newspaper.html</a> <a href="https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/</a> <a href="http://www.alostfilm.com/2011/10/front-page-story-earl-hays.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.alostfilm.com/2011/10/front-page-story-earl-hays.html</a>

Episode 11: Fake News(papers)!

Books in the Wild is a podcast investigating the hidden stories behind books and printed matter. Instead of reviewing books for solely on their written content, we try to offer varying perspectives on everything from conception to creation to reception. This is a podcast about book arts: letterpress printing, bookbinding, artists' books, small press and independent publishing, and stories from book history.

Today’s episode is all about unreadable books. What does it mean to read? How do we garner read meaning from text written in a language that we do not understand? Today we will talk about the process of reading, and I have some fun historical and contemporary examples of indecipherable books. We will go into the mysterious Voynich Manuscript, the surreal Codex Seraphinianus, and contemporary unreadable works by book artists Heather Peters and Timothy Ely. Links:Coyote Bones Press / Keri SchroederThe Paper CarnivalVoynich ManuscriptCodex SeraphinianusHeather PetersTimothy ElyFull Show Transcript 

Today’s episode is all about unreadable books. What does it mean to read? How do we garner read meaning from text written in a language that we do not understand? Today we will talk about the process of reading, and I have some fun historical and contemporary examples of indecipherable books. We will go into the mysterious Voynich Manuscript, the surreal Codex Seraphinianus, and contemporary unreadable works by book artists Heather Peters and Timothy Ely. Links: <a href="http://www.kerischroeder.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Coyote Bones Press / Keri Schroeder</a> <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/thepapercarnival" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Paper Carnival</a> <a href="http://beinecke.library.yale.edu/collections/highlights/voynich-manuscript" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Voynich Manuscript</a> <a href="https://www.believermag.com/issues/200705/?read=article_taylor" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Codex Seraphinianus</a> <a href="https://www.societyofhermits.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Heather Peters</a> <a href="http://www.timothyely.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Timothy Ely</a> <a href="https://www.booksinthewild.com/show-notes-and-reading-list" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Full Show Transcript</a>

Episode 10: Unreadable Books

Malleus Maleficarum

Now that we are in October,  we are getting into the Halloween spirit by talking about an infamous book called The Malleus Maleficarum, also known as The Hammer of Witches. A book responsible for fueling the heinous witch trials throughout medieval Europe for centuries. We delve into book history and talk about the author and inquisitor Heinrich Kramer. Then we have a fantastic interview with rare books librarian Karen Wahl about her research on the printing developments of the Malleus Maleficarum, and a talk with writer and translator Valarie Williams about an 20th century supernatural scholar named Montague Summers. For this episode, what I originally thought would be a fun witchy romp through book history, ended up being a little heavy, more than a little misogynistic, and a lot uncomfortable. So, I won't be getting into the gory details about the European witch trials on this podcast, but choosing to mainly focus on the Malleus Maleficarum itself and its author. There are plenty of gory details about the witch trials out there that you can easily find, trust me. Instead, I want to emphasize how powerful a book can be, for better or worse. The Malleus Maleficarum is after all, probably the most widely printed and bestselling book after the bible. It was the go-to witch hunting manual for centuries, and single-handedly altered the lore of witches forever. Disclaimer: Although this a very tame version of the European Witch Trials and this episode is still very much safe for work and not explicit, there is some material that may be uncomfortable for very sensitive ears - I do mention parts of the human anatomy and talk about the inquisition of witches.Links and Recommended Reading:Books in the Wild (full transcripts available)Malleus Maleficarum (full text)The Jacob Burns Law Library (interview with librarian Karen Wahl)American Association of Law Libraries Legal History and Rare Books Special Interest Section Fearless Wives and Frightened Shrews: The Construction of the Witch in Early Modern Germany by Sigrid BraunerThe Malleus Maleficarum and the Construction of Witchcraft: Theology and Popular Belief by Hans Peter BroedelWitchcraft in Europe, 400-1700: A Documentary History by Alan Charles Kors Historical Blindness - a great podcast that covers obscure and mysterious history, including a current episode about the rise of the Satanic PanicMonster Talk - a paranormal podcast by Skeptic Magazine. Check out episode 110 where they interview author Brian Regal about his research on Montague Summers. Music: Vanishing, Rites, and Myst on the Moor by Kevin MacLeod, (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

Now that we are in October,  we are getting into the Halloween spirit by talking about an infamous book called The Malleus Maleficarum, also known as The Hammer of Witches. A book responsible for fueling the heinous witch trials throughout medieval Europe for centuries. We delve into book history and talk about the author and inquisitor Heinrich Kramer. Then we have a fantastic interview with rare books librarian Karen Wahl about her research on the printing developments of the Malleus Maleficarum, and a talk with writer and translator Valarie Williams about an 20th century supernatural scholar named Montague Summers. For this episode, what I originally thought would be a fun witchy romp through book history, ended up being a little heavy, more than a little misogynistic, and a lot uncomfortable. So, I won't be getting into the gory details about the European witch trials on this podcast, but choosing to mainly focus on the Malleus Maleficarum itself and its author. There are plenty of gory details about the witch trials out there that you can easily find, trust me. Instead, I want to emphasize how powerful a book can be, for better or worse. The Malleus Maleficarum is after all, probably the most widely printed and bestselling book after the bible. It was the go-to witch hunting manual for centuries, and single-handedly altered the lore of witches forever. Disclaimer: Although this a very tame version of the European Witch Trials and this episode is still very much safe for work and not explicit, there is some material that may be uncomfortable for very sensitive ears - I do mention parts of the human anatomy and talk about the inquisition of witches.Links and Recommended Reading:<a href="https://www.booksinthewild.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Books in the Wild</a> (full transcripts available)<a href="http://www.malleusmaleficarum.org/downloads/MalleusAcrobat.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Malleus Maleficarum</a> (full text)<a href="https://www.law.gwu.edu/library" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Jacob Burns Law Library</a> (interview with librarian Karen Wahl)<a href="https://www.aallnet.org/sections/lhrb" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">American Association of Law Libraries Legal History and Rare Books Special Interest Section</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1042078.Fearless_Wives_And_Frightened_Shrews" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fearless Wives and Frightened Shrews: The Construction of the Witch in Early Modern Germany by Sigrid Brauner</a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/718695.The_Malleus_Maleficarum_and_the_Construction_of_Witchcraft" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Malleus Maleficarum and the Construction of Witchcraft: Theology and Popular Belief by Hans Peter Broedel</a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40632.Witchcraft_in_Europe_400_1700?from_search=true" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Witchcraft in Europe, 400-1700: A Documentary History by Alan Charles Kors</a> <a href="http://www.historicalblindness.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Historical Blindness</a> - a great podcast that covers obscure and mysterious history, including a current episode about the rise of the Satanic Panic<a href="https://www.skeptic.com/podcasts/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Monster Talk</a> - a paranormal podcast by Skeptic Magazine. Check out episode 110 where they interview author Brian Regal about his research on Montague Summers. Music: Vanishing, Rites, and Myst on the Moor by Kevin MacLeod, (<a href="http://incompetech.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">incompetech.com</a>) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0</a>

Episode 9: A Guide to Witch Hunting - The Malleus Maleficarum

What is book art exactly? What is an artist book? Are all art books book art? What do you mean by codex? Or livre d’artiste? Are you making these words up?I have been getting questions like these for the past... seven or so episodes. So today I’m going to reel it in and start at the beginning with the book art basics. We have guests Ariel Hansen Strong and Faith Hale here today to play Book Art Trivia, and we have compiled the top 5 frequently asked questions which we will try to answer, and I got a new kazoo so you know we’re all in for a big treat. For those playing along at home, I would love to hear your answers too, so feel free to comment on the episode post on booksinthewild.com or send me a message on Facebook or Instagram @BooksintheWildPodcast Full Transcript of this episode hereLinks:Books in the WildCoyote Bones Press - use coupon code BOOKS at checkout for 10% offAriel Hansen StrongCloudship Creative - use coupon code BOOKS at checkout for 10% offFaith HaleSan Francisco Center for the Book - Degrees of Innovation exhibition opens October 13, 2017Julie Chen's ChrysalisHeidi Neilson's Outernet Library Branch (Yes, I know I said "Nelson", I'm sorry...)Book Arts Web - great resource for all things book art!

What is book art exactly? What is an artist book? Are all art books book art? What do you mean by codex? Or livre d’artiste? Are you making these words up?I have been getting questions like these for the past... seven or so episodes. So today I’m going to reel it in and start at the beginning with the book art basics. We have guests Ariel Hansen Strong and Faith Hale here today to play Book Art Trivia, and we have compiled the top 5 frequently asked questions which we will try to answer, and I got a new kazoo so you know we’re all in for a big treat. For those playing along at home, I would love to hear your answers too, so feel free to comment on the episode post on <a href="http://booksinthewild.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">booksinthewild.com</a> or send me a message on Facebook or Instagram @BooksintheWildPodcast Full Transcript of this episode <a href="https://www.booksinthewild.com/show-notes-and-reading-list" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>Links:<a href="https://www.booksinthewild.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Books in the Wild</a><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/coyotebonespress" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Coyote Bones Press</a> - use coupon code BOOKS at checkout for 10% off<a href="https://arielhansenstrong.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ariel Hansen Strong</a><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/cloudship" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cloudship Creative</a> - use coupon code BOOKS at checkout for 10% off<a href="https://www.creativebug.com/instructors/faith-hale" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Faith Hale</a><a href="https://sfcb.org/degreesofinnovation" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">San Francisco Center for the Book</a> - Degrees of Innovation exhibition opens October 13, 2017<a href="http://www.flyingfishpress.com/booksinprint/chrysalis.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Julie Chen's Chrysalis</a><h3><a href="http://heidineilson.com/outernet-library-branch-wave-farm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Heidi Neilson's </a><a href="http://heidineilson.com/outernet-library-branch-wave-farm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Outernet Library Branch</a> (Yes, I know I said "Nelson", I'm sorry...)</h3><h3><a href="http://www.philobiblon.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Book Arts Web</a> - great resource for all things book art!</h3>

Episode 8: Book Art Basics Trivia 

Lyall Harris

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of speaking with book artist Lyall Harris. Unfortunately, due to some technical difficulties, I was unable to release the episode before the opening of Lyall and Patricia Silva’s exhibition at the San Francisco Public Library in June. It took some time and YouTube tutorials, but I managed to clean up the audio to make it somewhat listenable, and I do believe that the content in the conversation truly outweighs my shortcomings with recording. The other good news is that Lyall and Patricia’s exhibition is still going on view and there will be a panel discussion on creative collaboration on September 9, 2017.  Lyall Harris is a book artist, writer and painter who lives and works in Charlottesville, VA, and Florence, Italy. Lyall's artwork has been exhibited in more than one hundred solo and juried group shows and recognized with over twenty awards. She has been the recipient of fellowships at Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, NALL Foundation in Vence, France, and San Francisco's Grabhorn Institute. Lyall is also the co-founder and co-editor of The Sigh Press literary and art journal in Florence, Italy.Meeting Places/Luoghi d’incontro is the collaborative work by Lyall and Florence, Italy-based book artist and printmaker Patricia Silva. After having met in Florence, Lyall Harris and Patricia Silva embarked on a series of twelve collaborative book art projects since 2014.The artists set constraints for the process, both of materials and time, which forced them to work in an immediate, intuitive and exploratory way. The varied work addresses issues and histories from their shared and layered perspectives as artists, mothers, daughters, wives, and expats in a changing and complex environment. Meeting Places is now on view at the San Francisco Public Library through September 14, 2017. Links and Additional Info:Lyall HarrisThe Sigh PressMeeting Places/Luoghi d’incontro collaborative work by Lyall Harris and Patricia Silva is on view at the San Francisco Public Library through September 14, 2017.Books in the Wild

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of speaking with book artist Lyall Harris. Unfortunately, due to some technical difficulties, I was unable to release the episode before the opening of Lyall and Patricia Silva’s exhibition at the San Francisco Public Library in June. It took some time and YouTube tutorials, but I managed to clean up the audio to make it somewhat listenable, and I do believe that the content in the conversation truly outweighs my shortcomings with recording. The other good news is that Lyall and Patricia’s exhibition is still going on view and there will be a panel discussion on creative collaboration on September 9, 2017.  Lyall Harris is a book artist, writer and painter who lives and works in Charlottesville, VA, and Florence, Italy. Lyall's artwork has been exhibited in more than one hundred solo and juried group shows and recognized with over twenty awards. She has been the recipient of fellowships at Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, NALL Foundation in Vence, France, and San Francisco's Grabhorn Institute. Lyall is also the co-founder and co-editor of The Sigh Press literary and art journal in Florence, Italy.Meeting Places/Luoghi d’incontro is the collaborative work by Lyall and Florence, Italy-based book artist and printmaker Patricia Silva. After having met in Florence, Lyall Harris and Patricia Silva embarked on a series of twelve collaborative book art projects since 2014.The artists set constraints for the process, both of materials and time, which forced them to work in an immediate, intuitive and exploratory way. The varied work addresses issues and histories from their shared and layered perspectives as artists, mothers, daughters, wives, and expats in a changing and complex environment. Meeting Places is now on view at the San Francisco Public Library through September 14, 2017. Links and Additional Info:<h3><a href="https://lyallharris.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lyall Harris</a></h3><h3><a href="http://thesighpress.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Sigh Press</a></h3><h3>Meeting Places/Luoghi d’incontro collaborative work by Lyall Harris and Patricia Silva is on view at the <a href="https://sfpl.org/index.php?pg=1028512901" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">San Francisco Public Library</a> through September 14, 2017.</h3><h3><a href="https://www.booksinthewild.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Books in the Wild</a></h3>

Episode 7: An Interview with Lyall Harris

Today we are on the hunt for missing punctuation. Like many letters and even entire words, quite a few good punctuation marks have been lost to modern English. In this episode, we’re going to track down some forgotten and elusive marks, from the mysterious Pilcrow to the playful interrobang. Today I have a very exciting noir-themed audio drama filled with questionable acting and an unforgivable amount of punctuation puns. Read full transcript here.Links / Cast:Coyote Bones Press Use coupon code BOOKS for 10% offShady Characters by Keith Houston Making a Point by David CrystalJust My Type by Simon GarfieldThe Unicode Consortium - Secret Society of Emoji MakersChildhood Remastered Podcast (Sean plays Octothorpe)Squatcher's Lounge Podcast (Jeff plays Interrobang)Varmints Podcast (Paul plays Octopus)

Today we are on the hunt for missing punctuation. Like many letters and even entire words, quite a few good punctuation marks have been lost to modern English. In this episode, we’re going to track down some forgotten and elusive marks, from the mysterious Pilcrow to the playful interrobang. Today I have a very exciting noir-themed audio drama filled with questionable acting and an unforgivable amount of punctuation puns. Read full transcript <a href="https://www.booksinthewild.com/show-notes-and-reading-list/ep6-transcript" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.Links / Cast:<a href="http://coyotebonespress.etsy.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Coyote Bones Press</a> Use coupon code BOOKS for 10% off<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17573647-shady-characters" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Shady Characters by Keith Houston</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23848129-making-a-point" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Making a Point by David Crystal</a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10909804-just-my-type" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Just My Type by Simon Garfield</a><a href="http://www.unicode.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Unicode Consortium</a> - Secret Society of Emoji Makers<a href="http://childhoodremastered.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Childhood Remastered Podcast</a> (Sean plays Octothorpe)<a href="https://www.youtube.com/sloungepodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Squatcher's Lounge Podcast</a> (Jeff plays Interrobang)<a href="http://www.blazingcariboustudios.com/shows/varmints/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Varmints Podcast</a> (Paul plays Octopus)

Episode 6: Detective Pilcrow and the Search for Missing Punctuation

"Shall We Have Common Sense" image from The Linnean SocietyFor his 90th birthday in February 1913, renowned British naturalist and evolutionary biologist Alfred Russel Wallace received a mysterious package containing a small booklet called Shall We Have Common Sense. This booklet, dated 1849, contained essays on evolution through natural selection and germ theory. If this booklet is authentic, it precedes Darwin and Wallace’s publications on evolution by a decade, and Louis Pasteur’s writings on germ theory by nearly two decades. Is it a genuine remarkable discovery?  Is it an elaborate and confusing hoax? Join in on the investigation as we explore some intriguing characters like the eccentric atheist George Washington Sleeper, British naturalists Alfred Russel Wallace and Edward B. Poulton, and a mysterious little booklet that could change the history of evolutionary theory.For More Information Visit our Reading ListIf you have additional information you'd like to share about the typeface for this booklet, George Sleeper, or The Linnean Society, please contact me!www.booksinthewild.comBrought to you by Coyote Bones Press

"Shall We Have Common Sense" image from The Linnean SocietyFor his 90th birthday in February 1913, renowned British naturalist and evolutionary biologist Alfred Russel Wallace received a mysterious package containing a small booklet called Shall We Have Common Sense. This booklet, dated 1849, contained essays on evolution through natural selection and germ theory. If this booklet is authentic, it precedes Darwin and Wallace’s publications on evolution by a decade, and Louis Pasteur’s writings on germ theory by nearly two decades. Is it a genuine remarkable discovery?  Is it an elaborate and confusing hoax? Join in on the investigation as we explore some intriguing characters like the eccentric atheist George Washington Sleeper, British naturalists Alfred Russel Wallace and Edward B. Poulton, and a mysterious little booklet that could change the history of evolutionary theory.For More Information Visit our <a href="https://www.booksinthewild.com/show-notes-and-reading-list" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Reading List</a>If you have additional information you'd like to share about the typeface for this booklet, George Sleeper, or The Linnean Society, please <a href="https://www.booksinthewild.com/contact" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">contact me</a>!<a href="http://www.booksinthewild.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.booksinthewild.com</a>Brought to you by <a href="http://coyotebonespress.etsy.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Coyote Bones Press</a>

Episode 5: The Sleeper Hoax Booklet

Image from Henry Tiffen's Commonplace Book, 1760A commonplace book is a compilation of information or inspiration -  anything that one would like to remember or save to reference later. They differ from diaries or journals, in that it usually organized by topic instead of date, and culls information from many sources instead of being autobiographical. For this episode, I wanted to create a "commonplace audiobook" about creative block. I have compiled some information about the creative process in general, a few famous examples of creative blocks, advice on rekindling inspiration, music and audio clips that might help to encourage some artistic inspiration.This episode isn’t directly about books, but rather about the creative process itself that can be applied to all creative work, not just book artists. So this would probably be a great starting point for you to share this podcast with your friends (hint hint)A complete list of additional reading material, and links for the music and audio clips can be found on Books in the Wild's Reading List

Image from Henry Tiffen's Commonplace Book, 1760A commonplace book is a compilation of information or inspiration -  anything that one would like to remember or save to reference later. They differ from diaries or journals, in that it usually organized by topic instead of date, and culls information from many sources instead of being autobiographical. For this episode, I wanted to create a "commonplace audiobook" about creative block. I have compiled some information about the creative process in general, a few famous examples of creative blocks, advice on rekindling inspiration, music and audio clips that might help to encourage some artistic inspiration.This episode isn’t directly about books, but rather about the creative process itself that can be applied to all creative work, not just book artists. So this would probably be a great starting point for you to share this podcast with your friends (hint hint)A complete list of additional reading material, and links for the music and audio clips can be found on <a href="https://www.booksinthewild.com/show-notes-and-reading-list" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Books in the Wild's Reading List</a>

Episode 4: A Commonplace Audiobook / Overcoming Creative Block

Julie Chen

Every Moment in a Book: Three Decades of Work by Julie Chen is now on view at the Allen Library Special Collections at University of Washington through June 30, 2017. On March 16th, a reception and artist talk was held and I was lucky enough to attend and record the momentous event.Julie Chen is a renowned book artist and professor of book art at Mills College. Thirty years ago, Julie founded Flying Fish Press, a publisher of limited-edition artists' books, in Berkeley California and has remained at the forefront of the book art world since. Julie's books are innovative and impeccably crafted, thoughtful and sincerely moving. She has been an inspiration, mentor, and generous educator to many -  myself included. I am so very excited to have been present and have the opportunity to see Julie's retrospective exhibition in Seattle, and to hear her inspiring talk (which I am also excited about sharing with you!)Note: There are moments in the talk that reference particular works of art. Because I felt that there were still many points that would be of interest to listeners. I have added images of works that were referenced (along with the time that they are referenced in the talk) to the Reading List page. 

Every Moment in a Book: Three Decades of Work by Julie Chen is now on view at the Allen Library Special Collections at University of Washington through June 30, 2017. On March 16th, a reception and artist talk was held and I was lucky enough to attend and record the momentous event.Julie Chen is a renowned book artist and professor of book art at Mills College. Thirty years ago, Julie founded Flying Fish Press, a publisher of limited-edition artists' books, in Berkeley California and has remained at the forefront of the book art world since. Julie's books are innovative and impeccably crafted, thoughtful and sincerely moving. She has been an inspiration, mentor, and generous educator to many -  myself included. I am so very excited to have been present and have the opportunity to see Julie's retrospective exhibition in Seattle, and to hear her inspiring talk (which I am also excited about sharing with you!)Note: There are moments in the talk that reference particular works of art. Because I felt that there were still many points that would be of interest to listeners. I have added images of works that were referenced (along with the time that they are referenced in the talk) to the <a href="https://www.booksinthewild.com/show-notes-and-reading-list/episode3chen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Reading List</a> page.

Episode 3: Artist Talk with Julie Chen

In early 1916 on an excursion through the ruined city of Ypres, Belgium, British soldiers came across a damaged letterpress machine in a bombed out print shop. Over the next two years, Captain Frederick J. Roberts and his men produced twenty-three issues of gallows humor, poetry, and prose. In this episode, we’ll delve into some of the history, the process, and production of The Wipers Times. 

In early 1916 on an excursion through the ruined city of Ypres, Belgium, British soldiers came across a damaged letterpress machine in a bombed out print shop. Over the next two years, Captain Frederick J. Roberts and his men produced twenty-three issues of gallows humor, poetry, and prose. In this episode, we’ll delve into some of the history, the process, and production of The Wipers Times.

Episode 2: The Wipers Times - Newspapers from the Trenches

Today's episode is all about reading - what it means to read, how we read, and a brief history of reading. I'll talk about literacy rates, the alphabetic principle, phonetics, and nonsense poems by Lewis Carroll.I am also very excited to announce that Books in the Wild has been awarded a Project Grant by the College Book Art Association ensuring that this podcast stays alive through 2017!

Today's episode is all about reading - what it means to read, how we read, and a brief history of reading. I'll talk about literacy rates, the alphabetic principle, phonetics, and nonsense poems by Lewis Carroll.I am also very excited to announce that Books in the Wild has been awarded a Project Grant by the College Book Art Association ensuring that this podcast stays alive through 2017!

Episode 1: A Brief History of Reading

Very good podcast about books as objects.

Informative and interesting

Thanks for making this podcast, it is wonderful!

Informative and inspiring

Books in the Wild

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