Synopses & Reviews
In this digital age, the fate of physical books remains in question. Even the concept of curling up with a good book conjures new images. But there remains a sensory thrill to physical booksandmdash;to seeing and feeling them, to turning their pagesandmdash;that makes many of us value them even more as digital reading grows in popularity. In Novel Living, artist Lisa Occhipinti celebrates her love for physical books by presenting us with her unique ideas for collecting and displaying them, for conserving and preserving them, and for crafting with them. Guided by Occhipintiandrsquo;s artful eye, youandrsquo;ll be inspired to build and display collections based on your personal passions and to use books for crafting, either by deconstructing or by copying favorite elements. Amazingly, most of the projectsandmdash;ranging from easy shelving to a headboard constructed of book spines to napkins composed of scans of favorite text passages from booksandmdash;require no special skills or supplies.
Review
"A perfect gift for avid and reluctant readers alike--a celebration of the depth and breadth of the written word's shaping of our lives that will guide readers to new favorites while simultaneously causing them to think about their own ideal bookshelves."--Shelf Awareness
Review
"The books we cherish speak volumes about us, and the delightful new hardcover My Ideal Bookshelf offers a peek at those that have shaped the lives of dozens of celebrities, including rocker Patti Smith, writer Malcolm Gladwell, and skateboarder Tony Hawk, who says his choices 'are about pushing the boundaries of the mainstream.' Charmingly illustrated by Jane Mount, this is a book to savor and share."--Parade
Review
"A bibliophilic feast for the eye, mind, heart and soul."--Kirkus
Review
"a perfect coffee table book. . ."--Publisher's Weekly
Review
"the 100 writers, designers, chefs, artists, musicians, and others collected here turned in titles that, taken together, conspire to form the ultimate creative person's reading list."--Vogue
Review
". . . so addicting and thoughtful it makes a solid mainstream case for bookshelf porn."---Chicago Tribune
Review
". . . the colorful, wonderful new offering edited by Thessaly La Force and illustrated in bookish splendor by Jane Mount."--- New York Daily News
Review
andldquo;Forget a run-of-the-mill bookshelf from a big-box store and create your own fabulous shelf to display flea finds using a handy-dandy ladder . . . from the new book Novel Living.andrdquo;
Synopsis
The books that we choose to keep-let alone read-can say a lot about who we are and how we see ourselves. In THE IDEAL BOOKSHELF, dozens of leading cultural figures share the books that matter to them most-books that define their dreams and ambitions and in many cases helped them find their way in the world. With colorful and endearingly hand-rendered images of book spines by Jane Mount, and first-person commentary from all the contributors, this is a perfect gift for avid readers, writers, and all who have known the influence of a great book.
Video
About the Author
Jane Mount is an artist and illustrator. Her paintings of bookshelves have caught the eye of media outlets like
The New Yorker,
The Paris Review,
Daily Candy, and
InStyle, among others. She lives in northern California with her husband and two cats.
Thessaly La Force is a writer and editor who has worked at The Paris Review, The New Yorker, and the New York Public Library. She is currently attending the Iowa Writer's Workshop and is working on a collection of short stories about objects and aesthetics. Thessaly divides her time between Iowa City and New York City; she also has two cats and shares a birthday with Jane.