Today was another adventure in bookbinding. I am working on another hard bound book but this time I am making a rounded spine. The book should look something like this. Of course to get that rounded spine is no easy feat. I had to hammer the spine to get it to form and because I had glued up the spine last week the glue really settled so it was a bit harder than it should be – at least that’s what my instructor said. Anyway, after all that hammering my arm and hand were beginning to feel numb and I even worked up a sweat! But I think the spine came out well and now it’s sitting in the studio in one of the presses until my class next week.
That’s it for bookbinding and now to talk about some of my current reads. I am still enjoying Journal of a Solitude by May Sarton a lot but this is a book that I think is best savored in bits and pieces. I find myself taking note of a sentence here and there and then I’ll close the book and just try to mull over the bits that I liked.
I’m also reading The Worst Thing I’ve Ever Done by Ursula Hegi and it’s not really what I expected. I find it hard to get to know the characters but I’m sticking with it to see what happens. And, I’m finally getting to the second book by Will Thomas, To Kingdom Come. The first book in the series was one of my favorite mystery reads from last year so it’s nice to revisit these characters.
Hopefully I’ll get a chance tomorrow to tell you about two really good mysteries I’ve recently finished – Deadly Advice and Last Rituals.
I’m adding a Journal of Solitude to my list! Sometimes you need a good “mull over” book! It sounds really intimate.
How often do you take your bookbinding class? I love seeing your progress on your projects. I have Will Thomas’s first mystery. I should read it after I finish PD James–a Victorian mystery sounds perfect right now!
I like the title of your post. I thought that you got hammered by the ice storms. Hope it warms up soon.
Or come down here. It’s warm here!
Kristen – I know, those types of books are good for the soul aren’t they? 🙂
Danielle – I only go once a week but it’s always a good afternoon with lots of work. I have about four more classes left but I’m pretty sure I’m going to sign up for more. I’m addicted 🙂 Hope you do check out the Will Thomas series. It’s great.
Isabel – Hee. Luckily no ice storms over here. We’ve had crappy weather but today is gorgeous – sun and more sun!
I have the Hegi book here to read too, although I haven’t started on it yet. Stones From a River is one of my all time favorite books.
Literary Feline – Wasn’t Stones from the River wonderful? I read that before Oprah put her seal of approval on it 😉 Unfortunately this book is not giving me the same feeling as that one but maybe you’ll like it better than me. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts.
Wow, that’s quite an undertaking to make a complete handmade binding. I’ve done crude little pamphlets I’ve made on my printer to take with me when I do public readings on the street of my poetry. I have a book on the internet that a professional printer has done for me, but I can’t afford to buy my own, so the pamplet advertizes the website where they can order the full book, but unfortunately, a lot of people assume I’m selling a pamphlet… Actually, they could make a sample pamphet for me to give away but at a minimum of $6 I certainly can’t be handing out millions of those. So I hand out my crummy handmade ones and hope they’ll order the real one. I stapled my finger quite a few times trying to put my sample together and the printer runs out of ink fast….
Doug – I love bookbinding. I can get expensive as well but there are some very simple bindings that can be quite inexpensive and look nice. I would suggest doing a pamphlet stitch for your poetry chapbooks. It’s not hard at all and I bet it’d look great. If you check out this site you can see what I mean: http://www.booklyn.org/education/ispamphlet.pdf
And be careful with those staples! 🙂
I want to read your review of To Kingdom Come! (I just look for it among your ‘book reports,’ but I guess it’s too early)
I really enjoyed the first in the series as well, but I’ve been hesitant to pick up the second. (not sure why)