Pack Rat doesn’t want to work, we just want to read our books all day

I have a sickness in my brain, there’s no other way around it. Why else would I go to a used book sale when I am actively engaged in the painful, on-going process of ridding myself of the main piles of books cluttering up my tiny apartment? Well, I guess the fact that library book sales are THE go-to event for super amazing deals on great reads could factor in. But I have a sickness, none the less.

But how could I pass this sale up? If library sales in general are the bee’s knees, then this one (which happens every year in the town of Mansfield, CT) is the dog’s bollocks of great deals. I got a handful of goodies for only $2.50. $2.50! I can’t even get a pretzel for $2.50 these days. Now, before you judge me and my Pack Rat ways, lets look at my haul, shall we?

First up, classic naturalist fiction The Country of the Pointed Firs by Sarah Orne Jewett. I luv this book, with its quiet descriptions of the sleepy little seaside town in Maine. It is so deeply soul soothing, its like a literary cup of tea. I somehow lost my original copy (the shame!), so I was thrilled to find this retro-looking cover. Plus, none of my insipid undergrad notes and half-hearted highlighting muck up this text, unlike the lost copy. Bonus.

Next, In the Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje, which I have yet to read. I’ve never seen The English Patient the movie, but the book was surprisingly intriguing with exotic locales and mixes of traditional story telling and stream of consciousness rambling that was balanced enough to serve the story instead of hurting it, which can’t be said for a lot of “experimental” fiction. I expect more of the same in this tale of Toronto immigrant workers in the 1920s. Also to note: if it’s good enough for Maxine Hong Kingston then it’s good enough for me (yay Warrior Women!)

I also snagged the epic poem about a cockroach and a cat in her ninth life, Archy and Mehitabel, on my dad’s recommendation. I’m not typically a poem kinda gal, but this is categorized under humor and the pen and ink illustrations struck a chord with my comic book loving heart. Plus, I always like to buy books with inscriptions in them, and someone wrote in this copy, “For Mary and Bill (P.S. I know Mary, I’m not Irish–But I am–to quote Popeye: ‘I yam what I yam’) Lee.”

And, because as we all know, I’m a DIY dork, I grabbed Sheetrock & Shellac, a Connecticut (CT Represent!) homeowner’s memoir into his foray with DIY home projects. This will probably not be the kind of book I can talk about at cocktail parties, unlike the other three, but who the hell goes to cocktail parties in a PBR economy anyway? Sheee-it.

And finally (and this is the one that I couldn’t wait to share), I happened to glance at the “travel” table as I wandered around the room, and I found this distinctly un-travel related Chinese/English design magazine that I’m totally grokking out about. It’s called Zing. My issue is from back in September 2006, but it’s still in print and can be found online at xintiandi.com (not to be confused with Zing magazine which is something different, apparently). I managed to hook the Fashion Issue (I love the extra added touch of the pink, fabric “The Fashion Issue” tag sticking out of the binding), and it’s chock a block with cool designs, modern layouts, and interesting articles on a variety of artists, crafters, and designers. Plus– super, uber, double, mega bonus–it’s in both Chinese and English. And I would have bought it just for the pretty pictures. The current issue online features vibrant photos–both expansive and intimate, as well as intriguing articles about artists and their projects, like Lindley Warren’s photo project, The Ones we Love. I’m not quite sure yet how I can get my hands on another physical copy, but if I find out I’ll let you guys know. Until then, we should both keep Zing, and its stream-lined urban sophistication on our radar. Check out some pics below.

Pack Rat Magazine drove its Chevy to the levee and guess what? The levee–she was filled with whipped cream and booze, man.

I first fell in love with the work of Chris Van Allsburg when I was a wee Meghan. Like millions of other children, I was transported away on the Polar Express and caught up in the game of Jumanji. And my favorite adventure was walking through the wild topiaries in The Garden of Abdul Gaszasi where the shrubs can walk, jump, and run, or so they seem.

Usually, childhood pleasures lose their allure as we grow into adults, but for me, Van Allsburg’s illustrations, with looming, shadowy figures baring down on his children protagonists, are as startling and exhilarating as ever. And one of his books in particular, The Mystery of Harris Burdick, will always captivate me.

The Mystery is a fairy tale told as fact. Van Allsburg writes, in an introduction to the first edition in 1984, the “true story” of Harris Burdick. Many years ago, he claims, a man called on editor Peter Wenders. This mystery caller identified himself as Harris Burdick and said that he had written and illustrated fourteen stories. He presented Wenders with a portfolio of fourteen drawings, captions, and story titles– one for each story–and promised to return the next day with the remaining tales. He never came back.

Wenders, as Van Allsburg writes, hung the intriguing pictures in his home and for some time his children, and then grandchildren would look at the illustrations with their captions and story titles and they would make up their own tales, filling in the blanks as they went. Until one day he showed the drawings to Van Allsburg, who subsequently decided that more children needed to admire them. Hence the book.

I have to admit, it has taken me about twenty years to realize that this is all a ruse. Not until I began to write this blog and I went back and revisited The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, did I see with adult eyes that “Burdick’s” style of illustration was remarkable similar to all of Van Allsburgs other books. Oh well. A little of the magic has died, but the intrigue is still there all the same. Thousands upon thousands of children have written stories to accompany “Burdick’s” illustrations over the last two decades (you can read some of them online). And adults are equally captivated. Stephen King wrote a story called “The House on Maple Street,” inspired by one of the Burdick drawings, an animation company has created short films based on some of the images, and a songs have been written in tribute to the mystery.

Van Allsburg may have children in mind when he sets pen to paper, but his stories have captured my imagination for a life time. Enjoy some of the Harris Burdick images below and let me know if they stir you into writing a tale of your own.

Title: A Strange Day in July

Caption: He threw with all his might, but the third stone came skipping back.

Title: The Seven Chairs

Caption: The fifth one ended up in France.

Hi kids!  the Feb/March Issue is finally out and rarin’ to go.  Click on the pdf link below!  And remember, if you think you could do better, you’re welcome to show us what you’ve got. Submission deadlines for next issue will be March 20th.  Happy reading.

issue3.pdf

Check out Pack Rat Magazine, Issue #1 and stay tuned for Issue #2 available Dec. 1st.

Hey Peeps. Sorry about this week. I just needed a little vacation from the blog (I’ve been bombarded by all sorts of crap). But, since I have deprived you for a while now, I’m going to cut to the chase and give you a whole lot of what you want. Less of me blathering, more fun links for you to check out. So here we go:

Miss Hawklet: Check out this online store for hand spun yarn in scrumptious colors and handmade books.

Get ready to be snug as a bug in a rug this winter season with a pattern for these adorable mittens from Potter Craft News

Speaking of patterns that will make you squeal with joy, check out Stitch crafting blog for a free pattern on how to make this Bender amigurumi.

Who doesn’t love street art? Graffiti is one of the most amazing things born out of city living (please, please don’t send me emails or make comments about the semantics of when and where graffiti actually originated. If you want to consider hieroglyphics and cave paintings graffiti then knock yourself out). Check out this entry on baekdal.com’s blog about Skelewags, a graffiti project by “Chewie” that incorporates the physical reality of the surroundings into the surreality of his cartoons.

And finally, you might recall from one of my previous blogs that I was taken with a wiki knitting site. Well here’s another wiki for you to have, to hold, to bookmark and that is SewWiki: A Beginner’s Sewing Community. According to the main page, “This site contains Beginner Sewing Lessons, fabric shop directories and information, advice on buying a sewing machine, and all sorts of other information for both new and experienced sewers.” It seems (ah, I love puns) a little sparse, but I love the idea of craft wikis so why don’t those of us with some sewing knowledge meet up there and get this ball rolling.

Check out Pack Rat Magazine, Issue #1!

It’s my personal opinion that you can’t spend your money on anything better than a graphic novel.  They have it all!  Great story telling, amazing art, and like a movie they have immediacy as well as  the clarity of vision.  But, like a book, they leave so much open to your own imagination.  They are, in a word, brilliant. And I’m not the only one who thinks so.  Graphic novel sales have skyrocketed in the past ten years. I remember having to drive an hour away when I was a teenager, just to get a look at the good stuff. These days they are in every major chain bookstore.  But maybe you haven’t caught the fever yet.  Maybe you’re trying to avoid superhero comic book cliches.  Well I found a helpful article from Time magazine, published about a year ago, called “5 Gripping Graphic Novels for Grownups.”  The titles they recommend are a good place to get your feet wet.  And after that I guarantee you’re going to be going back for more.