A Small Press Life: Books. Art. Writing. Life. Tea.

Not just a blog, a philosophy

[Ophelia in Art] #2: Ophelia by John William Waterhouse, 1910

Posted on February 28, 2017 by maedez

Ophelia by John William Waterhouse, 1910:

Ophelia by John William Waterhouse, 1910

What Are You Reading in February?

Posted on February 24, 2017 by maedez

What is on your end-of-winter book list? I’m finishing up preliminary work for my novella; as a result, I haven’t been able to devote too much time to reading. Here’s where I’m at this month…

Since 1st February, I’ve finished:

Under the Big Black Sun: A Personal History of L.A. Punk by John Doe with Tom DeSavia and Friends (Foreword by Billie Joe Armstrong)

I’m Currently Reading:

Treat Me Like Dirt: An Oral History of Punk in Toronto and Beyond 1977-1981 by Liz Worth
Hotel Florida: Truth, Love, and Death in the Spanish Civil War by Amanda Vaill
The Last Love Song: A Biography of Joan Didion by Tracy Daugherty
Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan

Which book on your list do you most look forward to reading, and why?

Please share with me in the comments!

Happy Birthday, Edward Gorey!

Posted on February 22, 2017 by maedez

Edward Gorey was born on 22 February 1925:

Edward Gorey Quote

[Ophelia in Art] #1: Ophelia by Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh, 1908

Posted on February 21, 2017 by maedez

Ophelia by Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh, 1908:

Ophelia by Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh, 1908

Happy Birthday, Dorothy Canfield Fisher!

Posted on February 17, 2017 by maedez

The extremely accomplished Dorothy Canfield Fisher was born on 17 February 1879.

Dorothy Canfield Fisher

Selected books: Gunhild (1907); The Bent Twig (1915); Understood Betsy (1917); Raw Material (1923); Bonfire (1933); Seasoned Timber (1939).

Rest in Peace, Thomas Lux

Posted on February 8, 2017 by maedez

Thomas Lux, 1946-2017 [THE PARIS REVIEW]

[Alternative Muses] Birthday Mashup: Charles Dickens/Sinclair Lewis/Laura Ingalls Wilder/Gay Talese

Posted on February 7, 2017 by maedez

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”-Charles Dickens (born 7 February 1812)

Sinclair Lewis by Arnold Genthe, 7 March 1914

Sinclair Lewis (born 7 February 1885) by Arnold Genthe, 7 March 1914

And:

Laura Ingalls Wilder (born 7 February 1867), circa 1885

“I am a documentarian of what I do.”-Gay Talese (born 7 February 1932)

P.G. Wodehouse on the Ideal Life

Posted on February 4, 2017 by maedez

P.G. Wodehouse quote

The Splendiferously Bearded Writers Social Club: Walter Bagehot

Posted on February 3, 2017 by maedez

Name: Walter Bagehot
D/O/B: 3 February 1826
Member Since: 1866
Status: Charter Member
Important Role: Economics Adviser
Hobbies: Philosophy; Mathematics; staring wistfully into space

Walter Bagehot

[Book Nerd Links] Poe, Bibliomania, and Roxane Gay

Posted on January 30, 2017 by maedez

Delightfully Macabre, Vintage Edgar Allan Poe Book Covers [FLAVORWIRE]
Bibliomania: the strange history of compulsive book buying [THE GUARDIAN]
Roxane Gay Yanks Upcoming Book From Simon & Schuster Imprint [HUFFINGTON POST]

R.I.P. Norman Lloyd (1914-2021)

Norman Lloyd, long a personal favorite of mine, was a fascinating man and performer. Norman Lloyd Dead [THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER]

R.I.P. Geoffrey Scott

Geoffrey Scott was from a younger generation than the performers I normally write about, but his handsome presence was ubiquitous during my 1980s childhood. From Dynasty to The Love Boat, Night Court, and Battle of the Network Stars, his charisma and acting ability lit up the small screen for decades. He will be missed. Geoffrey […]

Kirk Douglas: 1916-2020

[2019 Reel Infatuation Blogathon] But Baby Think of Me Once in Awhile: On Andy Travis as Television’s Best (and Hunkiest) Boss

Welcome to the 2019 Reel Infatuation Blogathon! Baby, If You’ve Ever Wondered: It still seems like yesterday that the idea for RI popped in my head. It was actually in December 2015, while in a hotel room getting ready for a holiday party, when it occurred to me that there was a gap in the classic […]

Announcing the 2019 Reel Infatuation Blogathon!

This is one of my favorite events of the year, and not just because I’m the co-hostess. It’s simply that good. And fun. Oh, so much fun! Here’s my original announcement. ANNOUNCING THE 2019 REEL INFATUATION BLOGATHON I hope you’ll join us!