THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

Last night I saw Indiana Jones: Dumbest Movie Ever, and really enjoyed the trailer for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button directed by David Fincher and starring Brad Pitt. While the movie is based on an F. Scott Fitzgerald story, don't be one of those people who say the book was better. Be one of those people who say the short story was better. Obviously, I have not seen the movie, but Fitzgerald's story is awesome, and I think if you watch the movie or trailer first, it ruins the tone of the story. So, come on now, check it out.

"Where in God's name did you come from? Who are you?" burst out Mr.
Button frantically.
"I can't tell you--exactly--who I am," replied the querulous
whine, "because I've only been born a few hours--but my last name is
 certainly Button." FULL POST

hall of best knowledge by ray fenwick to be released in a week

Some of you may remember me mentioning a fantastic graphic novel, Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth, by Chris Ware. I own some more of his work, too, as he has grown to be my favorite "cartoonist" or illustrator, if you will. Ware publishes with Fantagraphics, a major publisher of what I consider one of the richest mediums of story telling: comics. Fantagraphics is known as one of the leading proponents of comics as a legitimate art form, as they have relentlessly been releasing some of the top works of the medium. In one short week Fantagraphics will be releasing Ray Fenwick's new book, Hall of Best Knowledge.

The Fantagraphics website describes the upcoming book as:

"Part graphic novel, part art object, part satire, part puzzle. The slow unfolding of the author and his story builds humor with each page, creating a peculiar examination of the idea of genius and the problems that arise in the search and transmission of knowledge."

The description has certainly piqued my interest and I will be picking this up next week. You can have a look at some sample illustrations of the book here.

(Originally discovered via swissmiss) FULL POST

assouline books make reading classy. so flossy flossy.

Assouline is a crazy cool publishing company. Referred to as the first luxury brand using publishing as its medium, they offer books on anything chic.

“Renowned for their highly original graphic concept, Assouline books are a work of art that capture culture and brings it to life. The spirit and 'savoir faire' of these works have contributed to the creation of a unique and eclectic, chic and elegant brand that is immediately identifiable”

My wishlist includes, but is not limited to; Fred Astaire, Rebel Style, Palm Springs Style, Paris Living Rooms, Eames, and Bauhaus. Because Assouline is such a classy company, they sell their books in insane special boutiques: some Saks Fifth Ave. stores, or on the website. Well, my birthday isn't soon, so you might want to bookmark this so you don't forget. FULL POST

A Timeline of Fears

Jan Pettit's hierarchy of fears, chronologically placed from childhood to parenthood, is humorous and depressing at the same time.

I hope the similarity in themes of the posts today don't resemble something deeply embedded in my psyche.

(Found via Kottke) FULL POST

Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth

We haven't been able to discuss books at all so far on 95total. This is a shame; we like to read, and we read a lot--for school, for pleasure, and of course for this site. So when I got the urge to talk about Chris Ware's Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth, I was happy to add another piece to the cultural puzzle that we are trying to present.

Jimmy Corrigan is a graphic novel written and illustrated by Chris Ware. Although the graphic medium usually conjures thoughts of Anglo-Saxon men in tights with chiseled facial features, this is altogether an assumption that is wrong, especially today. Think of Jimmy Corrigan as any other novel you might read, with the accompaniment of some fantastic artwork.

Published in 2000, Jimmy Corrigan is an expansion on a serialized comic that Ware had printed in several of his other works including the Acme Novelty Library. The story's main character, obviously, is Jimmy Corrigan, a socially inept man in his thirties who faces issues of alienation, loneliness, and incompetence. It follows his story of meeting his father for the first time and what Jimmy learns along the way.

This is one of my favorite, if not my favorite book. Chris Ware's artistry is brilliant in many ways and shows what the medium can do for interpretation. Themes of society, consumerism, family, and the shames of life all permeate in this depressing yet redeeming tale of a lonely old man with no friends. The book is flooded with subtleties that makes the work a multiple read. Each time you look at the pages you will find nuances that you hadn't noticed before that add to the overall quality of this engaging work.

Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth is an exemplary piece of post-modern fiction that gives credence to the comic medium. Check it out.

(Note: Jimmy Corrigan as a child is sometimes credited as the influence for Stewie from Family Guy) FULL POST