You know those old postcards that show the local meatpacking factory in all its cinder-block glory or the sickening color scheme of a cheap '70s motel room? Well, here they are. Beginning with panoramas of highways in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and other U.S. states, Boring Postcards segues to truck stops, restaurants, motor inns, malls, airports, military bases, factories, tools, and automobiles. Every image is certifiably boring, whether by dint of a photographer's ineptitude (dead-on views taken from too far away) or the sorry state of corporate architecture and interior design. And yet, as earnest advertisements for the American Way of Life, they all radiate a sunny faith in the uniqueness and desirability of whatever they portray. There's not a word of commentary in this book, but that part is up to you. Certain things begin to stand out as you flip through the pages. Like the always blue skies. (Positive thinking!) Or the potentially interesting details that are uniformly obliterated, thanks to those polite middle-distance views and the muddy qualities of cheap lithography. There's a weird tension between the blandly generic ('Fine Food' reads the only visible sign atop a low-slung white building) and the proudly local (according to the postcard caption, this is 'The famous Blue Grill on U.S. 40, St. Elmo, Ill.'). In its silently subversive way, Boring Postcards proposes that we look more closely at this hallowed form of marketing to see what it tells us about the values and standards of mainstream American culture. --Cathy Curtis
Senin, 14 November 2016
Quilting Book
You may have seen this beautiful appliqued wool and cotton quilt at one of the many quilt shows around the country. This book contains the eleven block patterns and all the information you need to piece them, using hand or machine piecing and applique. (Emphasis on hand work). The finished size is 50 1/2' x 63 1/2'. Also included are eight smaller projects using a block from the main quilt. These are nice if you want to try the technique out on a small scale first. Check it out! --Stick Your Nose in a Book: Quilting Book Reviews by Jennifer Zoeterman
Kenneth C. Davis
You might think you need to look at a map to learn 'everything you need to know' about geography, but Kenneth C. Davis proves otherwise. In this hugely entertaining and informative program, Davis takes a different approach to learning about the world by pointing out its relevance--and importance--in every sphere of human life. Geography, Davis explains, has been sadly misunderstood, which accounts for the fact that Americans consistently score lowest among peoples of industrialized nations when it comes to 'knowing where we are.' He sets out to show listeners how this 'mother lode of sciences, the hub of a circle from which all the other studies radiate' informs disciplines ranging from meteorology, climatology, and oceanography to economics, ecology, and political science. Rather than looking at geography as a parade of facts about where things are located, he encourages an approach that considers human and natural history in its larger context--and the universe as a large canvas upon which the fascinating story of life is drawn. Using his familiar question-and- answer method, Davis offers interesting anecdotes to explain, for example, who invented the compass; why wars are always fought over geography; the differences between country, republic, nation, and state; why the tallest mountain in the world is getting even taller; and much more. Succinct discussions coupled with Davis's lively writing style makes this a perfect candidate for audio presentation. Indeed, listening to this program without the aid of visuals underscores the sense conveyed that geography is as much about how we think about the world as where things are in physical space--that it is about the 'tender connections that keep the earth alive.' (Running time: three hours, two cassettes) --Uma Kukathas