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A book of vintage book advertisements? A book of vintage book advertisements! It didn't take much to sell us on New York Times book critic Dwight Garner's latest project. Read Me (Ecco) is a visual survey of book ads that appeared in newspapers and magazines across the United States in the twentieth century. "Together these random advertisements tell a story -- a kind of secret history, narrated in public -- about America's literary culture," writes Garner in the opening chapter. Settle in to browse ads for classics such as The Great Gatsby, Ulysses, and Lolita while gaining insight into interesting collisions of the literary and design worlds. One of our favorite bits of trivia: Ezra Pound disliked Knopf's distinctive Borzoi logo, lobbying for a redrawn dog that sat up straight, "solid, more or less heraldic and respectful." |
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"Ponoko" may sound like the latest adorable animated creature or addictive puzzle game to come out of Tokyo, but it's actually an online venture that aspires to be nothing less than the Flickr and YouTube of product design. The virtual marketplace brings together creators, digital fabricators, materials suppliers, and buyers to take part in what Ponoko's creators describe as "the world's easiest making system." The vast site allows users to design their own products (from jewelry and toys to furniture and lighting fixtures), price them for sale, and arrange for them to be produced locally, as close to the point of consumption as possible. Those less inclined to DIY can choose from among Ponoko's tens of thousands of user-generated product designs, all ready to be customized and made into real things with the click of a mouse. |
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Whether you adore Valentine's Day or believe it to be one more scheme foisted upon us by greeting card companies and chocolatiers, we suspect you'll find something to appreciate in Williams-Sonoma's Valentine wreath. The homegoods giant has reproduced antique Valentines and arrayed them around a sturdy wire base to create a two-layered paper wreath that only looks better with age. The Victorian images -- heavy on the cherubic youngsters, doves, flowers, and old-fashioned modes of transport -- recall the quirky titles of Monty Python's Flying Circus and are the perfect way to ensure that love is in the air (or at least on the wall) at your home or office. |
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