Elvis reads and you can too!
Fiction
Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons 1932. Flora Poste goes to live with distant relatives on a farm. She is a fashionable chicky, and she takes to rearrange everyone's life, especially the grandmother who stays up in her room, because she saw something nasty in the woodshed. The movie is good too.
The Naughty Bits by Jack Murnighan 2001. This book is a compilation of all the 'dirty' bits from classic literature, including Shakespeare, Melville, Hemingway, and others. He also has a volume 2.
A Room With a View by E.M. Forster 1908. In this novel Lucy meets George in Florence. But she is chaperoned by her aunt and isn't allowed to associate with him, because he is working class. They kiss, then she is rushed back to England where they meet again. The movie is also very good.
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman 1996. In this novel Richard gets led on an adventure through the maze of London's underground, where he helps Door solve the mystery of her parents death. He meets all sorts of characters, and it is a really interesting adventure.
The Princess Bride by William Goldman 1973. The movie was based on this book, and the book is far funnier. In certain versions of the book it also comes with a map. Inconceivable.
The Wildest Shore by Lisa Cach 2001. Lisa Cach is a very funny writer. This is a romance novel, but its interesting. Anne's ship is shipwrecked, so she and a few others left behind float around for a while getting drunk, then they get captured by pirates, she makes friends with an opium crazed monkey, and goes on a quest.
Persuasion by Jane Austen 1816?. This is my favorite Jane Austen novel. Anne, when she is very young is persuaded not to marry Cpt. Wentworth because he is a nobody and hasn't any money. About ten years later they meet again, he basically ignores her while she pines for him. Then he writes her a fantastic letter about how much he loves her.
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides 1993. This book is about five sisters and there controlling parents and their relationship with the boys of the neighborhood. Eugenides captures the mystery of why they kill themselves, and leaves you wondering.
Non-fiction
Mexicana: Vintage Mexican Graphics ed. Jim Heimann 2002. This book is full of beautiful graphics, Virgen de Guadalupe, beautiful women, Mexican wrestlers etc. Taschen is the publisher and they make great books.
The Look of Love: The art of the romance novel by Jennifer McKnight-Trontz 2002. This book is all pictures of romance novel cover art. I love romance novel cover art, and one day my collection will be this lovely. She has divided the covers into subjects, my favorite is nurses.
Viva Guadalupe! by Jacqueline Orsini Dunnington 1997. This book is full of pictures of the Virgen de Guadalupe in everyday life, on cars, tattoos, sides of buildings, mostly in New Mexico.
Cine Mexicano by Rogelio Agrasanchez Jr. 2001. This book is all about Mexican cinema and it contains tons of movie posters from 1936-1956. They are so brightly colored, they are really neat.
Lost Hollywood by David Wallace 2001. This book is all about the history of Hollywood, before it became a raging monster. Did you know that Hollywood and LA used to be orange groves and other agriculture? Its crazy to think that there used to be fields there.
From Girls to Grrrlz: a history of women comics from teens to zines by Trina Robbins 1999. One of the best things about this book are the vintage comics graphics.
Street Graphics India by Barry Dawson 1999. This book is full of, ta da, street graphics of India. There are pictures of advertisements, billboards, stalls. Lots of colorful things. I like the Bollywood posters. There are also Street Graphics of Cuba, Egypt and Japan. (I think)
The New Roadside America by Mike Wilkins, Ken Smith and Doug Kirby 1992. This book is fun just to read through. It contains all sorts of weird places across America, like the guy who trained his parrot to quote the bible. They have a website: www.roadsideamerica.com
Hollywood Babylon by Kenneth Anger 1975. Kenneth Anger is an experimental filmmaker who grew up in Hollywood. This book is all about the dirty gossip of Hollywood. Its very interesting, however, it may not be true. Check out his films too.
Sensacional: Mexican street graphics by Juan Carlos Mena 2002. This book is all pictures of advertisements and street paintings, and packaging. It is really neat.
Reality Under Seige by Sandy Skoglund 1998. Sandy Skoglund is an artist who makes crazy installations covered in stuff, like cheese puff people. Everything is life size, and she incorporates people into them. She also takes pictures of her installations, so she creates two forms of her work.
Mexicolor: the spirit of Mexican Design by Tony Cohan, Melba Levick, and Masako Takahashi 1998. This book is full of beautiful pictures of the different kinds of design, tiles, textiles, folk art, ceramics, the market, wood, metal, etc.
Mags
Nylon - this magazine is about fashion and music, but the spreads are a bit more arty, and hip than say vogue.
ReadyMade - is a hip crafty magazine, for the guy or gal. It has many projects to do, and gives a guide as to how much it will cost, and how much time and effort it will take. They also have a challenge to make something out of a certain junky item.
Venus - is also a fashion, music, hip arty magazine, but it also includes crafty stuff, and crafts that others are making. They also have a challenge.
Bust - Cool mag, that features strong independent women. Music, fashion, DIY.
Black Book - This is an interesting arty fashion magazine, like vogue, but more arty and not as mainstream.
Tokion - This magazine is half in english and half in japanese. Its pretty cool, it has articles on fashion, and politics, and arty, fun pop art.
Somerset Studio - This magazine is all about stamping, and collaging and altering books. It has beautiful pictures, and instructions on how to. It shows all different kinds of art work, and has great lists/ads of suppliers.