The Rise and Fall of Books

The Rise and Fall of Books, a documentary by Jake Gorst, (Leisurama (2005), Farmboy (2006) Modern Tide: Midcentury Architecture on Long Island (2012)) explores the influence that books have on society, the rise of e-media and subsequent demise of print and the use of books as art. It features Buzz Spector, arts professor at Cornell University and a celebrated artist who uses books as a medium in his installations. The movie's soundtrack is scored by Peter Holsapple, and Chris Stamey of The dB's. 

Personally I'm a big fan of digital books. I love that when I travel I no longer have to carry a bag of books and magazines that weighs more than my checked luggage. I was an early kindle adopter and when I got an iPad the kindle app was one of the first installed.  But, I still need physical books to browse and pore over: gorgeous illustrated books about design and architecture, books of photographs, travel books, cook books and of course, children's books.



At the end of the clip above, there are a few frames focused on a beautiful manuscript written in Dutch that is over 300 years old. The surprise and joy of seeing that book in the documentary reminded me that this is something you don't get with a download; the celebration of the physical and unique presence of printed matter, something you can experience in a sensory way. That doesn't happen with electronic media, no matter how high the resolution of your screen.

This documentary is at the post-production stage and funds are needed to get the movie to the viewing public. A GoFundMe.com page has been set up to raise money to complete the project. Pledges start at $15, which gets you a postcard and your name in the closing credit. Rewards at the top end include a large-format Buzz Spector art Polaroid and for fans of The dBs, the actual drum head from the cover of The Sound of Music.


To support the project or read more about it click here. You won't regret it!

Snowstorm Winter 2012/2013

Pretty, no?

Every beach should have a shell

Bought at an estate sale of a wonderful old house in our old neighborhood and lovingly placed*, thanks to The Guy, in the yard at beach house. Just the perfect addition to the back driveway.

*Luckily the ideal spot for the shell was close to the garage, this garden ornament must weigh 100lb.

Fencing

Ready to install

Again. The front fence was a casualty of Superstorm Sandy. Thank goodness the east fence and the back fence made it through.

Capped

Next job is to stain the fences to match the house but that will be done next year in one mammoth house painting session. Looking forward to it.

Fall Snow

Nine days after Sandy, while a lot of neighbors were still without power, a nor'easter rolled around and dumped a pack of snow on Long Island. Freaking crazy weather...

Sandy

How fortuitous was it that we had the trees trimmed earlier this month? Hurricane, or by the time it hit us, superstorm Sandy blew in yesterday and when I opened the blinds this morning I was amazed and pleased that we had escaped relatively unscathed; no trees down, not even limbs. The property was full of leaves and twigs, on the steps lay the corpse of a woodpecker that had probably been blown into the siding and the front fence was down, but apart from being without power it looked as though we had suffered no real damage.

Going out to explore the neighborhood it soon became clear others were not so fortunate. The Incorporated Village was actually cut off for a few hours, tress blocked every road to town, one tree had taken out a neighbor's kitchen, another had ripped the electricity panel from a house, everywhere power lines were hanging loose or lying across the roads.

The moon had been full, the tide high when the storm stuck and the water rose up and over the seawall.

Tons of sand washed onto the beach huts, flooding the parking lot

and twisting the pier of its piles. A monster storm, a Frankenstorm that will takes weeks if it months to clear up but we were prudent to get the trees trimmed and lucky that we hadn't waited until next Spring to get it done. We will have a lot to be thankful for this November 22nd.

Cool House Panorama

Dining Room

Great Room

Kitchen

Playing with the Panoramic feature on the phone.

Tree trimming

You probably wouldn't know it unless you live in the neighborhood and had to listen to the noise of the chainsaws for six hours, but we had the trees thinned this week. It's been five years since we did  it last and they had really thickened up. I'd prefer not to have an oak or beech tree branch take out a wing of the house or the maples pull the power lines down during an ice storm. The LIPA tree guys were out in August clearing the lines on the road, which was a good reminder for us to trim on the rest of the property. The fantastic landscaper removed the hideous junipers from the back drive and pruned back anything ornamental, the professional tree guys took care of the tall trees including the damned linden, not to protect the house because that thing is balsa wood and limbs weigh the same as a bag of cotton wool balls but to protect ourselves from the rock hard seed balls that rain down on us from late April to June, the time when, obviously, we want to enjoy the outdoors and eat on the patio. I swear one year I'm gonna take a chainsaw to that tree just below its canopy...