books (302)

Friday Fish Fry

People keep saying “Beautiful day,” and I grit my teeth. Yes, the sun is out and sky is blue, but the weather is creepy. C’mon low pressure, move back in and let those storms blow in from the ocean. This photo is the end of a weak front that brought only 1/10th inch of rain…article in NYTimes titled “Older Mind May Just Be a Fuller Mind,” saying that the older you are, the bigger a library of memory you have to deal with, the longer it takes to access it. I’ve been saying to people for years that memory is not infinite and that some stuff has to get pushed out for new stuff to get stored — how’s that for rationalization of all the things I can’t remember now?…Also in NYT an article on sloths; they discovered that sloths have moth living aboard (in their fur) that create algae and a large part of sloths’ diet consists of eating this algae. Efficient or what?…Right now listening to Bach Sonatas and Partitas by Chris Thiele, mandolinist from The Punch Brothers. There’s something about the ringing tones of the mandolin that are perfect here, different from the sound of a violin or piano or harpsichord, and the musicianship is stunning; dazzling runs, lovely interpretation…Come to think of it, the whole point of the Llewyn Davis movie was not the film, but the concert film, “Another Day, Another Time,” made in New York in September; way better film…Last night we ran across a documentary on the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival in Smithville, Tennessee, and was it good! It’s hard for us (east or west) coastal people to remember that there’s a huge part ofAmerica out there that’s not really on our radar. These fiddlers were so good, tons of them, quiet and unassuming and excellent and the clog dancers were a delight; I’ve got it marked on my calendar (July 4-5, 2014), and I might just go; maybe a road trip across America, maybe about time…Went eeling a few days ago and nada, maybe the big surf of late sent them into hiding…going to take my kayak to Tomales Bay this afternoon in search of horseneck clams and cockles…I’m on a campaign to get more seafood…had pasta with mussels last night…last, and the big news around here, is that we’re almost finished with Tiny Homes on the Move and I’m pretty thrilled with it.

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Tiny Homes on the Move News

We are coming to the end of a long haul, a year or more. We’ve been putting the book together two pages at a time, and a week ago we started printing it out. Boy, is it exciting! To see it in full size color after all this time. Lookin good!

The subtitle is: “Wheels and Water.”

Wheels: Vans, pickup trucks with camper shells, house trucks, school buses, trailers, and cycles

Water: Sail boats, houseboats, and tug boats

There are some 90 nomadic homes here; about half of these are lived in full-time, and the other half are used part time or for trips of varying length upon life’s highways and waterways.

We’ve put together five prototypes for a cover, which are in the above post. What do you think?

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One of Our Youngest Fans

Hi Lloyd,

Looks like my granddaughter is still a fan. She’s moved up from the tiny book to the full sized version.

Happy New Year,

Michael (McNamara)

She is looking at a copy of Builders of the Pacific Coast. Michael was one of the featured builders in the book.

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Big Sale of Our Books December-January

Shameless Commerce Department

Shelter books make good Christmas presents!

Order any 2 – 4 books: 30% discount.

Order any 5 – 9 books: 40% discount.

Order any 10 or more books: 50% discount.

Ordering more than 1 copy of any book is OK.

Sale ends January 31, 2014

Click here: https://www.shelterpub.com/

BTW, Tiny Homes has had a big surge in sales in November and the first part of December.

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Inspiration To Build in California From Shelter Books

“Hi Lloyd,

I’m writing for a couple of reasons.  First is to say thanks for all the inspiration and information.

   In 2007 a friend gave us a copy of Homework. Thus began our quest to find our own little piece of the earth to create our idealized “artist playground.”  Sometimes we would lose faith and moan “Why can’t it still be the 1970s so we could just go out and find an old farm that no one wants anymore. If only we had a time machine!” Along the way we picked up a copy of Shelter and then things really kicked in. Our senses of belief, freedom and possibility where bolstered and we plowed on through the seemingly endless array of realty jargon, money questions and what-the-hell-are-we-doing moments.

Read More …

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Progress on Tiny Homes on the Move Book

Rick has been working over a month now on the 1000 images in the book, using Photoshop to enhance (and sometimes rescue) the photos. He’s just about finished. As of a few days ago, we finished layout of the last pages. Next we’ve got a round of corrections, then proofreading, then printing out the entire book full size on Epson proofing paper.

   For the last week I’ve been fooling around with a title page showing people in the book. Here’s the latest version, just finished this morning. Scissors and removable scotch tape at this stage.

    We’re working on a bunch of ideas for the cover. Nothing solid yet. Subtitle: Wheels & Water.

   Target date is books in stores by May.

   We’ve had orders for 2100 copies of Tiny Homes this month, and the month isn’t even over. Saving our bacon.

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Cool Tools Sensational!

It’s big, like the Whole Earth Catalog and Shelter (11″ x 14″). That’s just one of the brilliant things about this book, an analog-if-you-will version of Kevin Kelly’s 10-year-old CoolTools website/blog. Cool. Tools.

   What’s great about the website is getting weekly WEC-type perceptive reviews; it’s embarrassing how many things I got from reading CT. A wrench, a light, a bunch of books, foldable reading glasses…It’s pretty much my favorite place to visit online.

   But  having it all together (472 pages!) in color, big like this — I’m happy as a pig in mud thumbing through it, opening to random pages, skipping back and forth, savoring the bookness. This kicks the ass of any possible electronic versions. Put down the iPads, Kindles, and smart phones, folks, and get a  Real Book!

   It’s got a ton of useful, inspiring, wonderful tools;  the reviews are hip, tight, and informed.

   Disclaimer: a) Kevin is a friend, b) I’ve talked to him about this project on and off for years, and c) I wrote a bunch of reviews that ended up in the book.

   I need to digest it a bit before writing a review, but just wanted to tell you to get it. Trust me. It’s a major cultural accomplishment.

Note: The 1st printing is sold out (in advance orders by booksellers). I’m guessing it’ll hit bookstores around Thanksgiving.

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How To Self Publish a Book by Kevin Kelly

From Boing Boing: “I like to say it is self-published for all the right reasons — not because I could not find a real publisher to back it, but for three other important benefits. I’ll describe those below and I’ll also tell you how the economics of self-publishing work for this book. Finally, I’ll include a few of the cool tools used to create this huge book with only two of us on staff.

The first benefit of self-publishing was speed. I finished writing and assembling the book in September and by October I had the book listed on Pre-Order status on Amazon. It will be available to customers (in bookstores, too!) the first week of December. If this book was being published by a New York publisher I’d still be in negotiations to maybe have it available next summer.”

I ‘m tremendously excited by this forthcoming book (available December). I saw an early PDF and couldn’t stop turning pages. Read about how Kevin put it together here.

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Monday Fish Fry

(So titled after San Francisco Chronicle columnist Herb Caen’s Friday columns, called “Friday Fish Fry;” Herb was master of 3-dot stories. I started reading him at the bkfst table at age 15. In the ’70s, he answered a couple of my letters with his Underwood upright typewriter. Wonderful man…

Sunny Monday Morning We’ve had 3 days of real hot weather, now cooling. Blue skies, glassy ocean. Swam last night… Once in a while I try to throw together fragments revolving in my mind, a la Herb C…

Tom Clancy on Writing  “I tell them you learn to write the same way you learn to play golf,” he said. “You do it, and keep doing it until you get it right. A lot of people think something mystical happens to you, that maybe the muse kisses you on the ear. But writing isn’t divinely inspired—it’s hard work.”

That’s why I’m so slow at posting stuff…

Now listening to The Abyssinians Super reggae vocal harmonies. Gimme that old time reggae! “Jason White” here. (I only like about half the songs I hear on “The Joint,” Sirius Radio’s reggae station. A lot of insipid or preachy stuff or songs you’ve heard 100 times.…

Great Music on KWMR Our local station has really good music programs around 7-9 PM (West Coast time). Blues, bluegrass, reggae, cajun, R&R, eclectic mix of DJs. I listen to it on radio while doing dishes (and sneakily dance when no one’s around), but think it can be streamed…

Free Books to Prisons We have always sent free books to any prisoner who writes us. Letter received a few days ago:

“Shelter Publications,

I wish to thank you for your gift of books. they have been a blessing, not only for…me, but to the many I have loaned them to who are trying to dream and create a future as they leave prison…Thank you for your gift and the many hours of studying, dreaming and contemplation these books provide.

   -J.M., Palmer Correctional Center, Palmer Alaska”

   Thrilling feedback.

   I wish there were some way to get our (fitness and building) books into prison libraries (if there are such). Any researchers out there who can find a list? Or if you know someone in prison, let them know they can write for free books.…

Tidelog Tide Tables I have this posted over the sink and look at it every day. A lot of surfers and fishermen do the same. A graphic view of tides, with art by M.C. Escher. For east and west coasts, including BC. Here

Blues on the Canal Rich Jones sent this link to houseboat moving along an English canal with blues band playing:

Tiny Homes On The Move We’re gettin there! About 90% complete. This has been the most complex book ever, the most people ever to deal with, in many parts of the world. USA, Canada, UK, France, Australia, China, + sailboats cruising the high seas. Two main categories:

Wheels: vans, trucks-with-camper-shells, housetrucks, house buses, and trailers

Water: sailboats, houseboats, and tugboats

There are some 90 of these units in the book, either rolling on the road or floating on the water. They are used as either permanent residences or for trips of varying lengths upon life’s highways and waterways. Book should be out in May 2014…

I love the life I live,

And I live the life I love.

   -Muddy Waters

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