Who Done It Shelf: Jim Rosenau

Jim Rosenau of This Into That is a functional artist who creates products out of old books. While Rosenau cites the Nicholson Baker essay Books as Furniture as his inspiration for the project, growing up in a house with more than 5,000 books may have something to do with it as well.

Many of his projects contain themes based on the book titles used, such as the Who Done It shelf pictured above, featuring the titles “Who Pushed Humpty Dumpty?” as well as “All the King’s Men” and “Anatomy of a Murder.” Check out his online gallery for all his themed selves and more.

(Found via TrendHunter Magazine)

What Should I Read Next?

With my semester coming to an end, a summer worth of time off on the horizon, and a long (very long) flight to Europe quickly approaching, I've been thinking a lot about my summer reading list. As a student studying English, I simply don't have time to read for pleasure while school is in session. I've been slowing adding books to my list. I'd like to read some Kafka since I'm living in Prague all summer, it only seems fitting. I'd also like to finish Special Topics in Calamity Physics, which I began over the holidays.

One of my professors pointed out What Should I Read Next on her blog and I was intrigued by the concept. You enter the title and author of a book you've read/enjoyed and the program suggests further readings. Similar to Amazon's suggestion of items based on your searches and recent purchases. I'm not thrilled by the results, but I liked the idea. What have you read recently that you've enjoyed? Any suggestions? I'll read anything, but love non-fiction and travel inspired writing. I'd love to hear your suggestions!

Daily Book Inspiration

This is becoming a near-daily topic here on Double Takes. These two book inspired items have me going gaga. The majority of my book posts involve bookshelves, but a book table is something I haven't seen before. I also really like the idea of the book stack inserts. They're fun and I can think of a few practical organizational purpuses for them as well.

(Found via Black Eiffel and FFFFound)

Musical and Magnetic Bookshelves

If you happen to be one of my frequent readers, you know that I post about bookshelves a lot. Maybe too much? These two were just too cool to pass up.

WebUrbanist recently compiled a list of 2o Unusually Brilliant Bookcase and Bookshelf Designs. Several of their featured items were also on the Freshomes 30 Most Creative Bookshelves list I posted back in March. I was thinking maybe I needed to start a whole bookshelves blog to channel my growing obssesion, then I found the appropriately titled Bookshelf and all was right in my world. It's fascinating, check it out.

(Found via Freshome and Design Milk)

Pile of Books: Josefin Hellström-Olsson

This may be the most amazingly-awesome nightstand I've ever seen. Designed by Josefin Hellström-Olsson, this beauty is appropriately called Pile of Books.

(Found via The Style Files)

Another Bookcase

I'm posting another bookcase...weird. This one really made me smile and I couldn't resist. If I only had enough books/house space to accommodate the many cases I've desired.

(Found via FFFFound)

The Future of Books: Kyle Bean

Kyle Bean, student/designer/illustrator/self-proclaimed maker of things, has recently completely his project The Future of Books. Quite intriguing. It reminds me of Brian Dettmer's Book Autopsies. Check out his portfolio for other impressive and interesting work.

(Found via It's Nice That)

Cartoon Yearbook: John Martz

John Martz has redrawn the entire student body of his mother's 1968 high school yearbook (that's over 1,000 people) as cartoons.

You can see the project on his Flickr page or purchase it on his website, along with his other work.

(Found via Gawker)

The Reader's Alphabet

Hemant Anant Jain's The Readers Alphabet is delightful, seriously. He has depicted each letter of the alphabet as a famous literary character, along with a short summary of the book they're featured it. I want this framed and on display above my desk!

(Found via Notcot)

Café Royal

Café Royal is an online shop which sells books and zines from various sources and was founded by Craig Atkinson and his wife Joanne Chan-Atkinson.

"What interests us the most is the DIY ethic that makes artists’ zines and books so interesting and valuable. Each one is like wandering into a curiosity shop of the artists’ mind."

The majority of the items they offer focus on drawing and are definitely worth a peek, if not a purchase!

(Found via Swissmiss)

The Power of Books: Mladen Penev

These photographs by artist Mladen Penev 'blew my mind.' They're part of a series from 2005 titled The Power of Books. I love the simplicity he uses to convey such a powerful message. These, along with the other work on his website, are worth a look!

(Found via Why Me?)

110 Best Books

What are the makings of the perfect personal library? According to Telegraph, it's the books on their 110 Best Books List. I like lists (especially 'best of' lists) and I like books, so clearly this is right up my ally. They categorize the books according to the following: classics, peotry, literary fiction, romantic fiction, children's books, sci-fi, crime, books that changed the world, books that changed your world, history, and lives. I would love to make my way through this list, top-to-bottom, or really any 'best of' literary list. Oh if I only have endless amounts of free time.

(Found via Gawker)

30 Most Creative Bookshelves

Continuing with my recent overload of book related posts...Back in February Freshome posted a compilation of the 30 Most Creative Bookshelves they'd found. I saw this post a while back and forgot to save the link. For the past month I've been trying to find it again, then today (obviously) I did. These bookshelves are wild. What I would give for one!

(Found via Freshome)

100 Best Last Lines From Novels

I post about books or items related to books quite a lot I've realized. There was this one...and this one...oh and we can't forget this one. Ok, you get the idea.

I've had a long standing love affair with the written word. My first real job was at a library, I'm an English major, and truthfully I'm more concerned with adding to my bookshelf than my closet (says I with a snort while pushing my glasses back up onto the bridge of my nose).

So naturally when I saw that the American Book Review released their list of what they consider to be the 100 Best Last Lines From Novels I got quite excited. Making their list:

52. Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody. – J. D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye (1951)

77. Tomorrow, I'll think of some way to get him back. After all tomorrow is another day. - Margaret Mitchell, Gone With The Wind (1936)

(found via Design Crush)

ABRACADABRA Bookmark

Designers Jung-Hyun Lee, Won-Sik Chae & Rhea Jeong have created the Abracadabra Bookmark prototype aimed at helping you find where you left off last in a book. It's basically your average bookmark, only way cooler and much easier.

(Found via Boing Boing)

Pengiun Classics Inspired Mugs

I love everything about these! As an English major, book worm, and avid coffee drinker, I truly cant think of anything better. Ok...that's a stretch but these are really great! The bookish mugs are inspired by the Penguin Classics paperback book covers of 1935.

For More Information visit Penguin Mugs at Art Meets Matter

(Found via Black Eiffel)

Nature Scenes

BoingBoing posted this interesting depiction of a nature scene found in an English-Chinese book. Among the noted nature items include a nuclear power plant, roads, and a giant man-made dam. Humorous if not saddening.

I need a trip to the mountains!

(Found on BoingBoing)

The Littlest Library: Ryan Duggan

Columbia College alum Ryan Duggan has a pretty great idea. A street-based free community book exchange. You can read his full story in the Chicago Reader. I'll definitely be keeping my eyes peeled for one of these next time I'm back home in Chicago.

No Tree. No Problem!

No space or time to get a Christmas tree? Here's your cute and clever solution. I love it!

(Found via Emma's Designblog)

End Pages

Way back when, and sometimes still today, books would contain decorative papers between the front and back covers enticing readers or relating to the story. It's an unknown and forgotten form of art that is the unique subject being showcased on Drawger, a blog site for illustrators. Enjoy.