Friday, November 12, 2010

Chronicle Haul-iday Contest

I love Chronicle Books. I have for a long time. You know, Chronicle's work. They are probably the best publisher in the US at putting a book in your hands (they leap into mine!) and fill the book lover with greed. Deep seated desire to have a beautiful shelf filled with their lovely, lovely books.

So, when Chronicle announced a $500 shopping spree to a blogger and the same $500 for one of their readers.... well, I just couldn't let that slide by! That, and they are constantly publishing wonderful and beautiful books.

So dear readers, I post what my $500 binge at Chronicle would look like. Leave a comment to enter the contest with me and maybe we'll both win BIG! That's right. If I win, a random commenter will be selected by Chronicle to win the same haul! If you like my selections (heck, even if you only like a few) leave a comment. If I do win, I'll also give away a great prize of some kind to everyone who comments! I'm not entirely sure what that is at this point, but it'll be all kinds of bibliophile win. Must be 18 and in the US to win, yada, yada, yada.



My List:


Let's Bring Back. I say this all the time and would like to see what made their list. My list: Dinner Clubs, liveried drivers, bow ties, men wearing hats in public (ball caps excluded), beautiful office equipment, Thanksgiving (the holiday and common courtesy), uniforms for US Postal Service letter carriers, penmanship, Chautauquas, and home milk delivery. I'm sure I have more, crankier things as well. Maybe I shouldn't get this book since it may only make me mad.


Catalog: The Illustrated History of Mail Order Shopping. Do I really need to justify this in any way shape or form? What is not to love? I love all kinds of historical ephemera, and I know, because it was published with Chronicle involved, it'll be GORGEOUS.


Taking things Seriously: 75 Objects with Unexpected Significance. As a museum pro, I have to check this out. It's true that often really mundane looking things can mean a lot. When I was at a museum in Oklahoma we had a really beat up old podium and someone had taken a cheap clock and used the frame for an image of the seal for the President of the United States. It looked like a prop for a play. It was in fact the podium used (as is!) the one time JFK came to Oklahoma and made a speech dedicating a highway to a buddy of his.


More Things Like This. It's from McSweeney's! Who doesn't need this? And don't smart off and say "People who already own a copy." because that just isn't true. People who own a copy want another, and I know it.


The Englishman Who Posted Himself and other curious objects. Sure the title is ponderous, but it's the story of one Reginald Bray who decided to test the limits of the well-meaning Postal Service of the UK. Why do I want it? I can be rather trying to some folks patience, but I'm also (usually) just having some fun.


Lost States: True Stories of Texlahoma, Transylvania, and Other States That Never Made It. Having lived in some areas that had interesting history in the "What Might Have Been" file, I'd love to learn more about it in other parts of the country. After all, had I not lived in Oklahoma, I certainly would have never known about the US State of Sequoia!


The Marvelous Museum: Orphans, Curiosities & Treasures. Another book about museums! Hooray! This one by an artist who examines the use, function, and purpose of museums. Sounds very interesting.


Art Deco Bookbindings: The Work of Pierre Legrain and Rose Adler. Want, want, want. I may have seen some of these in an online exhibition, but I don't remember. By default Chronicle = Awesome, so I know this will be a welcome addition.


Pictorial Webster's: A Visual Dictionary of Curiosities. This is actually a collection of the wonderful, tiny engravings featured in Webster's dictionaries through the 19th century. I've always thought a collection like this would make fabulous wallpaper, especially in a bathroom. Why? No idea. It'd just be cool. Like the old table tops at Wendy's with the old random advertising on them.


Posters for the People: Art of the WPA. I have long loved the art of the WPA and other New Deal work programs. There is a ton of fascinating stories that have come out of this time and these efforts.


The Handy Book of Artisitc Printing: A Collection of Letterpress Examples with Specimens of Type, Ornament, Corner Fills, Borders, Twisters, Wrinklers, and other Freaks of Fancy. I have wanted this book for a long time. It feels like a long time at least because I've wanted it so bad. There are some AMAZING rarities in this book. Just phenomenal. I believe the original title for this was going to be Freaks of Fancy, which I vastly prefer to the current one, but still... look at it! Beautiful.


The Cloud Collector. Ok, I never knew I needed this book until I saw it on the Chronicle website. I love the concept of being a cloud watcher the way some people are bird watchers. I am one of those obnoxious people who is checks the forecast everyday and actually takes an interest in hearing what the weather is like in the next county over. You could say I'm a fan of weather.

By Its Cover: Modern American Book Cover Design and Classic Book Jackets: The Design Legacy of George Salter. These two will be loved around here. Heck, even at the office where I have to do more and more publication design on the fly. That, and because they are from Chronicle you know they'll be wonderful.


OK, so I may have gone over my $500 limit at this point. To be honest, I got so wrapped up and book drunk I don't know what my running total was.





I double checked-- My total comes in at $437



OK readers, now it is your turn. LEAVE A COMMENT and be automatically entered to win this $500 deluge of beautiful books from Chronicle Books. How can you go wrong?

53 comments:

Chris Bunje Lowenstein said...

I think I want the same list you do. Fantastic books! I am adding them all to my list for Santa Claus.

A long time ago, when I was in college, I worked for Chronicle Books as an intern in the Operations, Editorial, and Publicity Departments. I worked there every summer and Christmas break for three years, and it was a fun place to work. Back then, 1987-1990, they were a small company of about 12 people.

Of course, now I am another sort of bookseller, an antiquarian bookseller, but I still love books published by Chronicle Books. A very clever group of people.

MrCachet said...

LOL. And I thought you weren't supposed to judge a book by its cover! I do. Oftentimes, the book cover is what attracts me to it. I truthfully enjoy the feel of a gold embossed cover (not the dust jacket), but still and all - until the advent of the 33 1/3 record album cover, the book cover was a real avenue of monetary gain for the budding artist with a commercial art career in mind. COUNT ME IN!

Anonymous said...

Great list! The Pictoral Websters is particularly interesting. Good luck!

Erin
erindesign@hotmail.com

HilLesha O'Nan said...

Cool list!

Anastasia said...

There are some really interesting books on your list! I didn't delve TOO deeply into the design category, which is where I think you found some of yours, and I sort of regret not doing so.

bruinfan88 said...

your list is so interesting. They all seem so unique. Would love them all

Bavarian Erin said...

One of the things I love the most about this contest is that it gives me a chance to find some amazing blogs. I'm excited to have found yours, best of luck!

Gina Ruiz said...

What a fabulous list! I didn't even see any of these since I got sucked in by cookbooks. I'm a big fan of bookbinding and would love to have this list. Let's put it this way, if I won I'd be happy. If you won, I'd be happy and hope I won it too!

Love me some Chronicle!

eliza said...

love your collection as well! it's interesting to see what other people put in their list, especially books other than baking/cooking like mine :) good luck!

Beth F said...

I got so lost in the cooking section I missed a bunch of these great titles.

ashley said...

great list!! here's mine to increase our chances of winning! :)
http://cocoagreen23.blogspot.com/2010/11/haul-idays.html

ashley said...

great list!! here's mine to increase our chances of winning! :)
http://cocoagreen23.blogspot.com/2010/11/haul-idays.html

alana said...

This is so awesome.

Natasha @ Maw Books said...

A great list! I love the books about books!

Shooting Stars Mag said...

I'd love Let's Bring Back. What a fun list!

-Lauren
lauren51990 at aol dot com

2boysblue said...

Well, I saw this posted and thought, nah I won't win. Then I saw it again and took a look at the selection of books. What fabulous choices! I am impressed by your giveaway. Good Luck to all that enters.

Lauren said...

Love your art and graphic selections! Come on over and check out my short list :)

Reniazen said...

Very fine taste! Best of luck to all.

JBD said...

Great list! Mine would be awfully similar (as you'd probably have guessed ...).

Molly said...

Sweet choices! Here's hoping for a win! Good luck!

mollydedwards AT yahoo DOT com

Sally said...

I too love Chronicle's books - as a cookbook junkie, I'd guess a good third of my favorites are published by CB. Beautiful, wonderful choices!

kimmysue said...

I want you to win! I could spend days looking at Chronicler's website. Their books are so inspiring. Good luck to both of us.

Rui said...

Nice list. good luck!

corrin said...

Great list! I want to read Lets Bring Back, too.

Henrietta said...

Beautiful Book List! Good Luck to you!

Kate said...

I love your eccentric list! I had forgotten all about the Pictorial Websters. I can see these keeping me busy and inspired for for a very long time.
Thaks, mangosteenkate @ yahoo . com

Lori L said...

You've choosen a very nice slection of books! Good luck!
shetreadssoftly(at)gmail(dot)com

Gaby317 said...

Great list! I particularly like books on book jackets.

I love Chronicle - this is such a generous giveaway.

Thanks for the entry.

gaby317nyc at gmail.com

jhitomi said...

great list. The Cloud Collector's Handbook sounds interesting.
jhbalvin at gmail dot com

Jamie said...

I love your list! I hope you win!!! Stop by my blog to check out my list too!

jamie.l.torres at gmail dot com

Anne B. said...

Interesting list of books! Thank you for the chance to win this wonderful giveaway!
missbelle60(at)gmail(dot)com

Vincent Desjardins said...

I love your list! I'm going to check out some of these books that I didn't know about! Good luck in the contest!

TRAN! (www.thinktran.com) said...

Love this list!! Especially the lost states one!!!

ncnguyen514 [at] gmail [dot] com

Kristina said...

Great list, love the art books.

NewBorrowedUsed@gmail.com

Mismikado said...

This is a truly awesome list!

Liongoddess said...

We have quite a few of the same titles on our lists! I really hope that one of us wins.

liongoddess@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Great list! A lot of overlap with my Christmas list!

Aimée Goggins said...

An excellently eclectic list with some intriguing books I would have probably missed. Good luck!

Teresa Thomas Bohannon said...

A wonderfully eclectic list. Very similar--in taste--to many of the ones I selected See My List Here Really delightful--I would absolutely love to win either one.
Teresa [AT] LadySilk [DOT] Net
Smiles,
Teresa

Deborah said...

This may be my favorite list of all the blogs that have entered.

(Here's mine: http://www.lippsisters.com/2010/11/19/another-contest-500-worth-of-books/)

deborah AT deborahlipp DOT com

johnny carrera said...

I, too, believe the Webster's engravings make great bathroom wallpaper! In our tiny bathroom I have a huge proof of 36 pages from the printer hanging - I think it looks totally cool, (though my wife feels it is overwhelming). Perhaps your blog will help convince them of what a great idea it is. Nice list!

Unknown said...

I think your selection of the Cloud Collectors Handbook is simply marvelous. Who would not want to have their own cloud?

Jason said...

Fantastic selections, sir (as if I would have expected any less). Best of luck on the contest!

Ginny said...

Great list, I'd love any of them! Good luck to you

MurderMysteryMayhem said...

This is the best list ever-

The Englishman Who Posted Himself and other curious objects.

The Marvelous Museum: Orphans, Curiosities & Treasures.

Pictorial Webster's: A Visual Dictionary of Curiosities.

Posters for the People: Art of the WPA

Can you imagine the hours of complete satisfaction in looking through these books and knowing they were yours. I hope you win so I also have the chance. Fingers crossed and good luck!

Thanks for the chance!

malleycc said...

WOW I love this contest. Thanks for giving us a chance to win with you.

I love your list.

shastas said...

good luck!

moonsword said...

great list! best of luck!

Joanne said...

What a great list of books!

jowanjowan73(at)yahoo(dot)com

jcamp2020 said...

Good selection of titles. Good luck to both of us. And Thank You to Chronicle Books.

jcamp2020 at aol dot com

Lily said...

Fabulous choices, especially the McSweeney's book!
Lilyhoot at gmail dot com

nicolesender said...

Interesting list of books!
nicolesender@yahoo.com

melydia said...

I'm in. There are some really great books on your list. Thanks so much! :D

melydia@hotmail.com