My mom just sent me this delightful little Japanese book called The Almanac of Weird Hobbies, which I first read about on my friend Ichiru's blog a couple of weeks ago. It's a great collection of quirky Japanese people who have totally off-the-wall hobbies, like playing two recorders simultaneously with both nostrils and turning PCs into miniature greenhouses. Not surprisingly, extreme ironing and bedhead documentation were also featured in this book. There are some other great examples, some of which I hope to post here or on TokyoMango over the next couple of days.
The almanac of weird hobbies
"Ralph Steadman: A Life in Ink": retrospective covers career of legendary "gonzo" cartoonist
Known for his distinctive ink-spatter style and contributions to "gonzo journalism," counterculture cartoonist Ralph Steadman's career is examined in a new 368-page hardcover book. Ralph Steadman: A Life in Ink ($60) is available now. From his satirical political cartoons to his sweet and sincere children's books, Ralph Steadman has had a remarkable and unique career.… READ THE REST
New book alert: 'Guerrilla Girls: The Art of Behaving Badly'
You know their work**, now there's a book. Guerrilla Girls: The Art of Behaving Badly drops October 6, 2020. The Guerrilla Girls is a collective of women artists who protest the underrepresentation of women and POC in the arts as well as general corruption in the art world. They began in the 1980s and have… READ THE REST
Amaze: A book about how to think like a magician
Amaze, an illuminating and informative guide to designing magical experiences, has finally been published in English! Written by my pal and Boing Boing contributor Ferdinando Buscema and inventive designer/writer Mariano Tomatis, Amaze ("L'arte Di Stupire" in Italian) is not a book of tricks but rather a primer on "thinking like a magician." Here is what… READ THE REST
This training collection can make you a Six Sigma project management black-belt
Anybody can be on the receiving end of a good idea or a lightning bolt revelation. It might be about a software project. It could be a method for reorganizing your business operations. It could be a new product idea or a major initiative that could have a huge impact on a business and everyone… READ THE REST
The Icebreaker Nordic Pop is the ice cube tray you've waited your whole life for
For all its basicness, it's surprising how many people have amazingly strong opinions about their ice. And after reading that sentence, you probably had a visceral reaction to the right ways and wrong ways for using ice too. Because, for something as fundamental as hardened water, we've all got a position. Whether you like it… READ THE REST
Here's the smart desktop warmer that safely keeps your coffee or tea at the perfect temperature
Simple solutions are almost always the best solutions. If you're cold, put on a jacket. If your car engine light clicks on, take it into the shop. And, if your coffee loses its piping hot bite…well, heat that baby up. Most of us are fans of the bold, burly sting of a fresh-off-the-brewer coffee at… READ THE REST