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
Lightkey Pro predicts what you're going to write next – and can supercharge your texts, emails, and more
Thanks to machine learning, algorithms know us now as well as we know ourselves. Once artificial intelligence starts building a file on you and your habits, assessing data, then extrapolating outcomes, it becomes very clear how much we each follow our own particular patterns – and how easy it is for some smart AI to… READ THE REST
It's a desk lamp, a night light, and a gorgeous art piece – all wrapped up in one
When you buy an item to perform a task you need done, but there's such beauty to it that you'd gladly display it even if it did nothing at all, you know you've hit a sweet spot. The Tree of Lyte Motion Sensor Bird Night Light Tree and Illuminated Eggs by Lift Care absolutely fits… READ THE REST
These 10 deals can teach you an instrument and get you started recording music your way
and Drums Master Class Bundle – $59.99; originally $1,791 You've gotta walk before you can run…which is why these instrument lesson packages are the perfect starting point for any budding musician. For ax men and women, The Ultimate Beginner to Expert Guitar Lessons Bundle includes almost 60 hours of training in learning the guitar, proper… READ THE REST