manhood for amateurs

Here's an extract from a brilliant article in the New York Review of Books by Michael Chabon, found by Tim Kidmapped Wright..

What is the impact of the closing down of the Wilderness on the development of children's imaginations? This is what I worry about the most. I grew up with a freedom, a liberty that now seems breathtaking and almost impossible. Recently, my younger daughter, after the usual struggle and exhilaration, learned to ride her bicycle. Her joy at her achievement was rapidly followed by a creeping sense of puzzlement and disappointment as it became clear to both of us that there was nowhere for her to ride it—nowhere that I was willing to let her go. Should I send my children out to play?

There is a small grocery store around the corner, not over two hundred yards from our front door. Can I let her ride there alone to experience the singular pleasure of buying herself an ice cream on a hot summer day and eating it on the sidewalk, alone with her thoughts? Soon after she learned to ride, we went out together after dinner, she on her bike, with me following along at a safe distance behind. What struck me at once on that lovely summer evening, as we wandered the streets of our lovely residential neighborhood at that after-dinner hour that had once represented the peak moment, the magic hour of my own childhood, was that we didn't encounter a single other child.

Even if I do send them out, will there be anyone to play with?

Art is a form of exploration, of sailing off into the unknown alone, heading for those unmarked places on the map. If children are not permitted—not taught—to be adventurers and explorers as children, what will become of the world of adventure, of stories, of literature itself?

as translated by google - thanks alain pierrot for the link

http://www.my-os.net/blog/index.php?2009/07/02/1313-albarracin-le-workshop

Here are the results of the Workshop with Spanish students in Albarracín.
Nous devions travailler sur des livres « à lecture combinatoire » et/ou interactifs. We had to work on books, reading combinatorial and / or interactive. L'idée étant de trouver une forme originale + une histoire faisant sens. The idea is to find an original + a meaningful story. Nous avons pu travailler pendant trois jours (de 16h30 à 20h30, juste après la sieste, et oui ce n'est pas une légende les espagnols font la sieste;-) We have been able to work for three days (from 16.30 to 20.30, just after a nap, and yes this is not a legend make the Spanish siesta ;-)
Voici donc quelques vidéos faites avec un petit appareil photo. Here are some videos made with a small camera.

Un livre qui se tresse. A book that braid.
d'Irati Fernández et Mariona Rodríguez, suivant la position des bandelettes l'histoire change totalement. Irati Mariona Rodríguez Fernández and, depending on the position of strips completely change history.

sixth sensation

Pattie Maes talks at TED - as recommended by traderseries at Media Futures Conference

publishing laid bare

I spoke at the Publishing Laid Bare conference on independent publishing last week and there's a report of it in the Bookseller HERE.

I'm about to go walking in Cumbria for a week or so, and may be out of blog, tweet and facebook range for a while - which will be a relief to many of you I'm sure, but to leave you, Dear Reader, with something to chew on...

We've been thinking for a while now about setting up an if:bookshop or an unlibrary, a place on the highstreet where we could experiment with different ways of promoting the word. A local place for people to bring their laptops and books to share them, get help using them most effectively and imaginatively, a venue for workshops, performance, exhibitions all about the word in the digital era. As a charity we could take over a closed down shop and experiment with new approaches. It's an idea we discussed at the Bookcamp some time ago at a session inspired by Dave Eggars' amazing bookplaces in the USA.

The problem is such a project involves a team of volunteers,lots of logistics and rotas and, of course, fundraising. It could be done with interns from an educational institution, or possibly in partnernship with a commercial company. We could do a trial residency in an existing venue or start from scratch.

Anyway I asked delegates at the conference last week if anyone wanted to collaborate, and I'm doing so again here now. If you do, leave details here.

stuff and things

This is a photo of Chimney Park in Dublin Docklands, designed by Snug & Outdoor and incorporating text I edited from the words of local schoolchildren. It was one of the slides that I didn't manage to show at the talk on monday held by Sarah Butler and Urban Words - I enjoyed the evening a lot.


Articles in the Guardian about the Open Library project, authors revenge via Twitter , and thanks to Sasha for spotting this on authors at the Brave New World blog.

from our postbag - bookukefutures

Dear Chris,
Just learned of your organization.
I have spent a lot of time thinking about this subject. I have given many lectures on the subject and have written several essays about my thoughts, which are on my web site. If you find any interesting let me know. I would like to be included in the dialogue.
http://www2.cruzio.com/~peteranddonna/5-future.htm

Also I have written a song about this.

Yours,

Peter

kidmapped by tim

Tim Wright, digital artist and Blakewalker for songs of imagination and digitisation, is walking in the footsteps of Kidnapped. Follow him and read along as you do at
http://www.timwright.typepad.com/kidmapper/