Shelter for Lost Pages

I just got back from the Metro and I brought with me some interesting acquisitions. Thank God for epic bookshops; Thank God for amazing friends. Yeah!

11 May 2011

Actually I've already acquired a lot of bargain (and not-so-bargain) stuff since February, but I don't want to flood your browser with tons of pictures of used books. We'll do things slowly. So here we go:

Woot!

Booksale has a lot of cheap LoTR books. However, the collector in me avoids those covers with movie stills on them (like a picture of Orlando Bloom as Legolas, or Elijah Wood as Frodo). It kinda kills the imagination of the reader as it doesn't give you the freedom to visualize the characters through words -- instead you get a 'set' visualization already. The cover of this edition gives a good set-up, mood, and atmosphere for the story. I hope to find the other two books in this edition.

Here's another sequel book I got:

Back in the Metro I used to see these books by David Sedaris on special display shelves in Powerbooks. I wasn't really into creative non-fiction during those days and I simply ignored it. When I saw this in Booksale I couldn't help but buy it in an instant (will talk more about this book on my future posts). 

And here we have something from awesome indie comics creator Jeffrey Brown. I love Booksale for those random graphic novels they have.

I like Dalisay's Knowing is in the Writing. So this is an automatic buy for me:

This. Well, I tried reading the first few chapters and all I got was an unbearable chagrin. Will attempt to finish reading this before the end of the month.

And lastly, a book by Jose Saramago. Yey!

An Maogmang Lugar (roughly translated as "The Happy Place") has come a long way. Back in high school we used to get an issue every semester, and as far as I can remember I think I got published twice. I had fun being a part of this high school zine. I remember celebrating our Christmas party at our moderator's house (and how frustrated we were that we didn't get to drink any booze since we were all minors).

Back then the format was just simple: risographed pages all stapled together plus a glossy cover. Now, well, just take a look at this baby:

Damn, gold cover! And the inside pages look really awesome as well:

And they even have an art page!

Well played, Skull. Well played.

From www.pvponline.com

Aw man, it’s been over a month and I haven’t a posted single update on this blog. My bad, my bad. I do apologize for my lack of posting. I promise to make it up to you with more posts.

Anyways, I’ve been thinking about adding more stuff here. Stuff like events, book launches, literary gatherings, reviews, previews, and whatnot.
You see, while I was away from this blog I’ve been participating in various literary events inside and outside the four walls of the university. I’ve been in two poetry readings already and right now I’m revamping this little literary organization I’ve started just last year (more updates on this one soon).

I’ve also started writing again (aside from blogging) and I feel like a rusty old robot. I really miss writing short stories and articles. And I think that, at age twenty five (getting older by the second!), this is high time for me to actually get fucking serious about the craft. I mean, I love writing, but certain confidence issues have barred me from actually participating in the world of literature.

I’m actually quite happy that I’ve recently met a group of young writers hear in Naga. We learn from each other through mini-workshops and other stuff. We also get drunk together, and that’s important, hehe.

So there ya go! I’ll post my latest book haul (received from the whole month of March) within the week. That’s a promise.

It's been a while since I've rented something from The Black Market. And when I passed by the place a few days ago I was surprised to see this on the shelf. 

(Too bad they still don't have a copy of A Clockwork Orange)

Anyways, if you're a budding poet and you want to know more about the craft then I highly recommend that you should watch Howl. The film has three segments (Ginsberg's bio, the animation [almost literal interpretation] of the poem, plus a critique and discourse of Howl [with insights with regards to freedom of speech and literature), all of which are juxtaposed responsibly. 

I think I got lucky yesterday when I saw three awesome books at Booksale. The beginning of a good [book]hunting season perhaps?

I usually collect this series so this one is a no-brainer. Also, Joyce Carol Oates!

Despite all the harsh criticisms with regards to the works of Laura Esquivel I kinda like her first hit Like Water for Chocolate. Maybe this will make me change my mind? Also I saw a hardbound version of this one a few months ago but it wasn't translated.

Aaand lastly here's a book by Penelope Fitzgerald. I remember buying The Bookshop as my random pick and I really loved how bittersweet the story was. I wanted to write to her actually, only to find out that she had already passed away. Sad. 

"What we learn in time of pestilence: that there are more things to admire in men than to despise."
- The Narrator (From Albert Camus's The Plague) 

I think this is off season for good books at the bargain bin. So far I only got two, but they're actually interesting enough to cancel out my disappointment.

First up is Graphic Witness. This awesome heavy sonafabitch contains four "Graphic Novels" with woodblocks as their medium of choice.

It's really interesting as the author puts a chapter of interesting history about the authors/woodblocks with some samples of popular tools used for producing the woodcuts. Some pictures are uploaded for your viewing pleasure.

This one is a random pick. The artcle about Robert Crumb got my attention. The selection inside is awesome.

Strange. There seems to be a drought of good finds in the bargain bin lately. So far this is the only awesome stuff I saw at Booksale:

This is actually the first artbook in my collection.

There are a lot of goodies in the book, especially in the last few pages (a layout of Capcom's art department office, some tutorials on coloring, a mini-manga, etc...)

Too bad it's in Japanese. I can't understand anything.