Favorite New Find: Scout Books

Rebecca and I met for a coffee yesterday at our little local coffee shop, Sagebrush Cafe, to catch up, talk about the blog, and to relax.  We both have pretty busy schedules, so it was nice to be able to sit down and talk with no interruptions (except for the somewhat nosy customer next to us who kept eavesdropping every time Rebecca opened her mouth!).
Anyway, while we were there, while I was waiting to order (a delicious salami, pesto, and artichoke panini, by the way), I poked around their little book section.  That is one of the things I like about this little cafe, besides that it is locally owned and operated- it also sells works from local artists and has a small (read: bookcase!) selection of literature for sale.  So while I was in line I spotted these tiny little books for $4 each.

available at Scout Books

How cute is that?!  From the back of the book:

"American Shorts pairs ten must-read authors with ten contemporary illustrators in the pocket-friendly Scout Book format, breathing new life into classic stories.  Each volume is a perfect fit for literature lovers, design connoisseurs  or anyone who could use a good read on the go."

illustration from the book; by artist Tom Neely

I am a fan of Poe.  I loved studying him under the tutelage (not a big fan of that word, but it works well here!) of my favorite professor, Dr. Frye.  I used to have a class with Dr. Frye in which we would study some of the works of Poe, and then I would go to my own class and share the insights I had learned with my own students.  They were only 6th graders, but I do believe I introduced quite a few of my students to a master of literature, and got them to appreciate his work!    They would beg me to bring in copies of his work to read in class.  They especially loved "The Pit and the Pendulum."  (That is a great short story if you haven't read it yet!)  This little book would be a perfect way to introduce some great literature to a younger audience.  The artwork makes it really fresh and fun.

Scout Books seems like a pretty cool little publisher.  They have other titles under this series; Sagebrush was also selling "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.  

OR you can order their box set of 10 American classics.

Vol. 1 “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by Ambrose Bierce

Illustrated by François Vigneault

Vol. 2 “Rip Van Winkle” by Washington Irving

Illustrated by Bwana Spoons

Vol. 3 “The Jelly-Bean” by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Illustrated by Vanessa Davis

Vol. 4 “The Story of an Hour” and Other Stories by Kate Chopin

Illustrated by Gemma Correll

Vol. 5 “Eve’s Diary” by Mark Twain

Illustrated by Meg Hunt

Vol. 6 “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Illustrated by Aaron Renier

Vol. 7 “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Illustrated by Zack Soto

Vol. 8 “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe

Illustrated by Tom Neely

Vol. 9 “To Build a Fire” by Jack London

Illustrated by Michael Hsiung

Vol. 10 “The Gift of the Magi” and Other Stories by O. Henry

Illustrated by Kate Bingaman-Burt

I will fully admit that I just got a little bit lazy there and copied that straight from the Scout Books website.  But take a look at that list!  I really want the Hawthorne book.  I love that story.  (Rebecca did a post about Hawthorne here.)

from "Young Goodman Brown"
buy it here

You can also buy regular, lined notebooks.  You get to add the big ideas inside.  I always have a little notebook with me to jot down ideas.  Size is key.  It has to be small enough that I can easily throw it in my purse, but not so small that it is hard to write in.  Scout Books to the rescue!  They have cute printed notebooks just waiting to be written in.

Of course I love this animal print notebook!

Lovely Lace Notebook

Or if you are feeling super creative, you can create your own little book!  You can create your custom notebook (and choose the paper that goes inside, like lined or blank), or you can make a real book.  That option is pricey, but how cool is that?!

~Lori

The Birthmark

Anthology with "The Birthmark."

  Since the world began, humanity has been obsessed with the pursuit of perfection, and so follows advancements in science.  Where are the boundaries in terms of nature and human intervention?  How much should we "improve" on what is natural?  I am being purposefully vague here, because one might take this idea in many different directions.  Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1868) wrote when scientific advancements were becoming fast paced, affecting everyone's lives for the better or worse.  The story "The Birthmark" explores the humanistic question of ethical boundaries; a relevant question even today.  "The Birthmark" is an allegory of a young scientist and his beautiful wife.  She has a birthmark on her cheek and he sees this mark as an imperfection that mars her otherwise flawless face.  He convinces her to allow him to remove the mark and in the end he accidentally kills her, although the mark is removed and she is "perfect" at last.

I think this discussion is relevant in so many ways, but when it comes to beauty I think there is a lot that should be said. Woman are encouraged to fight their natural body shape in order to be acceptably thin.  Plastic surgery procedures have become commonplace, yet I would like to see more women celebrated for their individuality.  I myself am far from classically beautiful, (in fact I am pretty average) but I think that the defects I have make me unique.  The same might be said for those who are beautiful and iconic but might not fit a certain mold for their time:  take a look!

Marilyn Monroe's mole was real, but in her early photos
it was covered up with make-up.  She later enhanced it.

+

Audrey Hepburn was considered too skinny in the days of
Marilyn curves.  She also had crooked teeth.

Cindy Crawford was advised to have her mole removed; the smart girl refused.

Kate Moss was told that she is too short.

Model Lara Stone says she loses work because
at a size 4 she is considered too fat.

I need to take my own advice here as well, but it is worth being reminded that where physical beauty is concerned, nature knows best. Just as these beautiful women prove.