LOVE A BOOK WITH A GREAT TITLE: LONELY BOY RIVER PHOENIX, GENIUS LADY JODIE FOSTER, PLEASURES AND TERRORS OF DOMESTIC COMFORT... AND NOW A NEW ENTRY IN THAT CHART, ROGER GASTMAN'S TOOLS OF CRIMINAL MISCHIEF.
Also happens to have an enormously aesthetically pleasing cover. Unless you are the parent of a graffiti writer yourself, in which case we can only sympathise. They really should tidy their room, agreed. This is, in truth, quite a messy graffiti book and that's what we like about it. It's not JR redecorating the Louvre, it's...
Photo by Cheryl Fair.
JAMONE aka SHAKEN in 1985, tagging up a rooftop vent.
In fact, the most opulent artwork is to be found in these Chicago graffiti artists' books, rather fetchingly presented on this three-piece suite. When it comes to the great outdoors, some writers prefer to express their adoration of other artists...
I HEART BRITNEY SPEARS from 1999 being a fine example :) Photo by NEWA.
Which is not to say that the book is all pop and no politics. Far from it. This Larry Graff photograph of the Harrison High School disorder in 1968 is given a great double page.
And it's topical too. At least in 1997, after Iron Mike bit off a chuck of Evander Holyfield's ear. Photo by Ivor Miller. It's all very actual and factual. Contextualised before it is idealised. We like it a lot. Of all contemporary-ish books (it was published and sold out in 2011), Tools Of Criminal Mischief is the real raw deal.
The author's room. Bethesda, Maryland. 1995. Sometimes the tools of the artist are the art in itself.
We have two copies of this book and, in time-honoured tradition of these newsletters, that pretty much accounts for all available copies in the world right now (IDEA 2 : Internet 0). You can buy them on the button below.
SUPERBOOKS & AMAZINES. COSEY FANNI TUTTI ADULT MAGAZINE COMPILATION ON THE RIGHT. ALONGSIDE KARLHEINZ WEINBERGER'S REFRIED JEANS. ONE THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED AND TWENTY FOUR IS THE LONG WAY TO WRITE DOWN HOW MANY SUPERBOOKS ARE UP ONLINE THIS WEEK. GET SHOPPING.
Wait. They get better!
Awesome fire power.
The best books in the recent history of the world no less. There are 1,300 more on the red button below.
THE IDEA SIGNED STORE. PAUL GRAHAM BEYOND CARING SIGNED IS A WORLD CLASS BOOK AND A HALF! LIKEWISE THE STREET PHOTOGRAPHS OF ROGER MAYNE, MARTIN PARR CALDERDALE!!! THESE ARE THE HISTORY BOOKS YOU SHOULD HAVE HAD AT SCHOOL. AND SIGNED TOO!!
Yes. All signed.
THIRTY times WOW and that is not even a third of it!
FORTY-FIVE times WOW and that is not even a quarter of it!
