Exercices de style

Exercices de Style by Raymond Queneau.

This has to be one of my most treasured books. What makes this so special is again collaboration. This time between the author (Raymond Queneau), the designer (Robert Massin) and the illustrator (Jacques Carelman). This edition published by Gallimard in the late 70's has all the quality and attention to detail that Massin brought the great french publishing house. 

The book takes the form of the same simple story firstly told in 99 ways using the original text by Queneau, supplemented and enhanced with typography and design by Massin. Then there are an additional 45 exercises by Carelman in which he explores the same simple story through illustrative styles.

Wonderful stuff. 

You can pick up an english translation if you're interested in the literary exercises, but alas none of the typography or illustration is included in this addition:  

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Exercises-Style-Raymond-Queneau/dp/0714542385

There's also a wonderful book on Massin, published by Phaidon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Massin-Laetitia-Wolff/dp/0714848115/

And for some more about Massin, Queneau, Oulipo and finding/collecting these books, check out this post over at Chancepress : http://chancepress.wordpress.com/2009/02/15/critical-massin-and-other-observations-about-book-collecting/

Atlas Press

Atlas Press are a small(ish) publishing house that specialize in avant garde literature. If it's Oulipian, 'pataphysics, Dada or Expressionist these guys are likely to publish it. I first found out about them when I discovered George Perec and the OuLiPo, and through their books I discovered the wonderful world of "anti tradition". I have a fair few of their books all of which are really inspiring and challenging but The Oulipo Winter Journeys is such a lovely edition I thought I'd post a couple of picks.

Some of the authors they publish include: Georges Perec, Raymond Queneau, Alfred Jarry, André Breton, Harry Matthews, Unica Zürn, as well as the output from the College of 'pataphysics. 

Atlas Press (http://www.atlaspress.co.uk), don't be put off by the poor quality site, the books are great.

Iraq war alternative regime change playing cards

Graphic design in the service of opposition, protest or giving a voice to those that don't have one has always been an interest of mine. I've got tonnes of stuff from politically charged individuals who use their talents to disrupt, upset and challenge the status quo. I'll be digging them out over the next few months.

The Regime Change Begins at Home playing cards were a lovely response to the US-led coalitions Most Wanted playing cards - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Most-wanted_Iraqi_playing_cards. The cards were designed by Noel Douglas, check out his site for more "Graphic Agitation" - http://www.noeldouglas.net/

You can still get them here: http://www.thenewpress.com/index.php?option=com_title&task=view_title&metaproductid=1511

The rather wonderful - I seem to be a verb

Here's another 'flip it round to read the other half' style book. This one is the brilliant I Seem to be a Verb by the legendary R. Buckminster Fuller. One of those magical social/utopianist paper backs from the end of the '60s. It's designed by Quentin Fiore who's book design work is spectacular - very much the designer as collaborator and co-creator. As with all of Fiore's work there are plenty of tricks with sequence and narrative. He uses two colours through out the book to split the bi-directional narrative. This is easily as good as the two books he created with Marshall McLuhan; War and Peace in the Global Village and The Medium is the Massage, but tend not to get the same attention. 

A great bit of book design. 

A Dictionary Story by Sam Winston

A few years back I saw some of Sam Winston's work at a Courtauld Institute show. He's London based and I really love his work, it ticks all the right boxes for me - language, literature, words, typography, process, patterns, story telling and humour. Last year I came across a kickstarter project (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1360225971/a-dictionary-story-art-book) to get A Dictionary Story published and could resist it. The resulting book is beautiful.

There's loads more work on his site http://www.samwinston.com/

Check out the Darwin pieces and Made Up True Story, great stuff.

Not only that but the Kickstarter option included this wonderful print.