Books galore

This 1924 photo of an Egyptian bookseller is part of my collection of Lehnert & Landrock photos and heliogravures. This image was produced from an original L&L plate at the Cairo-based publisher and bookstore.

Is there such a thing as having too many books? I don't think so. Here's an excerpt from Australian poet's Zora Bernice May Cross's (1890-1964) take on the subject:

"Oh! Bury me in books when I am dead,
Fair quarto leaves of ivory and gold,
And silk octavos, bound in brown and red,
That tales of love and chivalry unfold.
Heap me in volumes of fine vellum wrought,
Creamed with the close content of silent speech;
Wrap me in sapphire tapestries of thought
From some old epic out of common reach.
I would my shroud were verse-embroidered too---
Your verse for preference—in starry stitch,
And powdered o’er with rhymes that poets woo,
Breathing dream-lyrics in moon-measures rich..."

Undoubtedly you're familiar with prize-winning photographer Steve McCurry's astonishing work in Southeast Asia and Afghanistan. His new book In the Shadow of Mountains, features gorgeous portraits, landscapes and street photography taken over the last 27 years in Afghanistan. It's published by Phaidon and you can order it here.

If you're not familiar with Jeffrey Yamaguchi's excellent ideas in 52 Projects, you should be! His book (and his blog) is chock-full of creative projects for everyone. Check out his new book Working for the Man. I suspect anyone who's ever worked in an office - particularly on software and computer development projects - will relate to Jeffrey's wry look at daily challenges in Cubicle Land.