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A Book All About Ink! Anyone Interested In An Online Book Discussion?


Just I

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Hello all!

 

I attended a book launch/reading last night for "The Social Life of Ink", a new book by Ted Bishop. It is being released on October 28, but if the book is anywhere near as good as the talk he gave, it is going to be fascinating. The audience got to help make an iron-gall ink which was used to sign books after the reading. (I am a digital reader for non-art books and sadly have to wait for the Kobo edition next week so no photos of our ink.) He discussed a bit of ink history and how fountain pens are making a comeback. I have never been part of a book club but thought it might be fun to read the book along with fellow ink enthusiasts.

 

Trigger Alert: the book will discuss traumatic ink events such as the invention of ballpoints. :D

 

No affiliation, I'm just a geeky reader.

 

Publisher's Description:

 

A rich and imaginative discovery of how ink has shaped culture and why it is here to stay

Ink is so much a part of daily life that we take it for granted, yet its invention was as significant as the wheel. Ink not only recorded culture, it bought political power, divided peoples, and led to murderous rivalries. Ancient letters on a page were revered as divine light, and precious ink recipes were held secret for centuries. And, when it first hit markets not so long ago, the excitement over the disposable ballpoint pen equalled that for a new smartphone—with similar complaints to the manufacturers.

Curious about its impact on culture, literature, and the course of history, Ted Bishop sets out to explore the story of ink. From Budapest to Buenos Aires, he traces the lives of the innovators who created the ballpoint pen—revolutionary technology that still requires exact engineering today. Bishop visits a ranch in Utah to meet a master ink-maker who relishes igniting linseed oil to make traditional printers’ ink. In China, he learns that ink can be an exquisite object, the subject of poetry, and a means of strengthening (or straining) family bonds. And in the Middle East, he sees the world’s oldest Qur’an, stained with the blood of the caliph who was assassinated while reading it.

An inquisitive and personal tour around the world, The Social Life of Ink asks us to look more closely at something we see so often that we don’t see it at all.

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That sounds fascinating! And how cool that y'all got to make an I-G ink!

 

ETA: Poo, I don't see it on Amazon.com. Perhaps it's only releasing in Canada on 10/28. (It does show up on Amazon.ca.)

Edited by swanjun
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Dang it... not on Amazon for the Kindle. I have it read to me while I doodle.

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I was there too, but I guess we didn't see each other! It was a really fun night. Ted rules and the bits of the book I have read so far have been hilarious and super interesting. Portions of interviews with Nathan Tardif and Richard Binder!

 

My favourite part of him making the iron gall ink was when he didn't have something to stir so used a Bic instead.

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I'm looking forward to it. Amazon doesn't have it as pre order yet.

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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That sounds fascinating! And how cool that y'all got to make an I-G ink!

 

ETA: Poo, I don't see it on Amazon.com. Perhaps it's only releasing in Canada on 10/28. (It does show up on Amazon.ca.)

That is odd, it shows up on my amazon.com as a kindle option. Perhaps it is just the paperback?

 

I was there too, but I guess we didn't see each other! It was a really fun night. Ted rules and the bits of the book I have read so far have been hilarious and super interesting. Portions of interviews with Nathan Tardif and Richard Binder!

 

My favourite part of him making the iron gall ink was when he didn't have something to stir so used a Bic instead.

I didn't know if I was going to be able to make it until about 5 minutes before I had to leave - just that kind of month :-). I kept an eye out for you in case you could make it, but it was pretty busy. Did you get your book signed? I would love to see the ink at the next meeting (hint hint).

 

It sounds really a great reading. A must have.

Where can we get it, please?

It read the first chapter last night, and so far pretty fascinating. I got it at Kobo.com but I also it on Amazon for the Kindle and apple for iBooks.

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Dang it, I tried to buy it from the Canadan website, but Amazon.com has already captured me so I'm limited to my country. If it doesn't publish soon, I'll consider Kobo.

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I didn't know if I was going to be able to make it until about 5 minutes before I had to leave - just that kind of month :-). I kept an eye out for you in case you could make it, but it was pretty busy. Did you get your book signed? I would love to see the ink at the next meeting (hint hint).

 

No worries! I totally get it. Yeah, it was super busy. I actually ran into some friends of mine who'd had him as a prof, which was cool. I did! I complimented his TWSBI, though, so he ended up signing with that and not the dip pen. He can't make it to the meeting in November, but maybe we should get him to bring some ink to the next one he can attend!

 

 

Dang it, I tried to buy it from the Canadan website, but Amazon.com has already captured me so I'm limited to my country. If it doesn't publish soon, I'll consider Kobo.

 

That's bizarre. I know I can buy from either site (and have separate accounts and everything) but maybe you can't do that if you're in the States (???)

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