UNEMPLOYED DESIGNER
You didn’t think we would give away three bestselling books without pairing them with a stunning set of bookends, did you? Of course not. We know many of you make a side game of predicting who or what we will feature in the month, so for those of you who guessed bookends, it’s time to give yourselves a hearty pat on the back. Of course, we could be giving away a month of car parts and we would still figure a way to feature these hip little book huggers by Kim Bonner of Unemployed Designer. And it’s not just because the image shows Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose, one of my all-time favorite novels. Fabulous finds wait for no theme.
These leather bookends are as bright as Kim Bonner’s life philosophy. The unemployed designer opened up her lemonade stand in 2009 and put to use the design and sewing skills she has been honing since her first completed garment at six years of age. Having learned from her mother the importance of quality materials and construction, Bonner strives to make each piece look professionally produced. To that end, these books ends are constructed with thick, gold-pigmented cowhide and stuffed with pea-sized gravel for heft–a must for those of us who prefer heavy tomes. A look at her shop makes clear this eye for detail and professional excellence extends all throughout Bonner’s work. We’re not ones to will ill at The Bright Side Project, but we can’t say we would be devastated if Bonner were to stay Unemployed for a little while longer.
Unemployed Designer is giving away to one winner a Pair of Bookends in Modern Pebbled Leather to one lucky winner. The fun part? Kim Bonner decided she couldn’t possibly choose the best answer, so we’ve decided to let this one go to the random generator.
Here is how we are going to do it. We know many of you LOVE answering the questions and like to transfer your answers to a journal later on or even discuss answers with your friends over morning coffee at work. So, we are going to have a question here for you to answer as an additional entry, if you like. Otherwise, it’s the usual random generator business. Comment whatever you like and post to Facebook, Twitter, or your blog for each additional entry. Come back and let us know in the comments what you did. Here is the OPTIONAL question you need to answer by Thursday, January 21, 2010.
What book is at the top of your list to read this year?
Please check back on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 to see who the random number generator picked. Good Luck!
The Bible is my first daily read, and I am sending for Still Alice by Lisa Genova. My own mother has Alzheimers and my sister has recommended it to me.
As a librarian (and former bookseller) I’ve picked up lots of used books and galleys over the years, and have probably 100 books mixed in on my bookshelves that I have never read. If I could manage to read even 10 of them this year without adding any more to the collection, leaving me with a net gain of minus 10 books on the “to read” list. :)
with a toddler in tow and a new baby on the way….i’ll be happy to have time to read any fiction novel!!
these bookends are so cute! I have too many books I want to read to list! I am currently reading and have been excited to read Half-Broke Horses by Jeanette Wells. Her first book, The Glass Castle, is one of my most favorites!
I am always trying to catch up on my teen reads… I have been totally into the Uglies trilogy by Scott Westerfield. However, when I finished the third book, and was bummed not to have anything new to read. Until, lo and behold, he added a fourth book to his “trilogy” stating in the dedication, “For those who taught me the ’secret meaning’ of trilogy”.. Gotta love that!
I’m reading the bible this year to finally cross it off the bucket list. But I also really want to finish my goal or reading all the banned books. I’m about halfways through and need to get done before more get added on!!!
Abundance by Sena Jeter Naslund and Get Out of That Pit by Beth Moore
When Men Win Glory by Jon Krakauer. It is the story of Pat Tillman, a NFL play that left fame to fight for the army in Iraq, and who was killed by friendly fire. It is supposed to be very political and moving. I have read a lot of nonfiction by Jon Krakauer and enjoy the way he mixes fact and narrative.
Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters. Yes, I want to read it because I have classy taste in literature!
I want to run a James Joyce marathon.
Of all the questions to put with a random generator! This is such a good question, and it’s all up to chance. Oh well. The book that’s on the top of my reading list this year is The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner. I’ve had it for a couple of years and haven’t worked up the courage to tackle it yet, but I just read the sparknotes for it (not something I usually do before reading a book, but it was recommended for this one because it’s so abstract in content and style) and I think it’s about time. I just have to finish Ivanhoe first.
Sadly enough…Computer Networking: A Top Down Approach….
but in my secret me time, I’m reading Devil in the White City.
Oh my! These make my heart so happy! Book at the top of my list. I’m going to be honest and dorky – I’ve been dying to re-read the Harry Potter series ;)
design of everyday things
my psychology textbooks. that’s all I’ll have time for!
“The Brotherhood”, an old paperback I found in an op shop about the history of the Freemasons. Hopefully I can learn the right secret handshakes, wink and ask ‘How’s your Granny?’ to gain entry into the secret society!
The new E.L. Doctorow book (forget the title)
“The Sheltering Sky” has been my favorite read within the past year.
A book that takes you inside the characters as they travel in country that
is foreign to them in every way.
I have a huge book pile which are to be read but the one I am most interested in is My Life As a Side Effect (Living with Depression) by MiLosa Deitz. As someone who has sufferred from and is sufferring from depression I think this book will be a eye opener and something that I can strongly relate to.
I’ve just been listening to my grandma tell me about my family history in Ireland and she has given me ‘out of ireland’ to read, I can’t wait to get stuck into it.
I just Facebook statused the BSP AND I’m also reminding people (if they can) to donate $10 to the Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti by texting “Haiti” to 90999. Bright Side + helping others = good facebook status.
“La regina dei castelli di carta” by Stieg Larsson, that I’m currently reading.
My top book for the year is the long awaited 7th book in Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander Series, “An Echo in the Bone” (which my grandmother sent to me – the first three) in high school. These books are so amazingly crafted – incorporating the most delicious historical fiction with just enough romance (trust me they are NOT Romance books). I love these books so much that I buy used paperbacks of the set whenever I find them and store them until I have a set. As soon as a friend tells me s/he is looking for a new series I hand them the set to keep. I’ve given out at least five sets so far!
You can find my blog post at
http://homegrown-insanity.blogspot.com/2010/01/my-most-awaited-read-of-2010.html
West With the Night by Beryl Markham. This book is still in my room in the house where I grew up and every time I go home, I manage to read it again. It is an amazing story about a female pilot in Africa.
Twilight series…I know, I know!
Posted to my twitter too :)
I want to read The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe. My dad gave this book to a younger family friend a few years back, saying it summed up the 60s perfectly and that it was one of his favorite reads. Ever since I’ve been intrigued by this book wanting to hopefully learn more about my dad by reading it. Unfortunately, every time I walk into a bookstore I forget to look for it. It’s almost too the point that I need to tattoo the title on my arm just so I finally remember to pick up a copy.
The book at the top of my list is “Master your Metabolism” by Jillian Michaels. I love how knowledgeable she is and how committed she is to really changing lives and making the world healthier!
The Time Traveler’s Wife
My top of the list book is “Color Purple” its a great book to read by all.
Lovely Bones – again…I want to enjoy the book one more time before I see the movie.
Pick me… I never win.. :*(
I have several on my ‘must read’ list, but on my bookshelf waits a memoir,”My Lobotomy”…
Unfortunately, my time has not been my own lately, but hopefully soon.
I want to read more books by T. Greenwood
Making Babies: a proven 3 Month Plan for Maximum Fertility
This is a book that came out a few years back, but having read reviews and excerpts, I am looking forward to diving into the book titled ‘Pi”.
“Autobiography of a Yogi,” by Paramahansa Yogananda. “Einstein” by Walter Isaacson. “A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style” by the fabulous Tim Gunn.
A guidebook for France…I’m off to Nice in April and want to start enjoying the anticipation now.
My Facebook status is: Jenn doesn’t want to seem insensitive, but thinks we should take care of the homeless in the US before we worry about the homeless in Haiti.
I understand that people over there need help, but there are so many Americans that need help on a daily basis that I think more should be done on a regular basis and NOT just when catastrophe strikes.
And, on my list to read this year is the final book in the Dark Tower series by Stephen King. I’ve actually put off reading this book for a couple of years because I don’t want the series to end, but I think it’s time to move on.
the Bible, because I’ve only read parts of it, never all of it the whole way through.
These are the most sumptuous book ends I’ve ever seen! I’m reading Blue Latitudes by Tony Horwitz… the author retraces the adventurous steps of Captain Cook to the previously uncharted waters of the Pacific to Australia and beyond. An exciting voyage of discovery!
I love these!
War and Peace.
Well actually any as I don’t get much time with the baby! I would love to be able to sit down and read something, anything!
“Dexter by Design”…I need to go pick it up at the public library….
I started The Enchantress of Florency by Salman Rushdie, and finishing that is my first book task of 2010.
I really want to read walden. And I really need some bookends.
I’m waiting on the new Daniel Silva book it comes out in July so i’ve got a bit of a wait but I’m sure I’ll find a few others in the meantime :).
Any book from Italo Calvino.