Tuesday 22 March 2022

Rooms of Their Own: Where Great Writers Write

My latest book, Rooms of Their Own, is out next month (but of course pre-orderable from your local bookshop and the other usual suspects). I think all readers of Bookshelf will enjoy it. Here's some information about it, plus a couple of sample spreads featuring the work of the highly talented illustrator James Oses.

Rooms of Their Own travels around the world examining the unique spaces, habits and rituals in which famous writers created their most notable works. 

The perennial question asked of all authors is, 'How do you write?'. What do they require of their room or desk? Do they have favourite pens, paper or typewriters? And have they found the perfect daily routine to channel their creativity? Crossing centuries, continents and genres, Alex Johnson has pooled 50 of the best writers and transports you to the heart of their writing rooms – from attics and studies to billiard rooms and bathtubs.

Discover the ins and outs of how each great writer penned their famous texts, and the routines and habits they perfected. Meet authors who rely on silence and seclusion and those who need people, music and whisky. Meet novelists who travel half-way across the world to a luxury writing retreat, and others who just need an empty shed at the bottom of the garden. Some are particular about pencils, inks, paper and typewriters, and some will scribble on anything – including the furniture. But whether they write in the library or in cars, under trees, private islands, hotel rooms or towers – each of these stories confirms that there is no 'best way' to write.

From James Baldwin, writing in the small hours of the morning in his Paris apartment, to DH Lawrence writing at the foot of a towering Ponderosa pine tree, to the Brontë sisters managing in a crowded co-working space, this book takes us into the lives of some of history's greatest ever writers, with each writing space illustrated in evocative watercolour by James Oses.

In looking at the working lives of our favourite authors, bibliophiles will be transported to other worlds, aspiring writers will find inspiration and literature fans will gain deeper insight into their most-loved authors.



 

 

Monday 21 March 2022

Mogg Metrica bookcase


 
The pieces are composed by iron rod in burnished or titanium finishings, with glass shelves in bronze or green reflective finish. The simple structure utilizes the industrial processing of the cadenced rod, in diverse diameters, according to a rhythmic partition. The essential volume is delineated thanks to the match of straight lines: the rhythm is punctuated by the rods positioned at different intervals on a seemingly rigorous structure whithin which the books and the inserted objects complete the shape by writing new compositions from time to time. 


Tuesday 15 March 2022

Cloud bookshelf


Our bookshelves are often occupied by a number of books which we have finished or would not read these days; while those in often use always can be seen on our desks and sofa, or around pillows. Can we just break the routine by creating a temporary book shelf to place the books you having been reading? Cloud Bookshelf is such an invention to take in unfinished books or those for constant checking.It has two parts: the “cloud” used to place books and the “raindrop” functioned as a bookmark. “Cloud” can record the books that you have been reading; “raindrop” shows you the exact place where you have left. 

Qinmian Design



Monday 14 March 2022

Writing Shed postcard fundraiser for Ukraine

Dinah Johnson who runs the marvellous Handwritten Letter Appreciation Society from her writing shed garden office has organised a postcard fundraiser for the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Appeal.

It's a simple idea. You donate £5 and Dinah sends you - wherever you live in the world - a lovely postcard of her Letter Writing Shed written by her, the founder. All proceeds (after postage) go to the appeal to help the people of Ukraine. You can pay at her site by PayPal by clicking here or if you live in the UK you can also send a cheque made payable to “The Handwritten Letter Appreciation Society” to PO Box 9347, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 9BG.

"Thank you so much for considering sponsoring a postcard," says Dinah. "Writing postcards is one thing I know I can do."

We've done it here at Bookshelf and we hope you will consider doing so too.

Wednesday 9 March 2022