Reading Frenzy ~ An Independent Press Emporium

May 31, 2008:

We're not quite sure when it happened, but sometime between 3-7PM on Wednesday, April 30th or 11-9PM on Thursday, May 1st someone stole a rare, out-of-print 1st edition of Berlin Years by Marcel Dzama valued at $850 from behind the counter. We're spreading the word among customers and other booksellers with the hope that something might turn up.

I'd like to take this moment to articulate my feelings about people who rip off small businesses -- especially purpose driven business that provide community services and resources -- but I'm too pissed. That book belonged to me -- an hard-working individual who deserves and depends on the occasional perk that comes along. That book could have paid nearly a month's rent or covered a myriad of other things that I get by without in order to keep our doors open.

If this pisses you off as much as it does me, I encourage you to a) have thoughtful conversations with your sticky fingered friends about supporting small businesses and b) come make a splurge or buy a gift certificate at the shop to help us make up for the loss. 

ART, DESIGN & PHOTOGRAPHY

• The 1000 Journals Project by Someguy

• Angura: Posters of the Japanese Avant-Garde by David G. Goodman

• The Buddy System by Barry McGee aka Twist

• Gary Panter (two hardcover books in slipcase) by Gary Panter

• Graffiti Paris by Fabienne Grevy

• The Guerilla Art Kit by Keri 

• Icons: Pierre et Gilles

• Illustrations from the Inside: The Beat Within, Louise E.V. Nevaer, editor

• Live Through This: Creativity and Self-Destruction, Sabrina Chapadjiev, editor

• Martian Museum of Terrestrial Art: Encyclopedia of Terrestrial Life Volume VIII by Francesco Manacorda, Lydia Yee, Tom McCarthy

• Peel: The Art of the Sticker (hardcover) by Dave Combs and Holly Combs

• Revisionaries: A Decade of Art in Tokion by various

• Street Sketchbook by Tristan Manco

• Undigested Kernel by Scott Harrison

• The World of Tattoo: An Illustrated History by Maarten Hesselt Van Dinter

• You Are Here: Personal Geographies and Other Maps of the Imagination by Katherine Harmon

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

• All We Ever Do is Talk About Wood by Tom Horacek

• Amore Y Cohetes by the Bros Hernandez

• Apocolypse Nerd by Peter Bagge

• Comic Arf: The Unholy Marriage of Art & Comics

• Dororo V. 1 by Osamu Tezuka

• The Heartbreak Diet: A Story of Family, Fidelity and Starting Over by Thorina Rose

• Mome #1

• Nozone #9: Empire

• Perry Bible Fellowship: The Trial of Colonel Sweeto and Other Stories by Nicholas Gurewitch

• Three Shadows by Cyril Pedrosa

PERIODICALS

• Anthem Magazine #34: Music Special

• Believer #53

• Cabinet #29

• Maximum Rocknroll #301

• McSweeney's #26: New Stories from Overseas, From Our Shores, Where to Invade Next 

• Wax Poetics #28

NATURE

 

• The Backyard Birdsong Guide: Eastern and Central North America (hardcover with audio) by Donald Kroodsma

• The Backyard Birdsong Guide: Western North America (hardcover with audio) by Donald Kroodsma

• Big Foot: I Not Dead by Graham Roumieu

• A Cabinet of Natural Curiosities by Albertus Seba

KID'S BOOKS

• Bagel's Lucky Hat by Hector Mumbly and Dave Cooper

• Castaway Pirates: A Pop-Up Tale of Bad Luck, Sharp Teeth and Stinky Toes by Ray Marshall and Wilson Swain

• Kaput & Zosky by Lewis Trondheim and Eric Cartier

QUALITY SMUT

• Charlotte Webb's Pillow Book by Charlotte Webb

• Decadence: Japanese Fetish Art by Carol Gnojewski

• The Devil's Whisper by Henri Breton and Mario Tauzin

• Erotic Flashback by Michael Berkowitz

• Modern Vixens by Octavio C. Arizala

• Neo Shunga: Japanese Pop Erotica by various

• Obscene Interiors by Justin Jorgensen 

• Pop-Up Book of Sex by Balvis Rubess and Kees Moerbeck

• Pretty Things: Burlesque Queens by Liz Goldwyn

• Sexcats by C. R. Mealie

• Stacked Decks: Erotic Playing Cards edited by Mark Lee Rotenberg, 

• Visions from Within the Mechanism by Jeffrey Scott

DIY/CRAFTS

• Domiknitrix: Whip Your Knitting Into Shape by Jennifer Stafford

• Make Your Own Sex Toys by Matt Pagett

• Naughty Needles: Sexy, Saucy Knits for the Bedroom and Beyond by Nikol Lohr

• Stitch-It Kit by Jenny Hart

FICTION

   

• The Learners by Chip Kidd

• No one Belongs Here More Than You: Stories by Miranda July (softcover) 

• Train Wreck Girl: A Novel by Sean Carswell

FOOD & DRINK

• Moonshine! by Matthew B. Rowley

• Face Food: The Visual Creativity of Japanese Bento Boxes by Christopher D. Salyers

• Icons: Kitchen Kitsch edited by Joe Heimann

QUEER NOTIONS

• Transgender History by Susan Stryker

• Virgin Sperm Dancer edited by William Levy

MISCELLANEOUS

• Amanda Visell Stationery: Don't Eat Paper

• Ants Have Sex in Your Beer by David Shrigley

• A Cabinet of Medical Curiosities by Jan Bondeson

• Icons: Alchemy and Mysticism by Alexander Roob

• Icons: See the World by various

• This Means This This Means That: A User's Guide to Semiotics by Sean Hall

May 09, 2008: On Tuesday, May 20th at 6PM zine readers, zine writers, and the zine-curious are invited to the 2nd floor of the Central Library to celebrate the expansion of Multnomah County Library's zine holdings with exciting new titles and browsing collections in three more neighborhood libraries at a Zine Social! Rub elbows with fellow zinesters, partake of light refreshments, and pick up a copy of the latest edition of "PDX Zines: Where to Find Zines in Portland". 

Making Friends the Old Fashioned Way: Through Self Publishing! In this two hour long workshop at Central Library, on May 31st, 2-4PM, participants will be introduced to the what, how and whys of self publishing with local comic artist and zine maven Nicole J. Georges. Focusing in particular on personal zines and diary comics, participants will review examples and get to work on their own personal comic, the beginnings of which will be photocopied and handed out at the end of the day! More info here.

May 08, 2008: The IPRC spring catalog is out! It's chock-full of workshops as well as founder interviews with Rebecca Gilbert and your faithful proprietress! The IPRC turned 10 this year, so they have all sorts of special events and exhibits going on. If you've always meant to check it out, now is a good time! 

May 07, 2008: Special guests Jim Woodring, Michael Gagne, and Jeffrey Brown will be in attendance for the 7th Annual Olympia Comics Festival. Click here for more information.

May 07, 2008: Join us this Friday, May 9th, 8PM when members of Portland's vibrant music scene will escape their bands to do 15-20 minute solo sets, offering them and their fans a chance to experience a different side of their music.

The escapees include Brandon Summers (The Helio Sequence), Jeremy Wilson (Dharma Bums/Pilot), Nann Allemann (Spigot), Sam Coomes (Quasi), Sarah Dougher, Jennifer Lynn, Leigh Marble, Carson McWhirter (Hella/The Advantage), and Tara Jane Oneil. Next door at Backspace we'll also be presenting an all-ages show with Hutch and Kathy of The Thermals, Iretsu and Ghost to Falco.

The admission price of $10 gets you into both shows and proceeds benefit the IPRC! Tickets available through the IPRC, Reading Frenzy (cash only) or on-line at brownpapertickets.com.

Some Day Lounge 125 NW 5th Ave. (21+)
Backspace 115 NW 5th Ave. (all ages)

May 03, 2008: Had some fun at the Experimental Filmmaker Karaoke Throwdown last night, loved some of the work in Surreal Systems -- the video installation exhibit at galleryHomeland (Ford Building, 2505 SE 11th Ave.), especially Winter Tour by Terry Chatkupt and The Glass Whale by Leif Peterson.

I'm going to miss the shorts program today, but if I could make it I would be especially excited to see The More Things Stay The Same by Marc Moscato, Trail Memories by Terry Chatkupt, and The Problem with Machines That Communicate by Matt McCormick.

Today, not to be missed! 3:15PM -- The Universal Language: A PowerPoint Presentation by Sam Green & Carrie Lozano and at 9PM: Peripheral Produce Invitational VII!

More details here. More updates later...

xc

May 01, 2008: NOW IN STOCK...

• Applicant by Jesse Reklaw
• The Art of Lapdancing by Peekaboo
• The Big, Bad Wolf and Me by Delphine Perret
• Bidoun #14
• Duplex Planet #182
• Feeding The Whole Family: Recipes for Babies, Young Children and Their Parents by Cynthia Lair
• Giant Robot #53
• Girls Like Us (GLU) #7: Spring 2008
• Grass Stained Twilight by Todd McHatton
• Headpress #27
• Heeb Magazine #16
• Injury #2 by Ted May
• Jamestown by Matthew Sharpe
• Mama + Baby: Set of Four Archival Prints by Nikki McClure
• Mass Appeal #50
• On Subbing by Dave Roche
• Papercutter #7
• Pokin' Round the Gorge: Sexy-Romantic Guide for Gorge Lovers by Scott Cook
• Quakeland by Francesca Lia Block
• Red Bat Press Restock including Bridge and Bird Sets
• Slow Food Nation: Why Our Food Should Be Good, Clean and Fair by Carlo Petrini
• Street Art Chile by Rod Palmer
• Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System by Raj Patel
• This is Britain by Miroslav Sasek
• This is New York by Miroslav Sasek
• This is San Francisco by Miroslav Sasek
• This is Texas by Miroslav Sasek
• Uruwaza: Secret Everyday Tips from Japan by Lisa Katayama, Joel Holland
• Zinesters Guide to Portland

May 01, 2008: Check out the blurb Kevin Sampsell wrote in The Portland Mercury about Jamestown by Matthew Sharpe, then come see Matthew read this Wednesday, May 14th 7PM at Reading Frenzy! 

May 01, 2008: Well, this is an historic event! Since 1994 we've only had one or two part-time paid staff positions and those positions have always been filled by myself and the senior volunteer (we've only had 7 employees in nearly 14 years!). Our current paid staff member is off to Alaska for the summer and all our volunteers are all gainfully employed and/or in school, so the spot is up for grabs!

This low-paying, yet highly coveted position is obviously not a longterm career solution, but could be a great steppingstone into the world of bookselling, independent publishing, journalism and general small business operations. Previous paid and volunteer staff have gone on to start their own business ventures, as well as work for Powell's, Stumptown Coffee, Portland Mercury and other illustrious local companies due at least in small part to their Reading Frenzy experience and recommendation.

• Job title: Entry-level book and zine seller.
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• Job description: Reading Frenzy, an internationally celebrated specialty bookshop devoted to independent media and alternative press, is looking for a part-time entry level book and zine seller. Schedule will include closing shifts and Saturdays. Starting wage is $8.50 per hour. Perks include a staff discount, lots of freebies, and a membership to the IPRC. 
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• Requirements: Applicants must be 18 years of age or older, have at least four years retail or customer service experience, enjoy working with people, have a flexible schedule, and an unbridled enthusiasm for independent media, small press, self-publishing and DIY culture. Must be able to make a one year commitment to position. Must also have legible handwriting and be comfortable with computers, cash registers, and credit card machines. Will be responsible for opening and/or closing shop, basic daily operations and sales, managing consignment accounts, running errands, light bookkeeping, processing mail orders and updating online catalog.

• Bonus Points: bookstore experience, creative writing skills, graphic design and/or computer skills, and a compulsive need to dust and straighten.

  Applicants can drop off resume and cover letter to Reading Frenzy or email me at chloe@readingfrenzy.com