Gift Ideas from Small Indie Presses in California

Support Your Local Presses!

Bronwyn Mauldin forwarded to us a list compiled by the Future of Publishing Think Tank (see the end of this blog for more info on that group) of small, independent presses in Southern California that we should all think about supporting. 

In their e-mail release about these presses, the Future of Publishing Think Tank wrote,  “Check them out online or visit an indie bookstore, and enjoy the warm holiday feeling that comes from knowing you supported local artists and businesses instead of overseas sweatshops and multi-national retail chains.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

The following list is the Think Tank’s, but I’ve done a little research on my own to see what books they publish and which ones I would personally most want to find wrapped under the Christmas tree or tossed next to the Chanukah menorah. 

I figured I’d pass along the titles of the books that piqued my interest, so anyone who might be thinking about holiday presents right around now can see if there’s anything on the list that sounds “just right” for that special someone.

Please note: my recommendations (in purple) are based on lazy online research and not any real knowledge.  In other words, I haven’t read any of these books, I’ve only browsed them online.  This is not unlike the process by which I do a great deal of my holiday shopping (i.e. online browsing for something that “looks and feels right”) so I figure it might just be crazy enough to work as a recommendation system. 

Anyway, my book suggestions follow each listing (and, once again, the listings were provided by the Think Tank).

–Angel City Press : nostalgic yet cool illustrated books.  Joy of Liberace–a “guide to Bling cooking” as their website describes it, JOY contains all of the fabulous pianist’s favorite recipes.  I don’t know what this says about me, but I wanted the book as soon as I saw it.

–Arktoi Books: poetry and fiction that give lesbian writers access to “the conversation.”  Interpretive Work: Poems by Elizabeth Bradfield–I’m not much of a poetry person (in fact, I got into a poetry seminar in college by arguing that I was so ignorant and unenthusiastic about poetry that this was the professor’s only chance to persuade me to like it) but these look interesting.  

 
–Cahuenga Press : poetry that honors creative freedom and cooperation. Reunions, by Harry E. Northup–All poetry at this press again, so I was a little lost, but they had some sample poems and I liked Northup’s poem “2 Cats” which is from this collection.
–Cloverfield Press: books as visually beautiful as they are intellectually and emotionally stimulating. Tony Takitani by Haruki Murakami–an illustrated short story by one of the world’s great writers.  I have a brother-in-law who’s a huge Murakami fan and this seems like the perfect present.

–Dzanc Books : literary fiction that falls outside the mainstream. Best of the Web 2008, guest edited by Steve Almond–a wide ranging collection of stories, poetry and essays culled from online journals.  Looks like fun reading.

 
–Gorsky Press: risk-taking books that encourage readers to re-examine society.  Big Lonesome by Jim Ruland–Any book of short stories that reimagines Dick Tracy, Little Red Ridinghood, and Popeye has to be good, as far as I’m concerned.  And if you buy directly from Gorsky right now, all books are four dollars (and I believe that includes postage).

–Green Integer : essays, manifestos, speeches, epistles, narratives, and more.  Notes on the Cinematographer by Robert Bresson–this is a rerelease and looks terrific.  Anyone who’s interested in film studies would probably enjoy this one, which is essentially the working notes of the well-known French director.

 
–San Diego City Works Press : local, ethnic, political, and border writing. Hunger and Thirst, edited by Nancy Cary–a collection of writings about food.  I love this kind of thing.  You might even say I eat it up.  (Sorry.)  Anyway, you can’t go wrong giving almost anyone a book about eating.  There’s a reason “Top Chef” is one of the most enjoyable shows on TV–we all like food.

 
–Santa Monica Press : offbeat looks at pop culture, lively how-to books, film history, travel, and humor.  Pop Surf Culture, by Brian Chidester and Domenic Priore–Know someone who likes to surf?  Bingo–your shopping for that person is DONE.  This looks good.

(The following description of the Think Tank is their own): The Future of Publishing Think Tank is an ad hoc group of writers and representatives of independent publishers and bookstores, nonprofit literary organizations, and producers of public radio. Our task: to consider the changes occurring in publishing, distribution, and marketing of literary work and to envision new ways for writers to engage readers and build audiences for their work. Groups that have been involved include 826LA, Arktoi Books, GuerrillaReads, the HeArt Project, Hol Art Books, “Indymedia on Air” (KPFK), the Lambda Literary Foundation, Les Figues Press, Poet Joi, Poets & Writers, Red Hen Press, Skylight Books, and Writers at Work.