Summer reading...

Do you see a theme?...
Ever since I moved to Montreal, I've become very curious about the art of writing. I want to be a more informed blogger, improve my writing skills, and learn as much as I can from inspiring literary masters. 
Possible career change? (you ask). . .well, my intrigue is more for personal enrichment - for now. In the meantime, I'm surrounding myself with insightful (+ amusing) publications, and rounding up a wondrously selective palette of iconic storytellers from the colossal world of literature.

List above:

A Writer's Paris by Eric Maisel

The Other Paris and Montreal Stories by Mavis Gallant

The Principles of Uncertainty by Maira Kalman

Microscripts by Robert Walser

A quarterly magazine of art and culture, Cabinet (Issue 45, Games, Spring 2012)

The Elements of Style  by William Strunk Jr. + E. B. White  -  Illustrated by Maira Kalman

ZOETROPE ALL-STORY: Special One-Act Play Issue (Winter 2000) + The Horror Issue (Fall 2011)

zo·e·trope (noun /ˈzō-ēˌtrōp/): A 19th-century optical toy consisting of a cylinder with a series of pictures on the inner surface that, when viewed through slits with the cylinder rotating, give an impression of continuous motion...

I received these beauties in the mail a couple of days ago. . .
They are back issues of ZOETROPE: ALL-STORY, a quarterly magazine launched by Francis Ford Coppola in 1997. This curated jewel celebrates new short fiction, one-act plays, and reprints classic short stories that have influenced noteworthy films through the years.  Each ZOETROPE volume instantaneously becomes a collector's item not only because of the phenomenal selection of literary picks, but because each publication is also uniquely illustrated by a special guest designer. Past potpourri of invités have included: David Bowie, Julian Schnabel, Ed Ruscha, David Byrne, Kiki Smith, Wim Wenders, Guillermo del Toro and Mikhail Baryshnikov...marvelous assortment, right? 

By the way, sadly, several noteworthy back issues are sold out, but I did manage to get a copy of the following: 

• Winter 2000, VOL. 4  NO. 4: Special One-Act Play Issue with guest designer, Peter Sellers - Leading theatre, opera, and television director. 
• Summer 2005, VOL. 9  NO. 2 - Guest designer, Architect, Zaha Hadid.
• Fall 2011, VOL. 15  NO. 3: The Horror Issue with guest designers, Kate & Laura Mulleavy (RODARTE).

I'm so in awe with ZOETROPE that it is the first magazine I have subscribed to in years...

The images below are highlights from the Rodarte issue. If you're familiar with the Mulleavy sisters, then you will understand why they were so appropriately chosen to illustrate the horror issue...