Regretsy: Where DIY Meets WTF by April Winchell

Like most things I find on the Internet, I have no idea how I first found Regretsy. It was probably written up somewhere - a blog? Entertainment Weekly? - and I hopped over to check it out. I know that I was already familiar with Etsy and this new blog provided a window into the sort of thing that I had never seen. Photographs with random nudity, jewelry in the shape of penises and vaginas, things that say they're steampunk but they are so not steampunk... it seemed like there was no end to these incredible listings. Regretsy is also available in book form; classic items are accompanied by commentary by April Winchell.

I knew that I would love this book, but I was surprised by how much I loved it. It's more than just a collection of Regretsy's greatest hits and new entries. Each chapter has an essay that explores different aspects of the Etsy/Regretsy world. What kind of statements are vagina necklaces really making? How do you foster creativity? Does everything deserve an audience? At the end of the book there are listings of the sellers featured in the book, the bios of the sellers, and even a space for the sellers to comment on Regretsy, their inclusion, and criticism in general. These inclusions took the book from an extension of the website (which would have been enough to be a solid book) to something that explores art, commerce, creativity, and criticism, all through the lens of 21st century society. I highly recommend checking this book out.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Cake Wrecks by Jen Yates
Read My Lips by Debby Herbenick and Vanessa Schick
That is Priceless by Steve Yelcher
Passive Aggressive Notes by Kerry Miller

Faces of Hope 10 Years Later: Babies Born on 9/11 by Christine Pisera Naman

September 11, 2001 was a terrible day that saw terrorist attacks shake the United States.Millions of people watched in horror as the day unfolded. Many people, though, had other things on their mind: bringing new life into the world. September 11, 2001 was the birth day for thousands of new babies who had no idea about the world they were coming into. These children are now ten years old. In a follow up book to one that looked at babies born on 9/11, Christine Pisera Naman invites us to get to know these children, their hopes, and their dreams.

I've thought about people who have a birthday on September 11, but I hadn't really considered the children who were born on that day. It was very interesting to see how they see America and what they want to do when they grow up. It appears that they were asked "how will they make the world a better place?" Their answers cover everything from green living, helping kids and taking care of animals to teaching, hairdressing, being a mom, bus driving, and serving in the military. The military and war are present in a lot of the accompanying pictures (also drawn by the kids). The book is dedicated to Christina Taylor Green, one of the children featured in the original book. Christina was the youngest victim of the Arizona shooting at Rep. Gabrielle Gifford's political event in January 2011.

One small thing that bothered me was that the book referred to the fifty children featured in this book; with two sets of twins, there are actually 52. This happened at least twice, once on the back cover and once in the dedication to Christina Taylor Green. (I am reading from an advanced copy, so there is a chance that this will be changed in the final version). Also, I wish there was something that let us know what the kids had been asked to draw. The drawings were so similar in some ways that I thought there must have been a direction for them, but even if there wasn't, it would have been nice to know that. Still, this books manages to honour and commemorate the tragedy of September 11, 2001 while looking forward with hope and possibility.

Find it at Amazon.

Read it with:
Faces of Hope: Babies Born on 9/11 by Christine Pisera Naman
Caterpillar Kisses by Christine Pisera Naman
Dog Heroes of September 11th by Nona Kilgore Bauer

Tom Thumb: The Remarkable True Story of a Man in Miniature by George Sullivan

When Charles Stratton was born, by all accounts he was an average child. Then, at six months old, he stopped growing. He was an otherwise healthy child who was just over two feet tall. A clever and talented boy, he soon caught the eye of P.T. Barnum. After changing his name, his age, and his life story, Barnum made Charles - now Tom Thumb - a star. He would perform all over the world as a singer, dancer, actor, and comic. This is the story of how Tom Thumb earned money and fame - and how it changed his life.

Before reading this book I had no idea who Tom Thumb was, and only a very basic idea of P.T. Barnum. This is a well-paced, well-put-together biography that I think will be pretty popular with readers of all ages. But it's more than a straight biography; it also looks at the exploitation of child stars - what it was in the 1800s and how it has/has not changed since then. I was reminded in some parts about the Dionne Quintuplets and how they were put on display to perform for crowds. What would Charles Stratton's life have been like if he wasn't Tom Thumb? Sullivan also illustrates in many ways how 'times were different,' particularly when talking about performing in blackface or when mentioning that Tom was so nervous about the possibility of being attacked on a cross-country train trip that he wanted all passengers to carry guns (although the beliefs about the "Indian violence" aren't critiqued quite as harshly as blackface). It's also a look at the culture of celebrity and the celebrity business; the elaborate photographs and merchandise from Tom Thumb's wedding reminded me in some way of the excitement around Prince William's recent wedding in terms of selling items to a hungry public (I myself have a commemorative keychain of the royal wedding).

I received a review copy through NetGalley, but this book is out in stores now.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Tom Thumb by Richard Jesse Watson
The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin
The Great and Only Barnum by Candace Fleming

Awkward Family Photos by Mike Bender and Doug Chernack

I have them. You have them. We all have them: awkward family photos. They might have everyone wearing identical clothing. They might involve costumes. They could be taken on a holiday, a family reunion, or a child's recital. People could be looking away from the camera; everyone could be staring intently at the camera. There are any number of ways for a photo to turn awkward (even if it was trendy at the time, like my school pictures with a laser background). These photos have been collected on the Awkward Family Photos blog, which turned into this book. The book takes the best parts of the blog - the pictures, the commentary, and the readers' submissions explaining (but not always defending) the awkward backstory. It's a quick read, and definitely amusing.

See more photos at Awkward Family Photos.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Cake Wrecks by Jen Yates
That is Priceless by Steve Melcher
Passive Aggressive Notes by Kerry Miller

That is Priceless by Steven Melcher

Have you ever looked at a painting and thought, "Hmm, I wonder if the painter meant it to look like that child is crushing a small bird? This can't end well." That is the very question that Steven Melchor asked - well, a variation on it - and that led to his blog "That is Priceless," where he gives paintings both famous and obscure new titles. These new titles, like "Real Housewives of the Acropolis," "Jesus Obsessed With His iPad," "Oops! Sorry, Wrong Door," and "Guess Who Found His Mom's Curling Iron?" are meant to say what we're all thinking. It's a funny concept and the book is just about the right length so that it doesn't overstay the joke. (One quibble: there was one caption that snapped me right out of the book - a needless apostrophe on "Witness Protection Program's Family of the Year (the Doe's).")

See more at That is Priceless. I read an advance copy of it at NetGalley.

Read it with:
5 Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin by The Oatmeal
Regretsy by April Winchell
Cake Wrecks by Jen Yates
Passive Aggressive Notes by Kerry Miller
Stuff White People Like: A Definitive Guide to the Unique Taste of Millions by Christian Lander

Monkey Portraits by Jill Greenburg

The title says it all: this book is filled with portraits of monkeys. I've always been fascinated by monkeys, and this close-up look at their faces just captivated me. The portraits capture emotions and personality in a very effective way. Most of the monkeys shown are show-biz veterans (their names and credits are listed in the back) and that left me wondering how much 'acting' was going on in these pictures and had me thinking about the use of monkeys and other animals on film. I picked up this book right after I finished reading Half Brother, and so I knew that had an effect on me, but this is an interesting book that would be at home on almost any coffee table.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel
Me Cheeta by James Lever
Regarding Heroes by Yousuf Karsh
Sock Monkeys by Arne Svenson and Ron Warren
Voices in the Park by Anthony Browne