Art of the Day Design for the poster and cover for The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe Édouard Manet  (French, Paris 1832–1883 Paris) Author: Written by Edgar Allan Poe (American, Boston, Massachusetts 1809–1849 Baltimore, Maryland) Translator: Translated by Stéphane Mallarmé (French, 1842–1898) Date: 1875 Medium: Transfer lithograph on simili-parchment Dimensions: sheet: 12 3/4 x 11 1/4 in. (32.4 x 28.6 cm) (irregular) Classification: Prints Credit Line: Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1924 Accession Number: 24.30.27(6) Photo via the Met.  Published in 1845 by Edgar Allen Poe, The Raven was more than rhymed stanza or macabre form by the writer and poet. How else could one be upon the brink of madness of love and repeat "nevermore" with such finality? This beautiful work of art was found via The Met, which has a great story. A lithograph, or print was made by the now famous Manet for the French translation of Poe's Raven , by Stéphane Mallar...

Day 41 of    #BookSpine365 . Visit a title a day from my bookshelf. Playing catchup, but who cares? Good books follow. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and read by millions, Angela's Ashes is a memoir and book one of Frank McCourt's trilogy of his childhood in Ireland. The book woefully reads as tales of struggle and poverty, but moreover as heartache and the very essential resilience in which McCourt gained during his years. He aged before his time. Old souls, are what I call them. Throughout his stern Catholic upbringing and constant hunger for knowledge, he struggled with rules and battled with thoughts of what was right and what was wrong. He saw beauty in simplicity. In hunger, he saw the honor in thankfulness for food. This book has a lot of feels. It's raw. Poignant. Some might not be able to handle the frankness and bluntness of what was in that era, and the exposure of taboo subjects and ways. McCourt challenged them all and lived to tell the tale. My copy ...

Ugh. I wish it didn't come to this. That I was so behind. More than a month behind on my #bookspine365 project, where I share a book daily from my bookshelf. Unfortunately life gets in the way. Life, in this particular circumstance happens to be chronic pain where I have personally dealt it with for years and recently underwent a procedure which I am recovering slowly. I share this with you because I made a commitment for myself for this writing project. I also share this because while others are nosy, intentionally mean, curious, or understandably don't know what to say---I am also a US Pain Foundation Ambassador. It is with that title that I intend to be transparent as possible but still maintain my privacy in the hopes of advocating, gathering and sharing resources, and becoming a voice in the pain community in letting others know they are not alone. There is help, there is hope. There is also power in standing up for yourself and fighting against the negative influences, ...

Day 40  in  #BookSpine365 . Visit a title a day from my bookshelf. Month Two. "Wherever you are, it is your own friends who make your world." ~William James For My Friend is one of those really tiny, size of inside of your hand quotation styled books. So small that it was almost lost with the others towering over it, spines in different shapes and sizes. It was given to me by someone close, of course. Surprised me with a letter still enclosed inside. Although small, it's quite gorgeous. Hardcover. White cardboard with maroon insides. Titled spine. Fancy end paper, leaves, half title page, title page, and so many words of wisdom. All pages have that glossy paper, and are illustrated with vines, roses, and pieces of nature. There's a maroon bookmark with dangling 24k good played charm that can be removed for a bracelet or necklace. I kept it on. The book was compiled by Nick Beilenson, text border illustrations by Charles Waller. ©1995 Peter Pauper Press...

Day 39 in  #BookSpine365 . Visit a title a day from my bookshelf. Month Two. There are a handful of magazines and literary journals I've kept on my bookshelf. All literary, of course. Poets & Writers magazine is one of them. Not only is the publication filled with literary news, articles, features, and letters-it is a go to resource for grants and awards, conferences, and residences for the writer. I have now turned to perusing the resources section more effectively via the web, but the poems and pieces inside are beyond creative. Whenever I stumble across a favorite author or poet of mine in a magazine, I may keep the copy just to pay it forward or for future use.  This is volume 34, Issue 33 from May/June 2006. Great condition, almost perfect except a crease in the back. Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka blazes the cover. -brrivera

Day 38 in  #BookSpine365 . Visit a title a day from my bookshelf. Month Two. You ever read one or those type of books that impact you from the first paragraph, the first line or sentence? Enter Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin. My obviously wrinkled and battered trade paperback copy has stood the test of time in its 1976 copyright. The book is old. Very old. As in first edition, 1960 old. During this title's 66th printing at the time, over five million copies were already sold and counting. The book has already celebrated its 50th anniversary , and has sold many more. There's yellowing in the pages, and dogearred pages. Inscription unbeknownst to me from previous owner. Looks like..."Ginnie Herbert. Ya friend, L. B." in blue ink. I wrote my name at least seven times in it. I was young. I really wanted no one to have this book once I acquired it. Wait...where did I get it from? It's way too old for me to remember, and I would be giving away my age.  Speaki...

Day 33-37 in  #BookSpine365 . Visit a title a day from my bookshelf. Month Two. So who doesn't like comics, better yet...a post with five pictures of comics? These titles sit on my shelf as days 33 through 37 as I play catch up with this project. Forgive the lateness with updating. Life gets in the way.  So, as a child I never really read comics-only the Archies and stuff like that. Only recently I read the compendium of the Walking Dead because I am so into the TV show I have to know the actual story line as it relates to the writing. Now I am scouring iBooks and other sites that offer free comics that I can read in my downtime. These five here which I am sharing today were only $1.00 via bargain bin box at Barnes & Noble. They're still in a plastic sleeve, extremely crisp with cardboard backing to support comic. I understand many people collect them for their rarity and monetary value,  but these titles are quite common.  In all, nice reads for my ...