We will soon welcome a special guest to The Book Beautiful class. William T. Vollmann is not only an award winning author, but an author who appreciates the value of the book as an object. Vollmann states in Katherine Spielmann’s article, “The Book as Apparatus: William Vollmann’s Special Editions,” “a book’s form should correspond to its content.” Vollmann writes with punch and reality and the physical art of the special editions covered in Spielmann’s article reflect this. You can find several special editions of Vollmann’s writings by the CoTangent Press in sellers’ catalogs.

We learned this semester that there can be much more to a book than words. While artist books are a treasured and established art, what does the future hold for the telling of stories? What new elements to storytelling will future technologies and future book artist add to the beauty, collecting, distribution and ingesting of books? This may be a good question to ask of our guest. Would you not be disappointed if we approached this event in an ordinary way? So, to not disappoint, I have created something special.

The Vollmann Pinterest Board is a research game specifically for The Book Beautiful class. Match the images mark with letters, to the book title by, or connected to Vollmann. Each pin with a book name, and the three pins for the class readings are hints. Use only the book titles pinned on this board. A book title may be used more than once. Every letter (A-K) must be used and is used only once. The class readings provide many of the answers.  Print, and use the VollmanSheet (PDF) to record your answers. Turn this sheet in at our 4/24/12 class meeting to be eligible for a (not so) special prize. The highest number of correct answers wins. A drawing will break any ties. There is only one prize so single entries only, no teams this time. Only Marshall University Honors 480, The Book Beautiful, students are eligible. The judge’s (professor :0) decision is final. Check MU Online/Announcements for details, links and forms. Good luck!