from some very talented people with whom I’ve just happened to have coffee.
First and hottest-off-the-press, Jeff Kennedy has followed-up his 2008 (incredibly-disciplined) odyssey of drawing “a fly a day” by publishing his collection in an exquisite coffee-table book. Jeff writes:
What started out as a quiet personal project quickly gained a world-wide following. This book chronicles the artist's journey as he challenges his creativity to draw or paint a fishing fly every day for an entire year. The book contains full color images of every fly created for his 2008 daily blog drawingflies365.blogspot.com. Along with the beautiful images, you will also venture into his head as he describes what was on his mind as he created some of his paintings. The book is available as a soft cover or as a hard cover with a dust jacket. You do not need to be a fly fisherman to appreciate the artwork contained in this book. Drawing Flies 365 the book, makes a great addition to any angler's library.
D. Brenton Simons is President and CEO of the New England Historic Society, and an accomplished author in his own right. His book, Boston Beheld, would be a perfect addition right next to Jeff’s (and not too far from your evening Espresso, though truthfully, Brenton is a recovering Diet Coke drinker). See here for Brenton’s book, and here for Witches, Rakes and Rogues, one of Brenton’s outstanding prior works.
By the way, if you’re looking for all things historical and genealogical, check out the on-line store at NEHGS here.
Of course, if your mind has a more mechanical bent, you’ll want to pick up a copy of Jackie Bassett’s Drawing on Brilliance, featured recently in this blog here and on-line here.
If I inferred that I’d actually had coffee with all the folks I’m featuring, I’d be lying (slightly). I don’t get to have coffee with Pulitzer Prize-winners every day, but Gordon Wood was my professor at Brown and the only PP-winner I know who is kind enough to return my emails. He’s just authored Empire of Liberty, a majestic addition to the same series for which another Brown professor, James T. Patterson wrote, and for which Daniel Walker Howe wrote What Hath God Wrought, one of my favorite books of all-time (and one liberally quoted in this blog). I suspect Woods’ will fall into a similar category as I work through all 800 pages next year (as will Patterson's, both of which--Restless Giant and Grand Expectations--sit expectantly on my shelf.) I suspect, while I have not, Woods and Patterson have had coffee together from time to time.
This is the review of Empire of Liberty from Jill Lepore, another person who still returns my emails and who may one day win the Pulitzer Prize herself. If you are looking for a very cool, colonial mystery, try her (and Jane Kamensky's dually-written) Blindspot.
And, speaking of Jill (whose first published work was on King Philip), I would be remiss if I did not mention the person for whom I pour coffee every single morning (and sometimes buy it at my favorite bagel stop in Topsfield along the way to work): me! King Philip’s War is still available in paperback. It’s been so long since I co-wrote it with Michael Tougias that occasionally someone will ask, “Did you know King Philip did such and such?” and I’ll say, “No—how interesting; where did you read that?” The person will look at me like I’ve lost my mind (a reasonable supposition) and reply, “Duh--your book.”
As for Michael Tougias, don’t forget to pick up a copy of his The Finest Hours, the story of a harrowing sea rescue published earlier this year. Now there’s a guy who will still have coffee with me. (And there's a guy who has recently published yet another book; see here!)
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