Thursday, July 29, 2010

Calling all Carpenters & Other Handy Folk

Are you a carpenter? Maybe you know someone who is? We need some help with building some new shelves for our children's book area, as well as some tables for our sale books.

Here's the catch: it's been a super slow summer & we have little to no extra money at the moment. We can probably scrounge enough for materials but we'll only be able to offer store credit for the labor.

So, if you know someone who'd be willing to engage in this labor of love (& books!), please get in contact with us.

Email matthew@foodforthoughtbooks.com for more information. Thanks!

Friday, July 23, 2010

Nikki McClure Posters

If you've been to our store, you've no doubt noticed our love for Nikki McClure's wonderful papercut artwork. We've got a whole new crop of her poster prints in stock (only $9.00 each!), so please stop by & check them out. Guranteed to brighten up that blank piece of wall you've been wondering what to do with.



Sunday, July 18, 2010

Not In My Country: A Tale of Unwanted Immigrants

Joe Sacco, author of the recent Footnotes in Gaza, observes the treatment of African migrants in his homeland of Malta in his new work: Not In My Country: A Tale of Unwanted Immigrants.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Harvey Pekar RIP

Sad news: Harvey Pekar, a pioneer of autobiographical comics, passed away last night. Harvey self-published & self-distributed his American Splendor from the mid-70s to the mid-90s, providing a raw and insightful working-class perspective on everyday life in middle America. As Harvey used to say "Ordinary life is pretty complex stuff".

Someday, please find yourself a copy of the American Splendor anthology and read the short piece "Hypothetical Quandary" - it's easily one of the best pieces of comics storytelling I've ever read.

Goodbye, Harvey. You done good.

(More on the irreplaceable Mr. Pekar from Alison Bechdel, Anthony Bourdain, & Michael Malice... and don't miss the Pekar Project at Smithmag,net, along with his 70th birthday tribute!)

Sunday, July 11, 2010

INCITE! Reading Group update ♥!

INCITE! Reading Group.
First Tuesdays of the month. 7-9 pm.
Food For Thought Books Collective, Amherst.

Suggested donation $5.00, absolutely nobody turned away for lack of funds.

Dear Western Mass. Community,

As you may know, this past Tuesday marked our first INCITE! reading group time and I wanted to share with you that we had a lovely, inspirational, inter-generational group. It was a pleasure to learn with the folks who attended and I’m really excited about the process that we’re involved in! In preparation for our next INCITE! reading group I’m sending out these brief notes about the evening.

It is always touching to share the opportunity to read the words of radical people of color and share our thoughts on liberation and self-determination within a circle of women and gender-non-conforming poc. Collectively, we read the intro of Color of Violence (the INCITE! Book that we are currently focusing on). We were all deeply moved by the affirmation that the books introduction offered to us. We talked about ways that we actively combat imperialism, ways that we build community/ combat the culture of detachment, goals of our reading group (including creating media projects and possibly starting a Western Mass. INCITE! Chapter!). As you can see, there is a lot to be excited about. We are excited for other women and gender-non-conforming folks of color to feel welcome to join us, so don’t be shy… come when you can! ♥ !

We agreed that each month we’d discuss a certain section of the book and that each of us would do our best to come having pre-read the section and picked out a piece that we’d like to read aloud and discuss with each other. In addition, on behalf of To tell you the Truth (co-sponsor), I’m going to share some media making/testimonio skills with the group.

Here’s the schedule that we think makes the most sense:

  • August 3, 2010 7-9pm
    –Section of the Book: Reconceptualizing Anti-Violence Strategies
    –Media skill: blogging
  • September 7, 2010 7-9pm
    –Section of the Book: Forms of Violence
    –Media skill: tbd
  • October 5, 2010 7-9pm
    –Section of the Book: Building Movement
    –Media skill: tbd

********************************************************************

If you don’t already have the book and are local you can pick it up at Food for Thought Books Collective, you’ll receive 10% off of it if you are a member of the reading group.

Here’s a little info about it:

Color of Violence: The INCITE! Anthology

In the tradition of This Bridge Called My Back, Color of Violence is an urgent, bold, and essential intervention in the war against women of color, their communities, and, ultimately, us all.

INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence, a national organization of radical feminists of color, announces Color of Violence: The INCITE! Anthology, an anthology of critical writings demanding that we address violence against women of color in all its forms, including interpersonal violence, such as sexual and domestic violence, and state violence, such as police brutality, militarism, attacks on immigrants and Indian treaty rights, the proliferation of prisons, economic neo-colonialism, and violence from the medical industry. Color of Violence presents the fierce and vital writing of 33 visionary radical feminists of color. These writers not only investigate the intersecting ways in which violence and oppression exist in the lives of women of color and our communities, they also map innovative strategies of movement building and resistance used by women and trans people of color around the world.

Hope to see you there!
tk (tanya karakashian)

Sunday, July 4, 2010

The Crises of Capitalism

Check out this excellent animation by the RSA of David Harvey's recent talk The Crises of Capitalism.


Thursday, July 1, 2010

Roots to Resistance: An Art & Activism Project

On Saturday, July 24th at 7pm the Food For Thought Books Collective joins forces with local artist Denise Beaudet to celebrate the life and work of twelve women activists from around the world and raise funds for her most recent art and activism project: Roots To Resistance.

Join us for an evening of art, storytelling, music, food, and activism and contribute to this critical and inspiring project. There will be a $25-5 suggested donation at the door, and all proceeds will go to support Roots To Resistance.

Roots To Resistance is an art and activism project conceived and directed by local artist Denise Beaudet that features twelve women activists from around the world who are doing or have done courageous work to transform injustice in their communities and create a world that values our individual and collective humanity. From Yvonne Margaruna an Aboriginal activist who stood between her land and radioactive dumping crews to Natalia Estemirova the Chechen journalist who was recently abducted and murdered, these women's lives and work will move and astound you. Their stories need to be heard and shared so that more hands can join in their efforts for cultural and political transformation. To this end, Denise is painting twelve full size portraits of these women as well as producing and disseminating political postcards to raise awareness about their activist work.

Celebrating the Life & Work of 12 Women Activists

  • Natalia Estemirova, Murdered Human Rights Journalist (Chechnya)
  • Malalai Joya, Women's Rights Activist (Afghanistan)
  • Chouchou Namegabe, Women's Rights Journalist (D.R. Congo)
  • Aung San Suu Kyi, Human Rights Activist (Burma)
  • Marina Silva, Environmental Activist (Brazil)
  • Ditah Indah Sari, Labor Activist (Indonesia)
  • Parvin Ardalan, Women's Rights Activist (Iran)
  • Wangari Maathai, Environmental Activist (Kenya)
  • Rebecca Gomperts, Reproductive Rights Activist (Netherlands)
  • Zapatista Women, Environmental/Indigenous Rights (Mexico)
  • Maria Gunnoe, Mountaintop Removal & Mining (U.S.)
  • Yvonne Margarula, Indigenous Rights Activist (Australia)

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