Monday, October 3, 2011

Blue October

[Poster by Albert M. Bender. Made by the Illinois WPA Art Project for the WPA Statewide Library Project. Stamped August 30, 1940. From the Library of Congress’s online archive American Memory.]

“October’s Bright Blue Weather” is the title of a poem by Helen Hunt Jackson. It begins,
O suns and skies and clouds of June,
    And flowers of June together,
Ye cannot rival for one hour
    October’s bright blue weather
What are you reading as bright blue October begins? Me, William Lindsay Gresham’s Monster Midway (1954), on carnivals and carnies.

comments: 5

Gunther said...

What an exciting poster! Thank you for showing it.

I have started with the book "Wegzeiger" (1998). It covers the cultural history of finding a way as well as getting lost and has an excellent history of German signposts. Of course the early signs which used manicules are particularly interesting for me :-)

Pete said...

I've always loved that WPA poster. I'm reading Volt, the debut story collection by Alan Heatchcock. Very good so far, but I can't help looking ahead to his first novel.

Elaine said...

Just finished the second book in Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle--a sort of yarn with elements of intellectual history, the development of economies, and picaresque characters. There are anachronistic elements that make it entertaining in unexpected ways. I seldom purchase books, but since each of these is over 700 pgs, it seemed sensible, because I am not spending as much time reading these days. One more of these books to go; then back to nonfiction.

Slywy said...

I'm finishing Elizabeth Gaskell's Ruth. Yes, I know I'm boring.

Slywy said...

I have to steal that poster for facebook, thank you!