The Casual Optimist

Books, Design & Culture

September 10, 2010
by Dan
5 Comments

Something for the Weekend

A series of book cover design concepts for The Infamous Press by Norwegian graphic designer Morten Iveland (via IS050). Paid by the Joke — The enduring appeal of Keith Waterhouse’s Billy Liar in The Guardian: Billy Liar’s longevity is not … Continue reading

September 8, 2010
by Dan
3 Comments

Midweek Miscellany

Killing Her Softly — Joseph O’Neil reviews Martin Stannard’s biography of Muriel Spark for The Atlantic (thx Ben): In one of her memoirs, [Doris] Lessing suggests: “Writers, and particularly female writers, have to fight for the conditions they need to … Continue reading