Pistil Books Presents an Evening of Film and Music with Lori Goldston

Cellist Lori Goldston accompanies the surrealist film
The Seashell and the Clergyman (1928, France)

The Seashell and the Clergyman is an early experimental silent film, directed by queer radical feminist Germaine Dulac in 1928. At the time of its release it was banned by the British Board of Film Censors, who declared it was  "apparently meaningless" but "If there is a meaning, it is doubtless objectionable”. 

Presented with an original live score by cellist/composer Lori Goldston, who has performed live soundtracks around the world as a soloist, and with ensembles including old-time Seattle fixture the Black Cat Orchestra.

"Germaine Dulac was involved in the avant garde in Paris in the 1920s. Both The Smiling Madame Beudet (1922) and The Seashell and the Clergyman are important early examples of radical experimental feminist filmmaking, and provide an antidote to the art made by the surrealist brotherhood. The latter film, an interpretation of Anton Artaud’s book of the same name, is a visually imaginative critique of patriarchy – state and church – and of male sexuality. On its premiere, the surrealists greeted it with noisy derision, calling Dulac 'une vache'."  [British Film Institute]

Saturday, December 14 on Capitol Hill
$10 suggested to musician

RSVP to pistil@pistilbooks.net

and you will receive an email with address and time on 
the day before this event.
(Space is limited to 40 people, with 25 chairs, 
the rest standing/sitting on floor.)

You are invited to bring a beverage and/or snack to share.
 Hope to see you here!

Amy and Sean
206-323-9370
Pistil Books Online - 
Holiday Sale - 20% off all books, now through Dec. 15.

Concrete Poetry

Concrete poetry is a form of poetry in which the visual typographic display of words and letters on the page make up the meaning of the poem, rather than the verbal significance.  We recently acquired this anthology of concrete poetry, inscribed by the editor, Richard Kostelanetz:

Imaged Words & Worded Images (Outerbridge & Dienstfrey: 1970)

 

 

 

 

This poem doesn't have words or even letters.

 

The Getty website has an introduction to concrete poetry with examples, including an audio recording.

R.I.P. Filthy

Filthy “Bossy” Cloud-of-Fur Carlson-Candiotti,   
April 2002 - October 22, 2019

On the prowl for action in the 'hood.

It is with heavy hearts that we note the passing of our beloved cat of hearth and bookstore, Filthy, a.k.a. Mr. Filth, The Filth, and Keeger-Catz.  

Filthy arrived in our home seventeen and a half years ago, brought to us in a Fiat X19 convertible all the way from Cannon Beach, Oregon by Pistil Books’ photographer Kam, where he was born to his all-white mother and lived with his calico sister.  Filthy’s early kittenhood was spent at his birth home with a sixteen year-old girl who named him Sugar, not realizing his true dirty nature.

The majestic Dr. Filth was a commanding presence

In a presentation to the Prince of Punjabi

Upon his arrival at our home in Seattle as a kitten, Filthy settled into life with us quickly.  He earned his true name by climbing around parked cars, decorating his white fur with spots of grease.  He sometimes liked to wear pink stripes of food coloring.  His first book was a Random House Collegiate Dictionary, the corners of which he gnawed.  He also liked archy & mehitabel, The Life of Pi, and The Jungle Book.  He enjoyed graphic novels, but not Maus.

Waiting at the bookstore bathroom sink

A genuine Renaissance kitty, Filthy not only had a career as a bookstore cat, but he was also a healing arts practitioner.  A master at balancing auras and aligning chakras, he conducted his Treatments free of charge next to the fireplace where he would position himself carefully upon the chest of the reclining patient and take mental and physical possession of their torso.  Filthy’s relaxing energy transference Treatments opened the heart centers of his patients and restored vitality.  He was also skilled at claw acupuncture.

Filthy loved water and could often be found meditating next to the sink, in the sink, in the bathtub, and practicing the running-water-staring-ritual.

A true leader, he commanded his followers and servants with gentle force.  He was a natural teacher and never gave up in his attempts to train even the most dense students in the ways of door opening, faucet turning, and food presentation.

Filthy always welcomed guests and home exchangers into his/our home and was known for his intelligence, humor, affection, and gracious hospitality:

Their cat was as friendly as can be and I would stay here again just to say hi to Filthy (that's the cat's name) -- Kyle

Filthy, the cat, visited me every day, and we became friends I think by the end of my stay. -- Yuliya

A beautiful home, beautiful hosts, and a loving cat! -- Ariana

We enjoyed our visits with Filthy the cat! -- Kerry

We spent most of the time in this place wondering how we'd lucked out with this décor, these bookshelves, this kitchen, this freaking cat (who is much cleaner and cuter than the name "Filthy" would lead you to believe).-- Yossef

Expect a cat to be hanging around.-- Peter

A noble soul, he will remain with us.

After a long and happy relationship with his human friends, Filthy went on to his second or ninth life.  He is buried in the front garden in his old hang-out spot next to the front porch where he napped in summer and regularly greeted us upon our return home.  According to a condolence card the vet sent to us, “Filthy will always be watching over you so remember to smile and think positively.”

Filthy is survived by the feline neighbors, Max and Zoe, and by his many human friends, Sean, Amy, Troy, Kam, Barbara, Andrew, David, and Jackie, to name just a few.

Portrait of  The Filth by Barbara Pronsato.

Pistil Books’ Annual Outdoor Book Sale - This Saturday

Pistil Books’ Annual Outdoor Book Sale

Saturday, August 31

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

1415 E. Union on Capitol Hill

Hundreds of books in all categories, including fiction, science,

history, poetry, art, how-to, biographies, and more.  Many like new.

Paperbacks $1, Hardbacks $2

Free lemonade!

Will be re-scheduled in the event of rain.

Found In Books - Spring Edition

Once again it's time to show off some of the things we've found in books that have crossed our desks here at Pistil Books. 

Our treasures this time include pressed flowers and leaves, lottery ticket, "Lighter of the Month Club" stickers from Bic, bookmarks (of course), a sheet on the "Seven Factors of Awakening", a Christmas gift card from France, a sheet on drying flowers, a French publisher's advertisement for books on "Esoterisme", an entry form for a drawing, a boarding pass, something written with a fountain pen and a flourish and a penny stamp, a Book-of-the-Month Club invoice, lyrics to a song: "It's time to get us a clue / It's time to take off the mask / It's time to turn it around / It's time to learn to relax....", a chart of emotions having to do with anger, disgust, sad, happy, surprise, and fear; someone's collection of clippings on Max Ernst, some artwork including a slightly racy drawing and one of rose paintings, a form for bindery instructions for a library, and some patterns for Captain Ludlow's jacket.

There's a tiny pointing arrow captioned, "Ass for Cash."

Visionary Surrealism at the Pike Place Market

Seattle artist Jon Strongbow has published a new book showcasing his fellow artists who sell their work at the Pike Place Market.  The artists he presents are part of  "an ongoing grass roots art movement that could be designated as Magic Realism, or Visionary Surrealism, or what is now called Low Brow Art or Pop Surrealism in some circles. It begins back in the 1970's when the Market started allowing artists and craftspeople to participate in the market, which had previously been dominated by farmers and flower growers."

Some of the artists included are Tim Winstrom, Paul Sloan, Dharmic Engineers, Rob Schouten, Ray Pelley, Milo Duke, Winston Haycock, Kim Drew, Melanie Reed, Mark Holter, Blake Klazmer, Craig Anderson, Aaron Murphy, Dave Ryan, Robert Williams, Jesse Link, Alex Achaval, Sally Simmons, Kevin Darras, David Gould, Graham Callen, Rob D'Arc, and Scott Alberts.

Visionary Surrealism at the Pike Place Market is available to purchase here.

We also carry books of Jon Strongbow's own work.  His detailed black and white line drawings of Seattle cityscapes juxtapose realistic architectural renderings with scenes embracing indigenous cultures from all over the planet, including extinct and endangered species. Though he didn't set out to record the city's changing landscape, these drawings also inadvertently document the disappearing places of Seattle.