Tag Archives: books

Pitt-starter: Pittsburgh Alternate Histories Book

Pitt-starter is our occasional series about local crowdfunding projects on websites like Kickstarter. You can see our past Pitt-starter posts here.

Pittsburgh artist and author (and DJ) Matthew Buchholz is running a Kickstarter campaign to fund his new Pittsburgh Alternate Histories Book, “Pittsburgh in Olden Times.” Buchholz published Alternate Histories of The World in 2013; the book is available on the Alternate Histories website and Amazon (pro tip – if you order the book from the Alternate Histories website you will receive a signed or personalized copy from the author).

Photo Credit: Alternate Histories Website.

Not familiar with the book? You may have seen some of the Alternate Histories prints on the walls the Independent Brewing Company in Squirrel Hill. Take a look at this blog post on the Alternate Histories website to learn more about the installation at The Independent Brewing Company. It is great to see that many of the frames are from Pittsburgh Center for Reuse.

(If you are a fan of beer and local food, be sure to sign up for The Independent Brewing Company’s email list, an occasional, humorous look at what’s on tap and on the menu. While writing this post, I was inspired to stop in there on Tuesday for dinner, and the guest at the table next to me had such a good time at The Independent’s Dancing Gnome Beer Dinner on Monday, he was back for more on Tuesday.)

Kickstarter for Alternate Histories of Pittsburgh Book

If you would like to pre-order a copy of the Pittsburgh Alternate Histories book or pick up one of these Monongahela Monster t-shirts, head over to Kickstarter and back this project. The project has already met the initial goal of $4000. There is a new stretch goal and eight days left to contribute.

Follow Alternate Histories on Facebook, Twitter @AltHistories & Instagram for more.

Don’t Miss the next In Bed by Ten Dance Party

Be sure to check out DJMB at the next In Bed By Ten Dance party on October 21, 2018 – $10 donation at the door will benefit RAINN – the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. You can learn more about In Bed by Ten in our post about the July dance party.

TUE: Free Event with Authors of “Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton’s Doomed Campaign”

The authors of Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton’s Doomed Campaign, will be in Pittsburgh for a free lecture at the Carnegie Library Lecture hall on Tuesday, October 10, 2017.

Tickets for the lecture are free and the event will be followed by a book signing with White Whale Bookstore at 8pm.

Visit the PublicSource Facebook event for more details.

Follow: @PublicSourcePA @JonAllenDC @AmieParnes

March Monster Madness: Will Godzilla be the beast that beats them all?

If basketball isn’t your thing, there are some other interesting ways to join in on the March Madness craze this year. Pittsburgh artists and author, Matthew Buchholz, has been sharing monsters through his creative cards and prints which you may have spotted around town. Buchholz is bringing the big monsters to the bracket with March Monster Madness, a daily match-up of famous monsters and zombies face off each day to see who will move to the next round. Each weekday you can vote for the winner of each battle on the Alternate Histories website. Share your thoughts on your pick for the day and you could win a prize. Follow the March Monster Madness via Alternate Histories on Facebook and Twitter @AltHistories for updates on each battle.

Here are the current standings in Monster March Madness:

Round 1: Godzilla vs The Giant Octopus: GODZILLA
Round 2: Nosferatu vs The Deadites: NOSFERATU
Round 3: Flying Saucers vs The Blob: FLYING SAUCERS
Round 4: Ro-Man vs Lobo: RO-MAN
Round 5: Gamera vs Graboids: GAMERA

Interested in more monster history? Before Kellyanne Conaway introduced us to the concept of “alternative facts,” Buchholtz published a fictional history book Alternate Histories. You can order a signed copy of Buchholz’s book from the Alternate Histories website. The book is also available at Wildcard in Lawrenceville and Amazon.

More ways to celebrate March Madness in Pittsburgh:

Vote for your favorite fish fry in The Incline’s Fish Fry Bracket.
Stop by Everyday Cafe in Homewood to submit your bracket before Thursday and you could win $25 gift card to the cafe.

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Book ‘Em Needs Your Books & Paper Bags

Letter to Book ‘Em. Photo Credit: Book ‘Em Facebook Page. Click here to read the text of the letter.

Attention book lovers! Book ‘Em is a Pittsburgh non-profit that needs your help to send books to prisoners in Pennsylvania.

I spent a few hours yesterday in the basement of a building on Penn Avenue yesterday with a group of volunteers who were picking out books and packing them up to be sent to prisoners across the state. I had no idea that the basement below the Thomas Merton Center was set up as a little book-shop by mail. If you love browsing book stores and picking out books then this is the volunteer opportunity for you! Prisoners from across the state can write in and request books. Some requests are specific, most are for general categories of books. I love browsing bookstores, but I have promised myself I will not buy any new books until I’ve read the ever growing pile of books in my house. Fulfilling each request was a challenge of browsing the Book ‘Em bookshelves and make a best guess at what each person might like to read.

Here are a few things that I learned about Book ‘Em this weekend:

Many of the requests that I filled yesterday were for educational books. If you have books to donate please check the list of requested books here.
Book’Em’s biggest need is money to cover the cost of shipping books. If you want to help with the cause, please consider sending a few dollars to Book ‘Em via the donation page here.
Paper Bags! Book ‘Em wants your empty paper bags. Instead of throwing out paper grocery bags, please donate them to Book ‘Em to be used for wrapping up books to be mailed.
Volunteer! Volunteers are needed to help pick out books and pack them for shipping. You can see a calendar of volunteer days here.

Books and paper bags can be dropped off at the Thomas Merton Center, 5129 Penn Ave, Monday through Friday from 10 to 4 and during our Sunday work sessions.

If you would like to learn more, follow Book ‘Em on Facebook here or in this 2013 Post-Gazette article about Book ‘Em: “Book ‘Em shipments brighten Pennsylvania inmates’ lives.“

24 Gifts of Pittsburgh: ‘Raymond Carver Will Not Raise Our Children’ by Dave Newman

Books. Books about Pittsburgh. Books by Pittsburgh authors. But books in general are probably the best gifts to give. I am hold out on the Kindle. I am surrounded by computers, phones, TV screens, treadmill screens (ok, the treadmill screens are few and far between). I still like to buy, read and give real paper books. Please add your suggestions for Pittsburgh reading in the comments below. I would love to add some more local books to the 24 Gifts of Pittsburgh.

Raymond Carver Will Not Raise Our Children is one of those books that has been on my radar. I have seen this book for sale at East End Book Exchange. I knew I wanted to feature a book for today’s Gift of Pittsburgh, so I could also have an excuse to remind you that Sunday is the 3rd Annual Small Press Pittsburgh Holiday Book Sale. Littsburgh, one of Pittsburgh’s newest blogs about all things literary, has a great preview of the Holiday Book Sale here. Raymond Carver Will Not Raise Our Children is one of the recommended books on the list. This afternoon while I was browsing the New Guild Studio Holiday Open House another friend mentioned the author Dave Newman. (I am only mentioning this because this was my first visit to New Guild and it is an incredible hidden gem. New Guild does iconography for churches across the country.)

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Shop: Your Favorite Local Book Store or Amazon.

Follow: Dave Newman on Facebook, @Littsburgh @BookstoreMemoir