Whitman Illuminated: Song of Myself
Category: Books,Arts & Photography,Individual Artists
Whitman Illuminated: Song of Myself Details
Review Praise for Whitman Illuminated: Song of Myself"Zestful. . .exudes the essence of Whitman's 1855 edition."—New York Times"Whitman's famous Leaves of Grass poem gets a gorgeous visual treatment that will wow poetry fans."—Good Housekeeping"A lovely and inspired visual interpretation of Whitman’s classic 60-page poem."—San Francisco Chronicle"Allen Crawford brings you the words of Walt Whitman beautifully arranged and illustrated in Whitman Illuminated: Song Of Myself."—Buzzfeed"Crawford’s tribute is a beautiful piece of art that every Whitman lover will want on their bookshelf."—Flavorwire"[Crawford's] elegant, lyrical play of text size and orientation layers over Whitman’s poem a kind of visual rhythm that not only harmonizes with the original verses but enriches them and gives them uncommon dimension."—Brainpickings"Crawford's work is almost something else entirely, a pictorial guidebook to Whitman's catalog of Americana. The poem is so vivid it's almost surprising no one has thought of this before. The few samples of the work available online thus far are stunning."—Philly.comPraise for Allen Crawford's (aka Lord Whimsy) The Affected Provincial’s Companion, Volume One“…one of the more charming treatises to come along in years…In short, [Crawford] glorifies almost every aspect of Homo Affectus…as [his] book points out, being a dandy is…about imagination, about dreaming up and acquiring and embodying a mixture of traits and clothes and habits peculiar to you. And if they seem peculiar to everyone else, well then, they had better catch up, hadn’t they?”—The New York Times"Ask Whimsy, and he may call himself a “crack-pot” or a “shut-in.” But if you want the full answer, hightail it to a bookstore and secure a copy of one of the most entertaining—and certainly weirdest—non-fiction titles of the summer…The Companion is a lifestyle battlecry, both quaint and radical, lighthearted and dead serious…The Affected Provincial’s Companion may never dislodge The South Beach Diet as a guide to post-modern American living, but it is a lot more fun than any rivals in the field. After reading this eccentric’s creed, it feels good to know that a book this quirky can still get published. And good, too, to know that Whimsy is out there, tending his bug-eating plants and dreaming up his next shot at boring mainstream life."—The Associated Press"We humbly endeavor to showcase the talents, both literary and graphical, of the aforementioned Lord Whimsy. While he has been widely denounced as a cad, rake, and sipper of porridges, we humbly submit that he is also a splendid raconteur and a canny quillsman. Granted, he is also something of a bounder. But, gentle reader, let the work speak for itself. Witness his rousing jeremiad against Sporting Wear. Admire his scientific chart detailing the improbable physics of Self Congress. Behold the impeccably turned out man-about-town. We are confident you will find this dandy’s manicured musings a bracing tonic against the enervating drudgery of the modern world. Was it not the great Gallic thespian Gerard Depardieu who once exclaimed, “Ah, Whimsy—un homme d’esprit!” Yes, it was not."—Yahoo Read more About the Author Walt Whitman (May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works.Allen Crawford is an illustrator, designer, and writer. He and his wife Susan are proprietors of the design/illustration studio Plankton Art Co. Their most notable project to date is the collection of 400 species identification illustrations that are on permanent display at the American Museum of Natural History’s Milstein Hall of Ocean Life. Under his pseudonym, Lord Breaulove Swells Whimsy, he wrote, designed, and illustrated The Affected Provincial’s Companion, Volume One, which was optioned for film by Johnny Depp’s production company, Infinitum Nihil. He lives in Mt. Holly, NJ. Read more
Reviews
As a fan of the graphic novel I was immediately drawn to this project and began to follow it in its nascent stages. The author would post pictures of his large, two page illustrations and typographical efforts on social media and I was hooked. Having the book in my hands, well it's damned near erotic. In an age of the ephemeral this manuscript feels almost illicit in its bold sensuality. This is not a poetry book for the shelves - it's for slipping under the pillow or into the napsack for a hike out to the hill or the park to read choice passages aloud to friends, passed around like a good bottle of wine or a joint. If you've read Scott McCloud's work than you'll realize something special is happening here with the interplay between the illustration, typography and the text itself. The image-forming pathways of the brain must interact with the language pathways - it makes the poem shimmer and dance on the edges of a realm I've usually reserved for graphic novels (Chris Ware comes to mind). I'm grateful to the author for rekindling my love of Whitman with this work - the poem is soulful. It's like sharing a peach with a partner on a warm summer day, under the shade of an oak tree by an expansive river. This is something to be treasured - it makes the heart soar, the mind wander, the face blush... and if you're a sharp knucklehead like me, it'll sneak you a few finely-tuned LOLs.
