Chronicle Books Blog

If you are anything like me you decided to skip the Black Friday shopping frenzy in favor of leftovers, family time, and college football. For those like-minded among you who still have all or most of your holiday shopping ahead of you, April and I are happy to help with a few gift suggestions of our own…

Kevin’s Picks

The Wire – The Complete Series
I was late to the party but once I started watching I couldn’t stop, and I know from my proselytizing on behalf of the show that not everyone has been converted. Give this to the TV junkie on your list and they’ll be out of circulation for awhile.

Bob Dylan: The Original Mono Recordings
What do you give the Bob Dylan fanatic on your list? More Bob Dylan of course! Luckily, for those of us who worship at the House of Bob, there has been a steady stream of quality reissues and ‘bootlegs’ to compliment his original material, and this box set presents his first eight albums as they were meant to be heard: in mono. I want!

San Francisco Giants: 2010 World Series Champion Gear
I’m still buzzing over the Giants improbable run to the top of baseball’s Mt. Olympus! What better way to share your pride with others (and not neglect the Dodger fan on your list) than with some commemorative World Series gear that celebrates their accomplishment. By the way, when do pitchers and catchers report?

See’s Candies
When I find myself stumped for gift ideas I can always count on See’s Candies to save the day. Whether I’m introducing someone to this historic San Francisco based company, or keeping my East Coast friends and family stocked with the best of the west, See’s chocolates and candies are always appreciated and never returned (save the dark chocolate Bordeaux for me!).

April’s Picks

Posteritati Movie Posters
A few years ago, we published the Art of the Modern Movie Poster, which featured 1,500 movie posters from the collection of New York poster dealer, Posteritati. I have since purchased posters from the shop as gifts, especially those that feature motorscooters, which are my passion. I have this Roman Holiday scene card in my sights this year. If I purchase by December 5th and use the code: FREEGIFT, I’ll get a $20 gift card for my next purchase. Maybe you’ll find a poster that is perfect for your movie-loving gift lister.

Vintage Hairstyling
Our new book Let’s Bring Back celebrates the great personalities, places, possessions and practices from the past that should be brought back. I’d love to see the resurgence of fancy retro hairstyles, so I’m buying Vintage Hairstyling for myself and a friend.

Soup and Sandwich Duo
Baby, it’s cold outside! What warms one more than a grilled cheese sandwich and soup? This set from Uncommon Goods makes a great gift for the friend who loves a soup-n-sammy. And if you are gluten-free like me and love grilled cheese, try Udi’s Gluten-Free bread. It’s delicious!

50 Years of the Playboy Bunny
This season on the AMC show Mad Men, Episode 10 had a scene that took place in a Playboy Club. This got a lot of my friends talking about the iconic Playboy Clubs and Bunny uniforms. That inspired me to give copies of 50 Years of the Playboy Bunny to several of my friends who will love the vintage photos of the clubs and Bunnies, as well as the behind-the-scenes stories and info such as how to carry a drink-filled tray with poise. And from now until December 5th, take 35% off (plus free ground shipping) on all orders at ChronicleBooks.com! Just use promo code FRIENDS at checkout.

Happy Holidays from the Chronicle Entertainment Marketing & Publicity Team!
—Kevin & April

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When I first wrote about children’s books that designers love, I mentioned the books by the ’60s designer Paul Rand and the Italian designer Bruno Munari, among a few others. A year later, Paul Rand’s I Know a Lot of Things was re-released and I took the opportunity to write about other gems in children’s book design. Turns out that if you’re a visual person or into graphic design, you really don’t need to have or be a kid to like books created for them.

For example, A Long Piece of String, a practically wordless, two-color children’s book by William Wondriska, originally published in 1961, verges on being a work of art.

This charming book simply follows the trail of one string, starting at the end sheets then through and around many situations with varying levels of scale and intricacy, such as a castle or a fluffy dog. It’s only at the end that I realized they were alphabetically arranged encounters.

Shadow, Suzy Lee’s follow-up to Wave, is another beautiful and practically wordless book.

Also two-color and in a vertical format, Shadow’s spine is at the top of the book, so that the shadows always appear in the bottom pages. It thoughtfully illustrates the imagination of one little girl discovering the potential of shadow play in her garage.

Featuring a completely different style, far brighter and zanier, is Other Goose by J.otto Seibold, the artist and author of the Mr. Lunch series, Olive, the Other Reindeer, and Penguin Dreams, among other great collectable books.

My favorite thing about Other Goose is the type-driven story openers. Seibold uses a mix of spray paint, massive hand lettering, and a wide range of scale for his cast of unusual characters.

I’ve heard it said that there are children’s books you buy to collect and cherish, and others you get simply to entertain young minds. These books can definitely serve both purposes. They’re imaginative and captivating while still being beautiful objects. They’re also great design specimens for the graphic eye.

Suzanne LaGasa
Designer

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Save yourself from Black Friday shopping shame spirals! Today, I want to get some fresh air and support my local shops and artists instead. One of our stationery artists Mike Perry is hosting a pop-up shop in his Brooklyn studio starting tomorrow. Since we know first-hand the excitement that buzzes around a pop-up shop (we have two of our own right now – we’re set up at Zinc Details on Fillmore Street through the holidays and just moved temporarily from the Metreon to Westfield San Francisco Centre), it sounds like the type of unique shopping experience we love to support.

Mike is transforming his studio, which usually looks like this, into a galley and shop. You’ll find prints, zines, books, T-shirts, original drawings, and more from Justin Fines, Sonnenzimmer, Josh Cochran, Jim Stoten, Luke Ramsey, Jim Datz, and many more.

If you’re in New York check it out. And if you’re here in the Bay Area, come shop with us at Zinc Details and the mall. If you’re everywhere inbetween, hop online to take advantage of the Friends & Family sale we have going on right now: get 35% off plus free ground shipping by entering FRIENDS when you check out at www.chroniclebooks.com through December 5th.

Mike Perry Pop-Up Shop
November 27th – December 1st
10:00 am – 5:00 pm
925 Bergen Street, Suite 308 (btwn. Franklin and Classon), Brooklyn

Chronicle Books has moved from the Metreon to Westfield San Francisco Centre. Here are some pics of our new space.

Photographs by Ryan Cunningham.

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I’m keeping it very short and very sweet in the best way with this classic recipe from Nancie McDermott’s wonderful Southern Pies.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Pecan Pie
Makes one 9-inch pie

Though this holds first place in many hearts when the subject of favorite Southern pies comes up, most people are surprised to learn that it is not particularly old, dating back only as far as the 1930s. I consider pecan pie a brilliant spin on the traditional Southern chess pie, which is the foundation for many of the greatest hits of Southern pies. This recipe for the classic favorite uses dark brown sugar instead of dark or light corn syrup, typical in many recipes. Molasses, sorghum, and pure cane syrup are also popular sweeteners for pecan pie. You could use either perfect pecan halves or chopped or broken pecan pieces. Both are excellent and traditional choices. I love the look of pecan halves, but for ease of cutting and serving, I usually chop them coarsely.

Pastry for a 9-inch single-crust pie (store-bought or home-made)
1 pound dark brown sugar (2 firmly packed cups)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter
1 cup milk
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (about 6 ounces) pecans, chopped or halves

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch pie pan with crust, then crimp the edges decoratively.

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and flour and stir to mix them together well. Add the butter and place the pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring and pressing the butter to melt it and combine it with the sugar. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and vanilla. Stir well with a fork or a whisk to mix everything together evenly. While stirring gently, slowly pour the warm sugar mixture into the milk mixture. Mix to combine everything evenly and well. Pour the filling into the piecrust and sprinkle the nuts evenly over the top.

Place the pie on the bottom shelf of the oven. Bake until the edges puff up and the center is fairly firm, wiggling only a little when you gently nudge the pan, and it is nicely browned, 40 to 50 minutes. Place the pie on a cooling rack or a folded kitchen towel and let cool for at least 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Purchase Southern Pies.

Peter Perez
Senior Marketing Manager

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The editor is in! Chronicle Books is proud to announce an all-new event: Pitch for Charity.

Come to our San Francisco office on Wednesday December 8th from 3-5 p.m., pitch your book, and you’ll receive in-person feedback from a Chronicle Books editor. If the project is a match, one day you could be a Chronicle author! A suggested donation of $10 will go to Habitat for Humanity.

Here are the details:
Wednesday, December 8th
3:00–5:00 p.m.
Chronicle Books
680 2nd Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
$10 suggested donation

Here’s how it will work:
You arrive at 3:00 p.m. with your materials. A Chronicle employee will check you in and sign you up for a ten-minute time slot. When it’s your turn, be ready to give your pitch in five minutes or less. The editor will use the remaining five minutes to ask you questions about your project and give you constructive feedback.

The best pitches will include:
• A well-honed and practiced pitch that clearly describes what your project is, who it’s for, and why you’re the person to write/create it
• A cover sheet that includes a concise description of the project
• 10-15 pieces of sample art, if necessary. (Make copies—please don’t bring original art!)
• Sample text—two to three pages at most—that can be read by the editor during your meeting and that you feel is best representative of your work.
• Contact information: phone number and email address.
• A good knowledge of what we publish—check out www.chroniclebooks.com to determine if your project might be a match for us.

For more detailed submission guidelines, go to: www.chroniclebooks.com/submissions
*Please note: Our children’s publishing group will only be reviewing picture books at the event.

Just as with all submissions we receive, your project may not be right for Chronicle, but we are also glad to help suggest other avenues for your work, whether that’s with another publisher, a magazine, a blog, or self-publishing services.

We’re looking forward to meeting you face-to-face, offering immediate feedback—and possibly publishing your book!

Think you’ll attend? Have questions? Talk to us in the comments section below.

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