Friday Update 7/2

Most Fridays, I update my library and share what new books I bought or received during the past week.

This was an awesome book week for me. Actually, it was just an awesome week in general. For one thing, it was my birthday on Tuesday! And for my birthday, my fantastic husband bought me a Nook e-reader from Barnes & Noble!

We had talked in the past about getting a Kindle and had looked at many of the options. After going back and forth, we had decided the Nook would be the best choice for us, when we decided to get an e-reader. But I was totally surprised when he gave it to me - I certainly didn't expect to get one so soon! Thanks, honey! (Granted, it didn't hurt that prices have started coming down. I just got an ad from Amazon that the Kindle is now $189 and the Kindle DX is $379. Then again, that's still not cheap.)


At the same time he gave me the Nook, my husband also installed the app on his iPhone, so that we could both read the e-books we buy. So far, that's worked out great. We read Charlaine Harris's latest Sookie Stackhouse novel (#10, Dead in the Family) together. Now he's reading The Passage by Justin Cronin (which I'll probably get to eventually). I'm still reading Captive Queen: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine by Alison Weir (on paper), as well as, for some light diversion, reading Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. I even read a bit of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain, which I downloaded for free.


In addition to all our new e-books, I bought a book I have wanted for a long while: The Three Little Pigs: An Architectural Tale by Steven Guarnaccia. I was amused when the sales clerk asked if it was a gift when I checked out. Nope, for me.

Happy Independence Day to all the Americans and happy weekend to all!

Wishlist: xkcd Volume 0

The webcomic xkcd has released their first collection, xkcd: volume 0. Even though I've probably read most of the comics in it, I'd still like to have it - its just such a funny, sweet, weird, nerdy comic!

My wishlist kept growing, though, when I visited the xkcd store and saw all the t-shirts and posters they had for sale. I know I am outing myself* as the biggest nerd ever, but I just love this tee:



* Or not, as my friends and family are either a) already aware of this fact, or b) even nerdier than I am, and therefore unable to judge.

Interesting Links

Popping over again to share these interesting links...

Great photos of the new High Line Project by Color Me Katie

More cool bookshelves at Incredible Things. I've seen some of the bookshelves previously (like the couch/bookshelf), but there are also some nifty new ones. [via Fear and Loathing]

I want one of these crazy cool candles.

Sorry for the lack of photos, but I am trying to be quick about this. I'll be back tomorrow with some real content, promise!

FLW Legos

This has been all over the interwebs (at least the bits I read) so some of you may have already seen it. But just in case anyone is stumped as to what to get me for my birthday (just a month away!), I present the Frank Lloyd Wright LEGO collection: [via Archinect and many other places]


Remember how, in college, I said no FLW gifts? Yeah, turns out that doesn't apply to LEGOs. In fact, these are part of a whole new LEGO Architecture collection. You can buy the John Hancock Center and Sears Tower sets at select stores in Chicago now, and they are gradually rolling it out everywhere. Very cool!

I don't know any architects who don't just love LEGOs, at least none my age. One of the highlights of my college semester living in Denmark was our trip to the LEGO Land in Billund.


Looking at that map, its amazing how much bigger LEGO Land has gotten since I was there. Guess I'll have to go back someday! Or maybe I should just visit the one in California, since its a bit easier to get to from here!

Obama's Cabinet

This postcard just came in today's mail to my office so I just had to share it with y'all.



By Marquetry Cabinets. They do other, very nice work as well (like this), but I can't say that this is their finest piece. And the pun! The pun! (Sorry about the goop on Hillary's face. That's just how it came.) *shakes head sadly* Let's not pun like this again, okay?

Kindle revealed!

I hope all of you fellow sci/tech nerds are reading xkcd, the webcomic. Today, they revealed the real reason to want a Kindle -


See more about the Kindle here or on Amazon here.

To Kindle or Not to Kindle? (Updated)

My husband is seriously considering buying the new Kindle. Do any of you have the original Kindle or another e-reader? What do you think? I'd love to get some feedback before we plop down the money.

Visit the Kindle 2 page on Amazon here.

Update: Here are some articles about the Kindle that might be interesting -

CNET's review of the original Kindle
Gizmodo's take on the Kindle 2
Nathan Bransford's praise of the Sony Reader (Which, like Jen of Devourer of Books I have played with at Border's and been very impressed by.)

Eames Video

This video on how to make an Eames chair was weirdly one of the most captivating things I've see in a while. It must be the music. [Via Arch Daily]

PS: I've never embedded video before, so let me know if this doesn't work.

Zaha Hadid's Shoes Part 2

She's at it again!   Zaha Hadid is designing shoes for Lacoste. At least these look more comfortable.

Zaha Hadid's Shoes

Pritzker laureate Zaha Hadid launched her shoe line this Fashion Week. See this link for the official launch animation. Apparently, Zaha doesn't think women have toes, or arches, or any requirement for comfortable footwear.

Zaha is pretty well-covered in the product design world. In addition to shoes, she's designed door handles and cutlery for WMF. I think the cutlery is more successful, though I'm not sure I'd want to drink hot soup out of that spoon. Her buildings, by the way, are really cool.