I Am 8-Bit

These days, videogames are characterized by intensely realistic graphics, difficult objectives achieved via complex maneuvers, and, thanks to artificial intelligence, the possibility of encountering a variety of different of scenarios in each level. But if you’re a product of the ‘80s, then you know that gaming wasn’t always so high-tech. Jon M. Gibson’s I Am 8-Bit (Chronicle Books) is a collection of “art inspired by classic video games of the ‘80s,” – when ‘2-player’ actually meant one player at a time, and ‘secret moves’ were as simple as knowing when to duck down into a pipeline or bang a brick with your head to retrieve a few extra coins. Though we’re huge fans of the many next-level advances in gaming technology, we also appreciate the ways in which the video games of yesteryear have inspired this book’s contributors; for many of us, the fondest childhood recollections are of endless hours we spent playing old school favorites like Duck Hunt and Pac-Man. With a dynamic collection of art (ranging from photographs to oil paintings to various mixed media), I Am 8-Bit is a true ode to ‘80s nostalgia, and a poignant reminder that there was indeed life before X-Box 360.

WWW.IAM8BIT.NET


ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN YRB MAGAZINE COPYRIGHT © 2006

Subversive Cross Stitch

In an unlikely pairing, Julie Jackson has fused two of America’s most beloved pursuits: the art of decorative embroidery and the art of impropriety. Subversive Cross Stitch (Chronicle Books) is a collection of “33 designs for your surly side,” complete with tools, techniques and other resources for the novice (or thrill-seeking) cross-stitcher. Looking to update that faded old “Home Sweet Home” wall-hanging with something more fashionable? Look no further than Subversive Cross Stitch, and discover such new classics as, “Go Fuck Yourself” and “Homo Sweet Homo” – a great housewarming gift for same-sex couples. You will also find traditional designs like, “I My Job,” but don’t be sucked in by the dainty, pastel-flowered border before you read Jackson’s colorful and informative captions: “What’s that? No, really—I LOVE my job! In fact, I can’t think of any place I’d rather spend a sunny day than in this cozy little cubicle. I’m allergic to fresh air anyway!” A tad gimmicky, to be sure, but Subversive Cross Stitch will still make a nice addition to your coffee table.

WWW.SUBVERSIVECROSSSTITCH.COM

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN YRB MAGAZINE COPYRIGHT © 2006

The Lost Blogs

Ever wonder what people like Moses, Gandhi and Marilyn Monroe were really like? Paul Davidson feels you, and his new book The Lost Blogs (Warner Books) is the answer to your prayers. Described as “The historically inaccurate and totally fictitious cyber diaries of everyone worth knowing,” the book contains blog entries “authored” by 175 historical figures, complete with fake web links, subject lines and user comments. Highlights include: Jim Morrison’s blog (in which he writes, “Check me out – I’m naked on The Doors unofficial 24-hour Webcam”), Bruce Lee whining in broken English that a Caucasian has been hired to play “Kung the Fu master,” Hellen Keller’s photoblog (with blank space in lieu of photos, and one caption that reads, “Church, I think”), Ben Franklin’s admission that he “so totally blacked out again last night,” a numbered account of Wilt Chamberlain’s female conquests (with a list of locales where he intends to rack up a few more: the free clinic, the bus stop, the alleyway behind the Arby’s and a crosswalk); and, finally, the Marquis de Sade’s depraved apology to his wife, Renee: “Baby doll. Darlin’. I’m sorry. No, not sorry like the last time—REALLY sorry.”

WWW.THELOSTBLOGS.COM

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN YRB MAGAZINE COPYRIGHT © 2006