Launching a Rocket into the Typosphere

Olivetti Lettera 22 Repaint

Here are the "before" pictures:

Here is the work in progress:

Here us the final result:

A classy typewriter like this deserves a nice carrying case. I found this totebag on a site called Society6. They do all kinds of designs on totebags and other things and they have dozens of typewriter-themed bags.

Time Travel with Tom

A few weeks ago at the urging of my typing pal Tom I checked out the 1939 World's Fair. I sent him a note and a little packet of pictures.

Today I got this nice note in reply.

Miss Tibbett's Typewriter

This brief little book was first published in 1966 by Weekly Reader Books. I happened to find this copy on Biblio.com which is a great online compendium of independent bookstores.

The story and illustrations are wonderful, telling the story of Miss Tibbett and her not quite perfect typewriter. I am certain that I am at least five decades older than the intended audience for this book, but I found the book to be thoroughly charming.

CLICK, CLACK, MOO - Cows That Type

While out walking today I found this children's book in one of our local Little Free Libraries. While the text glosses over the problem of how the cows manage to hit the correct tiny keys with their big hooves, it does manage to tell an amusing and well illustrated tale. If, along the way, the young reader is exposed to concepts such as conflicts between workers and the ruling class, the power of collective bargaining, and the importance of powerful communication tools, so much the better. And it may give kids notions of perhaps getting a typewriter of their own.

Franz Kafka Blues

I read some of Franz Kafka's stories and novels forty years ago when I was in college. A few weeks ago I picked up a biography of him at one of our local thrift stores. This kicked off what has now been a several week binge of reading and rereading books by and about Kafka.

I had forgotten how funny much of Kafka's work is. I'm pretty sure my lovely and patient wife has gotten sick of my Kafka anecdotes now, but I'm still having a blast. I woke up this morning & I wasn't a giant bug, so I figured it was going to be a pretty good day. To celebrate, I wrote this blues song.

TYPEWRITER - A Celebration of the Ultimate Writing Machine

One of my Christmas gifts from Christine was this book. It is a beautiful volume with wonderful pictures and text that illuminates the early history of typewriter development. The main focus of the book is the 19th & early 20th century. I think anyone who appreciates classic technology would love this book.