I was just surfing over at Amazon tonight (I’m trying to spend a gift voucher – anyone got any recommendations for cool books/CDs on there?) and I came across a book being released this week – Frank Warren’s “My Secret: A PostSecret Book” (aff).
Its a book bouncing off the back of the massively popular Post Secret Blog – a blog that invited strangers to mail the bloggers anonymous postcards that made art from their inner most secrets.
This new book is actually the second one released by Frank – the previous one was The Secret Lives of Men and Women (aff) which was a best seller also.
I guess it’s an example of a blogger making an income from their blogging using an indirect method.
Correction: Looks like this is the third book rather than the second. Thanks to the numerous people who let me know.
I just got one of those Post Secret books for my birthday last month. I knew of the website of course, and would check it out whenever I needed a little pickmeup. But I was surprised when I opened up the present, and that book was in my hands (I didnt know that it came in book form).
Really interesting concept! I had no idea that there were so many people in the world, that felt like they didn’t have anyone to share with.
Anyway, this book is now the most popular thing I have. I suspect people come and visit me now, just so they can flip through those pages….no one comes just to see ME anymore. oh and it inspired me to share a secret of my own on my blog (not sooo big that it had to remain anonymous though).
If you are trying to spend a gift certificate on a dvd……an anonymous reader of one of my blogs, sent me the dvd “the triplets of belleville”, a totally crazy animated movie, with fantastic music. It was a great gift, and I was thrilled to add it to my collection.
Happy Shopping!
Actually, Darren, the first book was just called “PostSecret.” There are two new books, “My Secret” and “The Secret Lives of Men and Women.”
Frank Warren also takes the postcards around for an increasing number of museum exhibits and speaking engagements. It’s a truly fascinating social project. Over at 43things, nearly a thousand people have sending a postcard in as one of their goals: http://www.43things.com/things/view/124114
I never quite understood that blog. I’ve always though it’s a project by an artist (or possibly a group of artists) and that almost none of the actual secrets are ‘real’ submissions. Most of them seem to have the same aesthetic, the same usage of words.. they don’t seem mixed or of a poor enough quality to be public submissions to me. Very curious though! It’s an ideal art form to turn into a book, more so than most blogs.
Maybe not the kind of book you’re looking for but my new favorite author is Neil Gaiman. He writes some really great fantasy stuff if you ever get bored of the non-fiction genre.
Wow – I literally stumbled across that blog one day; I had no idea it was so famous!
If you want great reading, and you are the type of guy that are into such reading, check out Tom Robbins. Half asleep in frog pajamas, or fierce invalids home from hot climates. they GOOOD!!
My Amazon suggestions
I just got “Deep conversion Deep Prayer” off amazon. It’ll mess your life up (in a good way).
Also, I haven’t read, but just ordered through a high recommendation “Beyond the Mac is not a typewriter”