The Projector

Amusements & Useful Devices from K. A. Wisniewski

Where the Angels Lived: Coming Soon from Calypso Editions

I am pleased to announce the next title to be released from Calypso Editions:  Margaret McMullan’s Where the Angels Lived.  Margaret also published the novel Aftermath Lounge (2015) with Calypso. … Continue reading

April 9, 2019 · Leave a comment

Lest We Forget! A Poem

  LEST WE FORGET! The World is Round and Very Wet! By Bob Brown   Pilsener beer from a tall frosted glass at Luchow’s             … Continue reading

April 2, 2019 · 1 Comment

America’s First Polish Immigrants: Another Look at Jamestown

Continuing this thread on Jamestown, at the end of class I offered an example of brainstorming research topics. The example I used built from our reading of John Smith’s General … Continue reading

March 26, 2019 · Leave a comment

Teaching Jamestown, Virginia … Again and Again

One of the ongoing challenges in teaching a survey class in American history is making decisions on what to cover in the limited amount of time 14 weeks and 3 … Continue reading

March 19, 2019 · 1 Comment

Free Books, Open Libraries: 15 Resources for Everyone

Many of my upper-division courses focus on the same general set of questions:  How does digital media disrupt “conventional” structures?  Structures here range from thought processes and reading and researching … Continue reading

February 26, 2019 · Leave a comment

James Rivington, American Printer

James Rivington (1724-1802) was an English-born printer/publisher and journalist in New York City during the American Revolution. Prior to the revolution, he was one of the most popular and widely … Continue reading

February 19, 2019 · Leave a comment

Reading by Design … The Great Gatsby

Next semester, I’m teaching another class related to book history and publishing.  This course will examine the history and evolution of book design and, specifically, cover art.  The question that … Continue reading

July 10, 2018 · 1 Comment

Accidental Diarist: A Review

The Accidental Diarist: A History of the Daily Planner in America By Molly A. McCarthy. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2013. 302 pp., HC $90 Pb $30) http://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/A/bo15357320.html     … Continue reading

March 6, 2018 · Leave a comment

The Projector Finds a Hobby

Last week I was happy to report the latest issue of Textshop Experiments was released.  The video essays included in this issue include new work by H. R. Buechler, Jimmy … Continue reading

February 13, 2018 · Leave a comment

LIVE: Textshop 4 … From Digital to Print

I am happy to announce the release of Textshop Experiments’  Volume 4: From Digital to Print. Contents 100 Questions About Writing And The Future by Jimmy Butts Printed Animals by … Continue reading

February 6, 2018 · Leave a comment

The Schoolmaster, Translated

Last week, I noted that I would return to completing my translation of selected poems by Marcel Lecomte.  To slowly return to this project and to offer another preview of … Continue reading

January 9, 2018 · Leave a comment

365

A few days ago, on New Year’s Eve, I completed my #365DayChallenge of posting one image a day on Instagram.  So, for now, I’m taking a little break from social … Continue reading

January 4, 2018 · Leave a comment

Classic Comics Covers

For those who know me and my work, it’s no secret that I am interested the relationships between texts and images.  So much so that I’ve straddled the line between … Continue reading

December 19, 2017 · Leave a comment

16 Weeks with Bob Dylan

Colleges are like old-age homes; except for the fact that more people die in colleges. For me, the environment to write the song is extremely important. The environment has to … Continue reading

December 18, 2017 · Leave a comment

An Exercise in Creative-Critical Thinking

The Paltry Nude Starts on a Spring Voyage Wallace Stevens (1919) But not on a shell, she starts, Archaic, for the sea. But on the first-found weed She scuds the … Continue reading

December 15, 2017 · Leave a comment

Francis Hopkinson’s Ode to the Fourth of July 1788

This summer, I was awarded a fellowship and small stipend to continue my work on American printing history.  The goal was two engage in a reenactment or historical performance / … Continue reading

November 27, 2017 · Leave a comment

Fort Garrison, Maryland

From time to time, I’ve written about local (often hidden) historical gems around Maryland.  For this post, I wanted to add to this growing list with a building just a … Continue reading

November 21, 2017 · Leave a comment

Sleep Habits & Literary Production

Sleep deprivation is a major problem these days, leading to a host of physical and emotional problems.  It has been the focus of many studies in recent decades, and, just … Continue reading

November 14, 2017 · Leave a comment

Types of Book-Binding: An Introduction

    Building on what I’ve called the Right PATH method (Performance/Production, Aesthetic, Theory, History), I wanted to add a little supplemental guide to types of binding we will cover … Continue reading

November 8, 2017 · Leave a comment

An Introduction to Book-Binding … Workshop

Two weeks ago, my paper history course had its latest workshop, on printing.  We were fortunate to use the under-utilized printing facility at Stevenson in a workshop led by printer, … Continue reading

November 6, 2017 · 4 Comments

Camera-Friendly Copenhagen

I can’t believe that it’s been five years since I visited the city of Copenhagen!  This week I was looking through some old photos, in part looking through shots to … Continue reading

November 3, 2017 · Leave a comment

The History of Paper: Getting to Gutenberg

It’s midterms here! Below is a brief review of some of the work and ideas covered in my History of Paper course. The course blog documents a bit more:  https://mulberrymummiesmarshes2017.wordpress.com/. … Continue reading

October 19, 2017 · Leave a comment

Ian McKellen, Teacher: A Note on Teaching Gesture

In the last few years, I’ve noticed a major shift in my research and in my methods of teaching: a focus on performance.  Part of my thinking is a turn … Continue reading

October 17, 2017 · Leave a comment

Pursuit of the Pawpaw: A Sneak Preview

What’s that? A fruit that tastes like a mix between a banana and a mango and that is indigenous to North America?  Curious?  If you’ve never heard of the pawpaw, … Continue reading

October 11, 2017 · Leave a comment

What a Twit!

twit, n.1 Pronunciation: Brit. /twɪt/ U.S. /twɪt/ Forms:  Also 15 twyte. Frequency (in current use): Etymology: < twit v. 1. a.  An act of twitting; a (light) censure or reproach; … Continue reading

October 9, 2017 · Leave a comment

Sounding Out Supplements: Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan’s Influences, Inspirations & Impersonations I’ve been so invested in the History of Paper class, it recently occurred to me that there have been no posts here on another … Continue reading

September 29, 2017 · 1 Comment

Sampling: The Introduction to the History of Paper Course

I’m very excited about the upcoming weeks of my History of Paper course.  I’ve already blogged about setting up the course blog and the first posts will appear soon.  I … Continue reading

September 5, 2017 · Leave a comment

Paper Infographics

Walter Ong’s classic Orality and Literacy will be one of the first texts we’ll read in my “History of Paper” course this fall.  Attached to this reading/discussion, I’ll ask each … Continue reading

August 24, 2017 · Leave a comment

Coming Soon . . . Fall Course on the History of Paper

We’re just a week away from the fall semester!  I was a little disappointed last year after my pitch for a “History of the Book” special topics class was deemed … Continue reading

August 21, 2017 · 1 Comment

Student Projects from Spring ’17, Part 3

Finally, I’ve come to the last part of this series on student projects…in retrospect, I now wish I’ve created a separate website to host or curate all of these projects.  … Continue reading

August 3, 2017 · Leave a comment

Student Projects from Spring ’17, Part 2

This is Part 2 of the series on student projects from this past semester.  The last post featured videos of place-based historical studies.  This post shares some images from a … Continue reading

August 1, 2017 · Leave a comment

Student Projects from Spring ’17, Part 1

For the next few posts, I wanted to share something a little different: samples of student work produced this past spring.  I’ve been teaching American History courses for the past … Continue reading

July 27, 2017 · Leave a comment

Shadow of the Moon Turns 20

A few weeks ago, I was asked to contribute an essay on music/history, and, as exciting as the project seemed, I’m afraid I’ll have to turn the offer down.  But … Continue reading

July 25, 2017 · Leave a comment

The Wide Image July 2017

July 23, 2017 · Leave a comment

Paper-making History: Some Bookmarks

Last fall, I taught courses in the history of graphic design and the history of printing (both Visual Arts courses).  Before I got things started, I posted an entry here … Continue reading

June 27, 2017 · Leave a comment

Forthcoming Textshop Issues: 2017-2018

Our next issue is only one week away!!! As we make the final edits to the forthcoming issue of TEXTSHOP EXPERIMENTS . . . Here’s what’s scheduled down the production … Continue reading

May 24, 2017 · Leave a comment