Publications already available within The Village Bookstore

Cosmic Surgery-Alma Haser

£35.00

19 x 24 cm
Hardcover
48 pages
Pop-up sections

Context- "Imagine a world where people could swap faces, be who they want to be, change their expressions by simply thinking of the new face they want. In her new book, artist Alma Haser invites us into an imaginary but all too plausible world where cosmetics and electronics have merged with biotechnology to create “Cosmic Surgery”, the ultimate beauty technique."

When looking specifically into the details of this book I would suggest that it is targeted at the top half of my age bracket (25+), this is due to many factors but most importantly the contextual aspect of cosmetic surgery, Within today's society it is important to be deemed beautiful, with plastic surgery being seen as a normality and ever increasing submissions for eating disorders, this is the sad reality in which we live. Thus people of this age bracket will start to become very conscious of the reality of age, most significantly wrinkles. The price for this book would also appear relatively expensive for someone younger than 25 as they will likely still be in education or just starting a low paid job. 

The pop up aspect of this book allows the audience to engage with the book, a form of nostalgia may also be applied to this. When thinking about durability one of my main issues is that of the books colour, as white is often quickly make dirty. The pop up's may also come easily damaged, a factor in which may give the book a short life expectancy. 

Blokovi: Novi Beograd -Lola Paprocka
£25.00

24 x 28cm
Paperback
96 pages

Context- "Blokovi is a photographic series exploring the New Belgrade apartment blocks and their residents, predominantly shot on medium format in August, 2015. Lola’s main source of inspiration comes from her interest and admiration of architecture and portraiture. These two themes frequently present themselves throughout the project. She intends not to focus on any particular group of people or subjects but has allowed the interactions with strangers in everyday situations within the Belgrade’s brutalist architecture to inform the overall narrative."

The main context within this book is image based, focusing mainly upon architecture, I would suggest that this book takes the role of a 'coffee table' book which's main purpose is to appear idyllic. Although exploring architecture, no real knowledge is gained from this book and thus I would again suggest that the target audience is 25+, who are interested within architecture and would thus know the knowledge missing from this publication.  The book is constructed as a paperback a factor in which may weaken its durability as a coffee table book. It may also be suggested that the colours used appeal more to women, as pink is generically identified with females. The way in which the front cover is composed also excites the consumer, mainly due to the consumer having to find the relative information (as we read from left to right). 

In loving memory of work-Craig Oldham

£30.00

230 x 297 mm
Softcover
176 pages
Offset printed
4 stocks
Stickers to front

Context-"The miners’ strike of 1984-85 was a national incident, one that gathered international interest due to its wide and deepening social and political effects on the UK economy and society. Consequently, the topic of the strike appeared in almost every sector, and was reported in almost every media. In Loving Memory of Work offers a visual record of this era of British history, collecting photographs, newspaper reports, protest posters and paraphernalia, along with personal accounts and original contributions from writers, designers and artists."

As humans we have an urge to uncover the past, a factor in which this book does. Multiple mediums have been used in order to construct a realistic and beautiful reenactment of events during the 1984-85 mining strike. I would suggest that this in depth book is targeted at 18-30 year olds primarily due to this event occurring before their birth. I believe that this demographic would be extremely interested in learning about this topic, rather than older people who were alive at the time of this occurrence. This book may also be specifically bought by welsh youths, due to the majority of the mines being within the Welsh landscape. The production of this book is highly interesting with multiple stocks being used, giving the individual an interesting learning experience. The sticker aspect may also appeal to the playful youths. 

Snapshots of Dangerous Women
£15.99

Context:For the last two decades, Peter Cohen has been combing estate sales and flea markets collecting vernacular, or “found,” photography taken in the middle part of the twentieth century. In his collection are countless images of women of all ages in various unconventional activities for the time: there are women swigging booze out of a bottle, boxing, playing pick-up football, smoking, or shooting arrows or guns—incongruous and playful behavior, all the while often performed in lovely dresses. Snapshots of Dangerous Women collects many of these period photographs, showcasing women from the thirties, forties, and fifties who are equal parts badass and rebellious, and, above all, clearly having a lot of fun. This charming book makes the ideal gift for the bold and free-spirited women in our lives.

This publication explores imagery of women within the 30's being involved with something that at the time would have been deemed unconventional. This book explores a historical aspect in which focuses primarily upon attitudes towards women, a factor in which I belive today's youth would be highly interested in, and thus I am deeming this book to be targeted at 18-30 years. Although containing a large image to text ratio, I believe that the price of this book allows it to be affordable with little knowledge. The images present also explore ideas in which todays youths would not have had to battle, such as women's right to vote. 

Athens Diary-Peter Bialobrzeski
£18.00

14 x 21 cm
Softcover
112 pages
4 Colour offset
Swiss binding

Context-For the second book in the City Diaries series, renowned photographer Peter Bialobrzeski travels to Athens, to document everyday life in the Greek capital amidst the worst European financial crisis in decades. The photographer talks of the city’s old Kafenions giving way to American-style coffee shops. Indeed, Athen’s recent suffering can be seen as a direct repercussion of its adoption of the mantra of globalisation.

Bialobrzeski captures the architecture and people of the city with his unmistakably precise style. The consequences of the recession are immediately obvious, with signs of urban decay starkly contrasted by the splendour of Acropolis visible on the horizon. Yet there is an atmosphere of resistance, evident in the myriad of graffiti on the city’s streets challenging the capitalist ideals that brought about this emergency. Bialobrzeski’s photographs convey a city facing great turmoil, yet refusing to be consumed by it.

This book explores multiple social and political issues in which the youth of today would be interested in. As the bankruptcy of Greece happened only in 2010, these youths would be able to remember the issue but may have not payed attention at the time due to their age. This book not only explores the changing of Greece but also people impact upon the city. A large proportion of the book focuses upon Graffiti being used as capitalist propaganda, a factor in which I believe gives real relevance to my book, and also embeds the idea that the Village Bookstore is interested in sed topic. Swiss binding has been used in order to give this book an extra appeal with young designers being engaged within the design.