BAM!!

Kat Potente replies!

I sent an email to katpotente@gmail.com about my research into some of the historical figures in the book.

Below is the reply...

griffo gerritszoon == franceso griffo, yes! more or less.

gerritszoon the font is more like… garamond, maybe.

good sleuthing!

More Cool Findings (Maybe Spoilers, But Not Really)

To begin, in case you couldn't tell by the recent deluge of posts, I am really enjoying this month's book. (http://pleasanthillbookclub.blogspot.com/2013/03/march-book-of-month-mr-penumbras-24.html)

Ok, now the reason for this latest post. From the reading I was inspired to flip through my copy of The Smithsonian Book of Books by Michael Olmert. As I opened the inside cover there was an inscription "Ex Libris" (meaning From Books) similar to the "Ad Libris" (To Books) we see in Mr. Penumbra. Cool, but not overly. Then, turning the page I see...

the Festina Lente mark (http://pleasanthillbookclub.blogspot.com/2013/03/what-is-festina-lente.html) of 15th century printer Aldus Manutius!  Super cool!

While reading the entry about Aldus I came across an entry about the man who created the type face (font) used by Aldus and it is pretty similar to what is described in the book. Turns out that "Griffo Gerritszoon" the font creater from the book, is actually Francesco Griffo who was born in the same year as Aldus (1450) and died three years after him (1518).

The type setting "Gerritszoon", as far as I can determine, created by the real Griffo is actually "Times New Roman".  This would fit based on the description of "Gerritszoon" (though I can't find a "Gerritszoon Display" version of Times New Roman) as found as Kindle type and the font found on every computer. The Smithsonian Book of Books also has a photo sample of Aldus' work which, to my untrained eye, looks very much like Times New Roman.

If it seems weird that a 15th century printer would be using something as simple as Times New Roman, I must note that Aldus is heralded for not only printing great classical writings, but "these books [became] widely available in small, affordable editions, [and] easy to read."(Olmert p. 130)

PS- I'm only 51% through the book. I'm sure I'll be posting more soon. Or I might only be writing this much because 3rd quarter grades are due and I am procrastinating. In which case I won't follow up until 2nd semester grades come due.

Hadoop! and Mechanical Turk

Unlike many things mentioned Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hou Bookstor, Hadoop! and Mechanical Turk are real. Follow the links below to learn more. 

http://hadoop.apache.org

https://www.mturk.com/mturk/welcome

I signed up to be a Mechanical Turk. It takes 48 hours to be approved. I'll update with details on the experience in the near future.

What is Festina Lente?

via wikipedia:

Festina lente or σπεῦδε βραδέως (speude bradeos) is a classical adage and oxymoron meaning "make haste slowly" or "more haste, less speed". It has been used as the motto of many people including the emperors Augustus and Titus, the Medicis and the Onslows.

The meaning of the phrase is that activities should be performed with a proper balance of urgency and diligence. If tasks are rushed too quickly then mistakes are made and good long-term results are not achieved. Work is best done in a state of flow in which one is fully engaged by the task and there is no sense of time passing^. "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast."

The emblem of the dolphin and anchor which has been used since Roman times to illustrate the adage. This example is the printer's mark of Aldus.

Punumbra Fact Checks and Other Thises and Thats

Before I begin, yes, I know this is a fiction novel...

and b), if you aren't as far as I am (33%), there are no spoilers below

1. Sadly, Grumble does not exist :( Not so much for the free pirated material, but the 3-D Sci-Fi universe map sounds cool

2. Still waiting for a reply from katpotente@gmail.com

3. Monkey Money does not appear to be an actual rising start-up. More like an online gambling site

4. As a Bay Area resident. It would have been nice if he called the trains "BART" and not just trains

5. The font Gerritszoon, mentioned several times in the book, does not exist


PS- go to www.robinsloan.com. He's got some short stories there and you can enter your email to sign up for "secrets, etc."

March Book of the Month: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

 
via goodreads.com:

The Great Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon out of his life as a San Francisco Web-design drone—and serendipity, sheer curiosity, and the ability to climb a ladder like a monkey has landed him a new gig working the night shift at Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. But after just a few days on the job, Clay begins to realize that this store is even more curious than the name suggests. There are only a few customers, but they come in repeatedly and never seem to actually buy anything, instead “checking out” impossibly obscure volumes from strange corners of the store, all according to some elaborate, long-standing arrangement with the gnomic Mr. Penumbra. The store must be a front for something larger, Clay concludes, and soon he’s embarked on a complex analysis of the customers’ behavior and roped his friends into helping to figure out just what’s going on. But once they bring their findings to Mr. Penumbra, it turns out the secrets extend far outside the walls of the bookstore.

With irresistible brio and dazzling intelligence, Robin Sloan has crafted a literary adventure story for the twenty-first century, evoking both the fairy-tale charm of Haruki Murakami and the enthusiastic novel-of-ideas wizardry of Neal Stephenson or a young Umberto Eco, but with a unique and feisty sensibility that’s rare to the world of literary fiction. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore is exactly what it sounds like: an establishment you have to enter and will never want to leave, a modern-day cabinet of wonders ready to give a jolt of energy to every curious reader, no matter the time of day.

826 Oakland?

Last Thursday I went to see an interview with Dave Eggers in Lafayette for the LAMORINDA One Book, One City program. Their 2013 selection is Eggers' A Hologram for the King.

While the talk was incredibly interesting as he spoke about the genesis of some of the more interesting parts of the book, the existentialism and symbolism of certain other parts, and a snap-shop synopsis of the evolving Saudi culture, the biggest take-away was the mentioning of 826 Oakland.

If you've never heard of the 826 program please read below.


via 826valencia.org:


"826 Valencia is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students ages six to eighteen with their writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. Our work is based on the understanding that strong writing skills are fundamental to future success and that great leaps in learning can happen when trained tutors work one-on-one with students.

We offer a range of programs, all free of charge, for students, classrooms, and schools in the Bay Area. Our project-based approach allows students ownership over the writing process, and strengthens their ability to express themselves clearly and in their own voice. By making writing fun, by demystifying the process, and by creating gorgeous books, magazines, and newspapers that honor their work, we can inspire young people to gain critical skills and write with confidence. For a more in-depth look at our recent programs, check out our 2010-2011 annual report.

826 Valencia was founded in 2002 by author Dave Eggers and educator Nínive Calegari. Read more about the history of the organization. Dave Eggers also tells the story about 826′s inspiration, early beginnings, and ensuing momentum in a TED Talks video."


Since opening in San Francisco ten years ago, '826' has tutored thousands of students across San Francisco and Bay Area with great success. An incredible 96% of students surveyed said that after a year of the tutoring program (which is free!) they feel confident in completing writing tasks assigned to them.


They have expanded to several cities across the country (Boston, DC, New York, and others) and now are hoping to bring their program to the East Bay.


There will be a town hall meeting this Monday from 6:30-8:00 at Oakland City Hall (1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Oakland, CA 94612).  826 is looking for as many educators and community members to come out to support their effort as possible.

To learn more about 826, please visit:

http://826national.org/

and

http://826valencia.org/