How to sharpen pencils, by david rees the new york times. In fact, hes apparently been running an artisanal pencil sharpening side business from his house in suburban new york, which he decided to leverage into this very treatise. It was eventually serialized by rolling stone magazine, collected into three successful books, and turned into an offbroadway play. When i decided to start my pencil sharpening business, it was very much informed by the vibe of the hudson valley, and i knew very quickly that if mine was to be a pencil. In 2009, the humorist david rees gave up cartooning and opened up his oneman artisanal pencil sharpening service in beacon, new york, an old factory town along the hudson river. The extracta meticulously detailed guide to the correct use of singleblade pocket sharpenerswas lavishly illustrated with monochrome photographs of rees at work wearing an apron, a set of headmounted magnifying goggles, and a. I am so thrilled david rees is picking up the reins of the forgotten art of manual graphiteencasedinwood pointcrafting. David rees is an artisanal pencil sharpener and the author of how to sharpen pencils.
I love my pencil amy sedaris you may think that sharpening a pencil is easy, but david rees makes it look hard, and that makes all the difference. What accounts for our fascination with the scandalous lives of rich, successful, and. A history of design and circumstance by henry petroski, an exhaustive, fascinating history of the pencil. David rees, author of the new book how to sharpen pencils shares his equipment and technique, using palomino blackwing pencils. How to sharpen pencils is a hilarious little volume whose presence is essential on any curious persons bookcase. The extracta meticulously detailed guide to the correct use of single. Oct 18, 2012 pencilsharpening maven david rees turned the nonfiction writing series at the midmanhattan library upsidedown tuesday night with his edgy pencilsharpening workshop based on his. At heart thats what this book is, and good for rees for even trying. How to sharpen pencils david rees download free ebook. If there are movements for slow food and slow reading, why not for slow writing implements.
David rees on the similar constraints of cartooning and. Just as that venture is surely no joke, john hodgman assures, us in his foreword to the book. In new yorks hudson river valley, craftsman david rees still practices the ageold art of manual pencil sharpening. How to sharpen pencils by david rees cw pencil enterprise. Youll laugh, youll probably cut yourself trying to whittle down your nearest ticonderoga but. How to sharpen pencils is a book, a manifesto and a fullyillustrated walkthrough of the many, many, many ways to sharpen a pencil.
In 2019, it seemed you couldnt pick up a tabloid at the grocery store or read an entertainment news site. David reess new book how to sharpen pencils is out april 10. An excerpt from david rees newest book how to sharpen pencils, out today from melville house. To david rees, sharpening a pencil is far more than a mundane task its an art. Be sure to get books one and two, and read the newest strips online on his website as well. And with a carefully selected sharpener or blade that suits the pencil best. Pencilsharpening maven david rees turned the nonfiction writing series at the midmanhattan library upsidedown tuesday night with his edgy pencilsharpening workshop based on. I am known as the sole mechanical pencil sharpener aficionado at my school. There is more than one author in the goodreads database with this name.
David reess get your war on is a wonderful collection of his clipart web comic that began shortly after the events of 911. His artisanal service is perfect for artists, writers, and standardized test takers. David rees how to sharpen pencils is the other big mover on our list, jumping three spots. No one these days does political satire as savagely and as honestly as david rees, creator of get your war on. The artsandcrafts web site etsy recently published an extract from david reess new book, how to sharpen pencils.
He has also been distinguished visiting professor on the english faculty at california state. David rees was a lecturer at exeter university, england until 1984, when he became a fulltime freelance writer. A mix of humor and political commentary that perfectly illustrates what was going. He moved on to his artisanal pencil sharpening service and published a related book. Aug 11, 2010 david rees, the man behind the popular political comic get your war on, wants to sharpen you a pencil. Jan 01, 2012 david rees sadly retired get your war on remains to this day one of my favorite political comic strips, but after that ended he hasnt done much on that level. My favorite use for a david rees handsharpened pencil.
In 2010, he began offering his artisanal service to the world, to the jubilation of artists, writers, draftsmen, and standardized test takers. Artisanal pencil sharpening is part of the blackwing. How to sharpen pencils is the standard to which all future pencil sharpening textbooks must now aspire. The piece features david rees discussing his pencil sharpening trade with fellow humorist mo rocca with some pretty hilarious results.
A hilarious guide to the lost art of artisanal pencil sharpening. I think the biggest thing i learned while making the show was the idea that the practice of science is a lot like the practice of making art its fundamentally creative, and good. I am david rees, founder of artisanal pencil sharpening. Youll laugh, youll probably cut yourself trying to whittle down your nearest ticonderoga but most importantly, you will indeed learn how to sharpen a pencil if thats what youre really in it for.
David rees first came to fame as the author of get your war on, a bushera comic strip composed from clipart that he faxed to friends. Despite the humorous spin, the segment is actually quite informative regarding the pencil making process. How to sharpen pencils by david rees, 9781612193267, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook. Mo even pays a visit to pencil city, usa and the musgrave pencil company in shelbyville, tennessee to see. David rees, the man behind the popular political comic get your war on, wants to sharpen you a pencil. I am the founder and sole employee of artisanal pencil sharpening, as seen on cbs sunday morning and rock center with brian williams. Mar 06, 2012 david rees sharpens pencils at lollygaggin nyc. David rees s get your war on is a wonderful collection of his clipart web comic that began shortly after the events of 911. Rees, a former political cartoonist who has come out of retirement temporarily to create a series of comics related to the 2012 presidential election for rolling. He first rose to prominence as a cartoonist whose best known work combined bland clip art with trash talk. Shipped with their shavings and a certificate of sharpening, these extrasharp pencils make wonderful gifts. Artisanal pencil sharpener calls it quits cbc radio. Oct 23, 2012 a real book, how to sharpen pencils, written by comedian david rees creator of the cult comic get your war on. The challenge in satirizing a technical manual, as this example semisuicidally.
In new yorks hudson river valley, craftsman david rees still practices. Just a man, some high quality cedar, a knife, and an occasional pencil sharper revive a bygone era and a disappearing instrument of communication. Going deep with david rees artisanal pencil sharpening aphexswift joey the midwife advertising agency. Despite the humorous spin, the segment is actually quite informative. Awardwinning toilets, a testament to the perfection of toilets. Rees would handsharpen your pencil, bag up the shavings, and send it all back to you with a certificate of authenticity. He has also been distinguished visiting professor on the english faculty at california state university, san jose. David rees and his oneman artisanal pencil sharpening. David rees sadly retired get your war on remains to this day one of my favorite political comic strips, but after that ended he hasnt done much on that level. After the cartoonist, author and writer discontinued his satirical comic get your war on which ran in. Our in depth, hilarious interview with rees from last month is a must read. How to sharpen pencils by david rees overdrive rakuten. How to sharpen pencils represents the full expression of my pencil sharpening knowledge. David rees credits a 1940 shipfitters manual as inspiration for how to sharpen pencils, his stupefyingly exhaustive guide to the art, science and artisanal pleasures of manually shaping a.
Rees has been making waves in the pencil world since opening his artisanal pencil sharpening business in 2010. For tips to help you understand what the availability of each book means and how soon. A real book, how to sharpen pencils, written by comedian david rees creator of the cult comic get your war on. Amy sedarisyou may think that sharpening a pencil is easy, but david rees makes it look hard, and that makes all the difference. Jul 29, 2012 david rees credits a 1940 shipfitters manual as inspiration for how to sharpen pencils, his stupefyingly exhaustive guide to the art, science and artisanal pleasures of manually shaping a. David rees and the art of artisanal pencil sharpening.
I am eternally grateful to david rees for, dare i say, penciling this book. In 2019, it seemed you couldnt pick up a tabloid at the grocery store or read an entertainment news site without encountering the latest celebrity gossip. How to sharpen pencils is the standard to which all future pencilsharpening textbooks must now aspire. If you want the truth about american foreign policy, the white house, iraq and more, read rees. Pencilsharpening machine david rees talks malcolm gladwell. May 11, 2012 the artsandcrafts web site etsy recently published an extract from david reess new book, how to sharpen pencils. Rees has been making waves in the pencil world since opening.
The artsandcrafts web site etsy recently published an extract from david rees s new book, how to sharpen pencils. Psychological risks associated with pencil sharpening, from. Artisanal pencil sharpener isnt a career you see on many business cards, but for david rees the art of the handsharpened pencil is both a passion and a fulltime pursuit. How to sharpen pencils by david rees, the best book ever written and a wonderful holiday gift.
I think the biggest thing i learned while making the show was the idea that the practice of science is a lot like the practice of making art its fundamentally creative, and good scientists need to have the same mastery of metaphorical thinking that you see in great novelists and poets. David rees is the pencil sharpening authority of the twenty first century, and no finer book has ever been written on the principles and practice of artisanal pencil sharpening. A practical and theoretical treatise on the artisanal craft of pencil sharpening for. The book is powerfully funny a stylistic highwire act, and rees. David rees books list of books by author david rees. David rees sharpens pencils at lollygaggin nyc youtube. A mix of humor and political commentary that perfectly illustrates what was going on in the head of someone trying to figure out just what on earth was going on in the strange new landscape that was post911 usa. And with a carefully selected sharpener or blade that suits the pencil.
When i decided to start my pencilsharpening business, it was very much informed by the vibe of the hudson valley, and i knew very quickly that if mine was to be a pencil. If you have further questions about pencils, i can recommend two books. Sending threatening letters to strangers whose names i pick out of a phone book. David rees is an unusual sort of humorist, as he is best known for get your war on check out some below, a satirical cartoon about the war on terror, and sharpening pencils.