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Out of the Basement: From Cheap Trick to DIY Punk in Rockford, IL, 1973-2005

Out of the Basement: From Cheap Trick to DIY Punk in Rockford, IL, 1973-2005 imageThis is the story about the power of underground music in Rockford, Illinois, at the heart of the post-industrial midwest US, from the 1970s til recent times. This is the third volume of Microcosm's Scene History series, where we showcase the stories of people making their own music, culture, and mayhem.

Defensive Eating with Morrissey: Vegan Recipes From the One You Left Behind

Defensive Eating with Morrissey: Vegan Recipes From the One You Left Behind imageMoz is sad. He eats his sandwich. Then he eats your sandwich. Now you are sad too. Fortunately you can cheer yourself up with Automne Zingg's amazing illustrations and make enough food for everyone with Joshua Ploeg's amazing vegan recipes, both of which are steeped in Morrissey's lyrics.

Comfort Eating with Nick Cave: Vegan Recipes to Get Deep Inside of You

Comfort Eating with Nick Cave: Vegan Recipes to Get Deep Inside of You imageIf you're sad, put on some Nick Cave, relate to Automne Zingg's drawings of Cave eating and crying, and cozy up with one of Joshua Ploeg's vegan recipes.
 

Amica's World: How a Giant Bird Came Into Our Heart and Home

Amica's World: How a Giant Bird Came Into Our Heart and Home imageAmica's World is the at times adorable, at times unbelievable story of Amica, a six-foot-tall rhea who was rescued and raised by a family in the suburbs of Portland, Oregon. This full-color photo hardcover book introduces you to the world of large, flightless birds, and to the incredible story of one unique, loving individual. With a foreword by Dr. Jane Goodall.

Can You Pass Out Our Poster Catalogs?

Can You Pass Out Our Poster Catalogs? imageFor years we tried to create a catalog that simultaneously meets the needs of the book industry while also serving as a helpful guide to people who love our books and want to know what we've been up to! Last year we gave up on that ridiculous goal and have now begun producing one catalog for the book industry and one for people that do not live in Dewey Decimal. Can you leave our catalogs at record stores and coffeeshops or punk hangouts in your town or on a tour? Send us an address and how many!

Six Days in Cincinnati

Six Days in Cincinnati imageThis comics journalism classic is Dan Méndez Moore's account of the 2001 protests that swept Cincinnati after police fatally shot an unarmed 19-year-old Black man. It's the story of a community peacefully coming together in the face of police violence and the fraught national conversation that resulted. An all-too-timely re-issue.
 

Punk Rock Entrepreneur

Punk Rock Entrepreneur imageWant to run your business without losing your values... or your shirt? Keep yourself on an even keel with Caroline Moore's sage advice and examples drawn from the world of DIY punk. Having no money or resources can actually be an asset, Moore shows, as it forces you to be creative and resourceful and focus on the things that really matter.

The Beard Coloring Book

The Beard Coloring Book imageGorgeous, luscious, swirling beards grace the pages of this coloring book! If you love beards—your own or others'—this dazzling coloring experience crafted by Meggyn Pomerleau will blow your mind and break down your conceptions of beardliness.

The Post-Structuralist Vulva Coloring Book

The Post-Structuralist Vulva Coloring Book imageNever fear, neither gender essentialism nor pretentious continental philosophy are safe from the all-seeing gaze of The Post-Structuralist Vulva Coloring Book. Quotations from postmodern theorists intertwine with diverse vulva imagery from the sacred to the profane to bring you a one-of-a-kind meditative coloring experience. Edited by Elly Blue and illustrated by Meggyn Pomerleau.
 

Sprouts: Live Well with Living Foods

Sprouts: Live Well with Living Foods imageIan Giesbrecht's Sprouts is a primer on the art of growing your own sprouts and microgreens at home year-round. Packed with tips, science, and recipes, this is an essential guide to healthy, nutritious eating and cooking. Simple yet thorough, with helpful illustrations and step-by-step instructions. Anyone can sprout!

Bikenomics: How Bicycling Can Save the Economy

Bikenomics: How Bicycling Can Save the Economy imageIn the new, updated edition of Elly Blue's Bikenomics, you'll find the economic case for bicycle transportation laid out clearly and on many levels — road paving and maintenance, car ownership, jobs, health and happiness, social justice, and much more.

Manor Threat: Snake Pit Comics 2013-2015

Manor Threat: Snake Pit Comics 2013-2015 imageManor Threat contains three more years of daily diary comics from Ben Snakepit. This episode brings us to the town of Manor (pronounced "MAY-ner"), a suburb of Austin, Texas. Ben buys a house with his wife and adjusts to slow-paced country living. He also turns 40 and gets a new job, and then gets another job. Along the way, he draws a three-panel comic describing each day's events, however dramatic or monotonous. Against that steady march of time, patterns emerge and shift and the result is a meditative, addictive read that captures the humanity of everyday life. Bonus for true fans: A surprise ending!
 

In The News

Vegan Morrissey and Cave Kickstarter

Vegan Morrissey and Cave Kickstarter imageThis month on Kickstarter we bring you Defensive Eating with Morrissey and Comfort Eating with Nick Cave, featuring hilarious art by Automne Zingg and vegan recipes by Joshua Ploeg. Back them now and we'll save some for you.

Punkscription

Punkscription imageSubscribe to all of Microcosm's music books, as they come out. Scene histories, punk memoirs, journalism and cultural commentary about DIY music, in-depth looks at record labels... you'll get 'em all.

Good Life BFF

Good Life BFF imageYour sustainable living toolkit! Subscribe to all of our most popular books, as they come out: Cookbooks, DIY project books, books about healthy relationships, bicycling, fermenting, building, mending, growing, and generally living the life you want in every way.
 

Microcosm In Your Town!

Microcosm In Your Town! imageWe're coming through your town soon! If you’re planning an event and you’d like the Microcosm gang to participate (by tabling, presenting, showing films, etc) please let us know!!

Calling for submissions for the Scene History series!

Are you stoked about the history of your town? Do you find out interesting nuggets by talking to those who came before you or by scouting out details on Wikipedia? Do you want a reason to hunt out some people you respect for them to fill in the gaps?

Well, the Scene History series is an opportunity to do just that. Like our Simple History Series, we will publish two paperbacks each year of the Scene History Series that tell the story of a particular city's scene.

Suggested length is 15,000-30,000 words. Get as creative as you find gratifying. Learn about your favorite places and how things developed.

Check out the existing Scene Histories here!

Submit or ask questions to joe at microcosmpublishing daht com

 

BFF Book Subscription

BFF Book Subscription image

Be our Best Friend Forever (BFF)! For 6 months you'll receive every new title we publish. The subscription is sliding scale price $10-30/month, and you can either pay in one sum upfront here or pay-as-you-go here. Thanks for your support!  Google+

Blogifesto!

Mama Tried creator Cecilia Granata on the cover of Vegan Italy

Cecilia Granata on the cover of Vegan Italy MagazineWe got word last month that Vegan Italy magazine would be featuring Cecilia Granata, the author and tattoo artist behind our recent cookbook, Mama Tried: Traditional Italian cooking for the Screwed, Crude, Vegan, and Tattooed. It turns out that she’s on the cover of their October 2016 issue! Cecilia sent us the cover this month, and a couple of the interior shots from the feature inside the magazine. All these spectacular photos were taken by Luca Boveri.

Since we can’t read the feature, she told us a bit about it:

Cecilia Granata wearing an Eat Like You Give a Damn apron and holding a rolling pin“Vegan Italy magazine is the main vegan paper publication in Italy. It usually focuses on one personality (chef, artist, activist, celebrity, etc.) of the Vegan world (not just Italian) and then adds more articles about veganism, recipes, etc. They interviewed me and asked some photos and decided to put me on the cover because apparently I make a good character. 🙂

Basically the asked me about my life (moving twice from Italy to the US, how did that happen). How, when and why I became vegan; what are the main differences between veganism in Italy and in the US, including a perspective on which approach will be more successful for the future. And also how my passion for tattoos was born and how/when did it cross paths with veganism. A little bit about my art, iconography, inspiration, references, things I get inspired by. And how from there I also became a writer, with the publication of Mama Tried and to talk about the book.

Then a little bit about activism and they also published 2 fall recipes from the book, of which they took photos. Plus pictures of my book, art and tattoos. And me. 🙂

Veganism in Italy is exploding. In the last few years an unbelievable amount of offerings have been added to the market in a quantity and quality never known before. Starting from finding plant-based milks and breakfast in many coffee places, to ice cream parlors, bakeries, un-cheese shops, restaurants, public schools, supermarkets, tv shows, tv satire, you name it. I think the tendency will only increase and I am the happiest. I love Italian food and Italian products, whenever I go to Italy I bring back entire suitcases of food.

cecilia granata holding up her mama tried vegan cookbookItalian vegan food making has definitely a “healthier” characteristic that is not always found in Vegan made in the USA.

The debate is opening up a lot too, many events and projects are starting up.”