Production Narrative

by T. Shaw

VSW Press Founder Joan Lyons and the artist are obvious resources for an accurate production narrative of this title.

Critical Analysis

by T. Shaw

Design Features

imagery: The relatively crude shapes and slightly jaggy lines of relief prints make up all of the imagery which mostly consists of people in idealized historical dress getting on a train.

graphical: The design is more or less full bleed imagery on every page. There is some typeset text which are vocalized statements, often times typograpically enhanced for effects of volume.

openings: Openings are consistent throughout. Each opening is one stage of mostly graphic sequence.

turnings: Aside from one constant--the train tracks--turnings are varied spread to spread to engage the reader in the visual narrative running throughout the book. Also prominent is the train element which overlaps the fore-edge recto to verso to provide quick-paced continuity in the turning of pages.

development: The development contains swells, a climax, and other visual rythmns making the narrative complex. Eventually, the train, a dominant graphical element, is left behind by our own momentum in turning pages and we are left with only the tracks in the end.

Critical Discussion

Since the reader's own momentum turning pages eventually surpasses the icon of train travel, it could be said the book is a subtle criticism of humankind's approach to technological development. This is supported by the book's last vocalized statement "Where are we going?" answered by "Beats me sonny."

Getting There

Agents

Babette Katz

type: initiating

role:
artist

dates:
publication: 1992

note: [T. Shaw]

Visual Studies Workshop Press

type: initiating

role:
publisher

location: Rochester, New York

Publication Information

edition type: editioned

publisher: Visual Studies Workshop Press

place: Rochester, New York

dates:
publication: 1992-00-00

Measurements

vertical: 5 inches closed

horizontal: 8 inches closed

Production Information

production means:
offset (local)

binding: perfect (AAT) Perfect Bound

substrate:
bookBlock: paper

media:
ink (local)

Appearance

general description:

format: codex (AAT)

cover: Paper

color: no

Content

pagination: unpaginated 30

numbered?: unnumbered

signed?: unsigned

Colophon

n/a