Production Narrative

by C. Meador

Forthcoming.

Critical Analysis

by E. Rettberg

Design Features

typographic: The narrative text is printed in an austere serif font, and the scientific names of plants, etc. are printed in a smaller, italicized serif. As the text goes on, this initially strict separation breaks down and the different type styles intrude upon their respective roles.

imagery: Each page has a nature photograph printed in green & black, but the complicated paths of reading presented by the text make them fade into the background.

graphical: The white line, initially organized in an ordered, rectilinear fashion, eventually yields to a variety of more chaotic patterns.

turnings: The white line traverses the edge of each page and continues on the next.

development: In addition to the aforementioned typographic pattern, the narrative text becomes more prominent toward the end; the last two spreads do not feature any of the scientific catalogues that characterize the early pages.

Critical Discussion

As reflected in the typography changes, as the book goes on the scientific names eventually merge with the consciousness of the implied woods-walker, leading to the final pages' reflections on language and experience: "The latin names become a filter for experience. / Your walks proceed like a lecture. / Your experiences are all named. / The names are all in language. / The language is how you know it." Finally, the book suggests the primacy of language in experience when it asserts that the reader might only be able to see what she can name.

A Long Walk

Agents

Clifton Kirkpatrick Meador

type: initiating

role:
artist
author
photographer
designer
publisher

Publication Information

edition type: editioned

publisher: Clifton Meador

place: Center for Editions, Purchase, NY

dates:
publication: 1993-05-00

edition size: unknown

Measurements

horizontal: 5.125 inches closed

vertical: 5.875 inches closed

Production Information

production means:
offset (local)

binding: hand sewn (local)

substrate:
bookBlock: paper

media:
ink (local)

Appearance

general description: A near-square volume printed in various shades of green; white lines flow throughout the volume as guideposts for the directions in which the reader is meant to read.

format: codex (AAT)

cover: The heavier stock of the cover is folded over what would otherwise be the bookblock's paste.

color: yes green

devices: None.

Content

pagination: unpaginated 28 unnumbered pages

numbered?: unnumbered

signed?: unsigned

Colophon

Produced at the Center for Editions