PRESS & MEDIA INTERVIEWS
Sam Maloof: 36 Views of a Master Woodworker
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Praise for Sam Maloof: 36 Views of a Master Woodworker
“This richly illustrated book...offers a multifaceted portrait of the man and his work, as viewed through the eyes of people who knew him.”—Scott Russell Sanders, The Washington Post “I’ve always taken Maloof’s audacity of form as permission to ‘misbehave handsomely.’ This collection confirms my suspicions.”—Nick Offerman, actor, author, owner of Offerman Woodshop “This warm and personal account of Sam Maloof, one of America’s most beloved craft makers, brings the man and his work alive. By examining Maloof from multiple vantage points, Fred Setterberg unveils the complexity of his apparently straightforward life story. The book will be rewarding not just for those who knew Maloof and his work, but for anyone who places value in a life devoted to skill and artistry.”—Glenn Adamson, Nanette L. Laitman Director, Museum of Arts and Design “As snapshots of a life devoted to craft, this book should be a touchstone for any would-be craftsman. Here is the secret of what it’s all about: not fly-by-night sensation, but hard work, dedication, and genuine love of material and community, refined over decades. It is a rare treat to read such intimate portraits of one of the great craftsmen of our time.”—Nora Atkinson, Lloyd Herman Curator of Craft, Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum “This engaging portrait of the preeminent woodworker of the twentieth-century studio craft movement, presented through multiple voices and vantage points, poignantly animates a vanishing moment in the cultural history of California (and the nation at large).”--Peter Korn, author, Why We Make Things and Why It Matters: The Education of a Craftsman “A very captivating read that has as much to say about the creative process as it does about the woodworker himself. Highly recommended, whether you're a professional or amateur woodworker, or simply revel in the creative life.”—Carl Duguay, Canadian Woodworking “A tribute to an amazing man [whose] work will never be forgotten, with people coming together to reveal the ‘best of the best’ in the world of woodworking. And a man who had such great passion for his art that he was kind enough to share it with one and all....this memoir is one to be savored.”—Amy Lignor, Feathered Quill Book Reviews “Wonderful pictures and unique documents are featured in this classy and elegant book. Important testimonials from Mr. Maloof’s friends, colleagues and family are included. Mr. Setterberg brings all of the above with style and poetry in tribute to artist who has himself brought poetry into wood. This is a must have book for anyone who loves beauty and wants to touch it.”--The Culture News "One man who offers insight on Maloof is his friend and fellow furniture maker, former President Jimmy Carter. 'He was not just the best woodworker that ever lived, he was a person admirable in all his characteristics,' he says. 'He was a philosopher. He was deeply committed to basic moral values. I really have been inspired by Sam.' " --San Francisco Examiner Sam Maloof Centennial coverage: "Author Setterberg weaves together the words of Maloof family members, friends and associates to present a personal, multifaceted portrait of the artist as a member of and contributor to his community." Houzz |
Lunch Bucket Paradise
Shortlisted for the 2012 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing, given by the William Saroyan Foundation and Stanford University Libraries.
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The Roads Taken
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Praise for The Roads Taken: Travels Through America's Literary Landscapes "A smart and unsentimental journey to a few forgotten or overlooked American literary landmarks; winner of the Associated Writing Programs Award for Creative Nonfiction. Setterberg's odyssey begins when his road-struck young cousin visits him in San Francisco (where the author lives with Kerouac's sofa) and reawakens in him the sense of adventure that had inspired him to travel 20 years before....Setterberg considers the corruption of journalism and of travel writing in Virginia City, the Nevada boomtown where Mark Twain, the artist of fraudulent journalism, got his start. In New Orleans, Setterberg meditates on Zora Neale Thurston, as well as on racism, music, and dance....There is much art here, and much sense, but mostly genial, articulate, and discerning guidance to some obscure places in America and in the mind." --Kirkus Reviews "In this literary travelog, Setterberg presents essays on Willa Cather's Nebraska, Larry McMurtry's Texas -- both real and mythical -- Thoreau's Maine woods, Hemingway's Michigan wilderness in "Big Two-Hearted River," and Twain's Virginia City. As he visits each place, Setterberg incorporates his observations with the different authors' words. His chapter on Zora Neale Hurston's New Orleans and black life in the rural South is especially good." --Library Journal “…rich, alternately humorous and profound prose …thoughtful literary biographies, vivid landscape writings and a gift for metaphor… The book begs for a second reading, friends with whom to discuss it and a vigorous, wandering spirit to match its own.” --The Baltimore Sun Selected in "10 Favorite Books of Creative Criticism," by J.C. Hallman, Conversational Reading. "Into Some Wild Places with Hemingway," published in the anthology The Story About the Story: Great Writers Explore Great Literature, edited by J.C.Hallman, Tin House Books. "The Usual Story," published in the anthology In Short: A Collection of Brief Creative Nonfiction, edited by Mary Paumier and Judith Kitchen, W.W. Norton & Co. "My Father's Jack London," published in the anthology Travelers' Tales San Francisco, edited by James O'Reilly, Larry Habegger & Sean O'Reilly, Travelers' Tales Inc. |
Under the Dragon
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Praise for Under the Dragon: California's New Culture
“Ambitious and marvelously vibrant… a captivating and astutely documented take on California’s changing cultural and ethnic intersections. …a fresh lesson in the things that divide and unite us all.” --Chandra Prasad, editor of Mixed: An Anthology of Short Fiction on the Multiracial Experience “…documents the decreasing relevance of ‘race’ and the growing importance of community as we continue to mix, mingle, marry, and migrate.” --Kip Fulbeck, Part Asian, 100% Hapa “The photos and stories capture much of the dynamic of the new millennium, where...diversity has gone into hyperspace in a region where multiculturalism is already considered passé.” --Andrew Lam, Perfume Dreams: Reflections on the Vietnamese Diaspora “Under the Dragon is a joyful celebration of diversity and a compelling case for stretching beyond our own assumptions about our differences." —Janice Mirikitani, San Francisco Poet Laureate Museum Event: "Trading Traditions: California's New Cultures" multi-media exhibition at the Oakland Museum of California, January 19 - April 6, 2008. Radio Interviews: Fred and Lonny interviewed by Denny Smithson on KPFA’s Cover to Cover. Fred is interviewed by Julia Taylor on WAMC Northeast Public Radio. Fred, Lonny, and sound designer Jim LeBrecht discuss the Trading Traditions exhibition on Your Call, KALW. Fred and Lonny interviewed by Mike Cuthbert on Prime Time Radio, with accompanying slide show. |