Book of the Month – August

Lists of Note – Compiled by Shaun Usher
Chosen by Nick Plant

Six reasons I bought this book.

1. It was in Magma’s sale box.
2. It was payday.
3. No designer can resist a list.
4. Stephen Fry’s very complimentary quote on the back cover.
5. The clean, simple design and eclectic images that accompany the lists.
6. The fact it contains gems like this:

Under the heading of For Characters Who Don’t Dig Jive Talk the following is an introduction to ‘Jive Talk’ by jazz pianist, Harry Gibson, reproduced in his 1944 album, Boogie Woogie in Blue. Long before flat whites and fixies, Gibson is credited with coining the term, hipster.

A Really In There Solid Chick — An Attractive Young Girl
A Shape In A Drape — Looks Good In Clothes
Ball All Night — An All Night Party
Bring Him — Embarrass Him
Cat — A Jive Fan
Clipster — A Confidence Man
Cut On Down, Cut Out — To Leave
Dig Those Mellow Kicks — Knows How To Live
Dig What I’m Putting Down — Pay Attention
Fall In On That Mess — Play That Thing
Freakish High — To Get High As A Kite
Get Straight — Work It Out, Make A Deal
Good For Nothin’ Mop — No Good Woman
Groovy Little Stash — Cozy Spot
Hipsters — Characters Who Like Hot Jazz
Hold Back The Dawn — Go On This Way Forever
Hype You For Your Gold — Take You For The Bank Roll
Joint Is Jumpin’ — Place Full Of Customers
Juices — Liquor
Layin’ It On You Straight — Telling You The Truth
Like A Motherless Child — Sedate
Lush Yourself To All Ends — Get Very Drunk
Out Of The World Mellow Stage — To Get Ecstatically Drunk
Pitch A Ball — Have A Good Time
Really In There — Knows The Answers
Same Beat Groove — Bored
Solid Blew My Top — Went Crazy
Solid Give Me My Kicks — Had Lots Of Fun
Solid Stud — Influential man in the entertainment field
His Story Is Great — A Successful Man About Town
Take It Slow — Be Careful
Your Stickin’ — Flush, Carrying A Bankroll