The Self-Reliance Library is an autonomous readingand creating library. It is a collection of older booksand reference materials that Temporary Services hasfound inspiring while doing our own projects andliving our lives. The Self-Reliance Library containsrecently published titles as well as out of print bookswe are just discovering. It includes a couple of ourown publications as well. The collection is designedto provoke the reader, solve creative problems, orsuggest imaginative directions for a range of creativepractices.

Topics in the Self-Reliance Library include: vision-ary architecture, desperate or wildly imaginativemobility, miniature architecture and nomadic living,self-publishing and design, everyday repair solu-tions, designs for fantasy worlds and alternate real-ities, technologies used in prisons and otherrestrictive or impoverished settings, ecologicallysound living, survivalism, weapon production forself defense or recreation, skill-sharing, and ap-proaches to living radically.

Self-RelianceLibrary

2

Acting in PublicMaier, Julia and Rick, Matthias, eds.Berlin: Raumlaborberlin, 2008, 192 pp.

Raum Labor is a platform run by a num-ber of people based in Berlin interested inmaking cities more open to experimentaltemporary uses. Raum Labor has built anumber of exciting urban structures frominflatable shells attached to shipping con-tainers for small exhibitions to woodentowers for viewing and using city spacesin new ways. The group's Spacebuster isa truck from the back of which a large in-flatable structure emerges and accommo-dates up to 80 people. It can easily bemoved around for various events andgatherings. This book is filled with ideasfor transforming "underestimated" urbanspaces in inspiring ways.

All Their Own: People andthe Places They BuildWampler, Jan. New York: Oxford Uni-versity Press, 1978, 206 pp.

This richly-illustrated book surveys ar-chitecture “based on the desires of peo-ple” and includes inventive homes andmonuments by numerous creators in-cluding David Brown, Everett Knowlton,Art Beal, Romano Gabriel, FatherMatthias Wernerus, and Fred Burns.Photographs of their structures are ac-companied by small, neatly labeled dia-grams that show the overall layout ofthese often dazzlingly complex, ornate, orsprawling buildings and compounds.Many of the builders included are quotedalongside their works, talking about ap-proaches that often reflect a strong spiritof self-reliance and self-education. Cre-ative recycling of cast off materials is acommon feature of many of the build-ings. More than a few of the structuresare cumulative and have evolved over aperiod of many years. Maude Meagherand Carolyn Smiley of Los Gatos, Cali-

fornia state, “We know nothing whateverabout building. We had never done anyrough work. One of us was a writer, theother a lecturer and educator with bookbinding and amateur movies as her hob-bies. But we both had college degrees,and we assumed that since primitive peo-ple can build their own adobe houses, wecould too, if we put our minds to it, solv-ing each problem as it came up.”

Ant Farm: 1968-1978Lewallen, Constance M. and Seid, Steve.Berkeley, CA: University of CaliforniaPress, 2004, 212 pp.

The Ant Farm crew were amazing vision-aries in all the things they undertook.They were grounded in the counter cul-ture of the late 1960s and early 1970s.This may be part of the reason their workdid not get much critical attention untila few years ago. This book gathers to-gether many of their projects. They wereactive in guerrilla television, making in-flatable structures on a massive scale, de-signing bizarre buildings, creating mediaspectacles, and networking Hippiesacross the land into alternative communi-cations structures. Ant Farm buriedCadillac cars in the desert and crashedother cars through walls of burning tele-visions. They made lush drawings ofutopian cities and architecture, producedgorgeous posters laying out their ideas forothers to copy. Their work remains freshand inspiring. If only more artists had theguts and the vision these folks had, lifewould be a lot more interesting.

ArchigramCooke, Peter, ed. NewYork, NY: Prince-ton Architectural Press, 1999, 152 pp.

Archigram started as a broadsheet pub-lished in London in 1961 by a group of ar-chitecture graduates. From the 1960sthrough about 1972 Archigram articu-lated a wild range of futuristic ideas

4

using graphics, drawings, collages, mod-els, and multi-media presentations.Archigram's members were Peter Cook,Warren Chalk, Dennis Crompton, DavidGreene, Ron Herron and Mike Webb.Their highly inventive ideas included a"Walking City" composed of movingbuildings with telescoping legs, a "Plug-In City" with capsule homes, systems ofliving pods, and so muchmore. This com-prehensive book contains many examplesof the group's writings and work, oftendrawn from their publications. Theirideas remain ripe for new interpretations.

The Art Trucks of JapanKato, Tomoyuki. Tokyo, Japan: DH Pub-lishing, 2008, 80 pp.

This slender book consists primarily ofvibrant color photographs of “dekotora”or “decorated trucks” – gleaming, highlyilluminated and heavily airbrushedchrome monsters that were inspired byextravagant vehicles shown in the 1975Japanese film Truck Yaro! The trucksare commonly hybrids of other truckswith limitless accessorizing that recall thecomplexities of Transformers toys mixedwith the flashing lights and gleamingmetal of a classic pinball machine or adazzling disco. The airbrushed imagery,that ranges from peaceful dolphins todramatic renderings of characters fromNoh theater, recalls the public paintingsseen on the sides of vans in the 1970s.

Backyard BallisticsGurstelle,William. Chicago, IL: ChicagoReview Press, 2001, 192 pp.

A how-to guide for making “potato can-nons, paper match rockets, Cincinnatifire kites, tennis ball mortars, and moredynamite devices.” In addition to materi-als lists and lessons in physics, historicalcontext is included for many of the itemsdescribed. Don’t shoot your eye out orburn down your neighbor’s home!

Bikes of BurdenKemp, Hans. Hong Kong, China:Vision-aryWorld Ltd., 2003, 160 pp.

This book of 150 color photos by HansKemp documents extraordinary uses ofmotorbikes on the streets of Vietnam.Metal fencing, dead pigs, dozens of chick-ens, doors, truck tires and entire familiesare shown being transported on singlebikes. These documents of everyday laborand survival evoke a sense of wonder andcomplete awe.

Bookmobiles andBookmobile ServiceBrown, Eleanor Frances. Metuchen, NJ:The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1967, 474 pp.

Bookmobiles are the original mobilestructures and an obsession of ours. Theytake libraries and put them on wheels inorder to provide better access to ideas, re-sources, and information for wider audi-ences. They are particularly importantfor people in remote areas or with disabil-ities. These inspiring structures have beenwith us for a very long time. This book isfilled with great images of everythingfrom Civil War era mobile librariespulled by horses to libraries in Germanyin the 1930s with walls that expand withthe flip of switch.

Como Hacer 20 CuerposGeometricosChavez, Carlos. Mexico City, Mexico:Gomez-Gomez Hnos. Editores, 44 pp.

A succinct publication that shows how tocut and fold paper or cardboard to make20 different three-dimensional geometricshapes; the book is a tool that can be usedwith young children or adults to buildcomplex structures. One could easily usean opaque projector to transfer the papercutting and folding patterns onto largecardboard sheets to create giant three di-mensional objects.

6

The Convict CookbookBaker, Torrey, Bland, Marco, and others,Washington State Penitentiary. WallaWalla, WA: J. G. Narum, 2004, 164 pp.

This cookbook was a class project by con-victs at the Washington State Peniten-tiary (WSP) inWallaWalla, Washington.It presents recipes by prisoners at WSPalong with relatives and friends of pris-oners, correctional officers, instructors,and prison volunteers. The recipes byprisoners for “in-cell” dishes often de-pend on the limited range of ingredientsthat come from the prison store or snackbar as well as methods for cooking andpreparing those ingredients that can beachieved inside a cell. As a result, someof the recipes feature unusually creativeapplications of highly generic ingredientsand recipes for items like cookies that canbe produced without baking. Other hotfoods, such as an omelet prepared in a Zi-ploc bag, depend on boiling water and animmersion heater – one of the few cook-ing devices that prisoners are often per-mitted to have in their cell. The bookincludes some methods of replacing pop-ular products like Swiss Miss Hot Choco-late mix with ad hoc versions combiningmore commonly found ingredients. Aglossary of convict slang at the WSP isalso included.

Discographisme Récréatif(HomemadeRecord Sleeves)Caillet, Patrice. Montreuil, France: Édi-tions Bricolage, 2009, 240 pp.

This book expands upon the earlierRecreational Discographics with a largerpage format and all new material.Discographisme Récréatif focuses on theamateur inventiveness found in hand-made or hand-altered vinyl record cov-ers. Many strategies are shown in fullcolor from a great trove of used recordstore discoveries. In addition to the usual

overdrawn photos with anatomical em-bellishments (male recording artiststurned into women, and vice versa) aremore than a few beautiful creationswhere the jacket was missing so an en-tirely new cover was created, or a plainwhite sleeve was heavily decorated withpainting, drawing, collage or a combina-tion of the three. While some of these de-signs are casual or irreverent, many moreshow a fanatical excitement for musicand records that results in an entirelynew kind of graphic design and packag-ing art. Imagine the world we would livein if consumers redesigned all kinds ofpackaging with this level of interest andenthusiasm!

Do It Yourself: A HandbookFor Changing Our WorldTrapese Collective, eds. Ann Arbor, MI:Pluto Press, 2007, 306 pp.

Paulo Freire, the Brazilian educator andtheorist, once said that education itself isthe practice of freedom.

The members of the Trapese Collective,three longtime self-identified radical ed-ucators, have practiced the freedom tocreate change amongst others. Theyshare their hits, misses, advice, and read-ing lists in 2007's Do It Yourself. This is aguide to many facets of sustainable living,including energy consumption, self-orga-nizing, cultural activism, and organizingaround health-care. It's filled with inspir-ing stories of change and resistancealongside practical step-by-step direc-tions for building everything from a com-posting toilet to a consensus-basedcommunity group. The goal is the activ-ity that one feels spurred toward afterreading the basics in Do It Yourself.Change does seem possible after seeingconcrete examples of the work that ama-teurs, citizens, and experts alike have ac-complished.

Dwelling Portably: 1980 - 89Davis, Bert and Holly. Bloomington, IN:Microcosm Publishing, 2008, 164 pp.

Dwelling Portably:1990 - 1999Davis, Bert and Holly. Bloomington, IN:Microcosm Publishing, 2009, 168 pp.

Dwelling Portably:2000 - 2008Davis, Bert and Holly. Bloomington, IN:Microcosm Publishing, 2009, 168 pp.

"The advice in this book is taken frompersonal experience. It is not intended tobe a stand-alone survival guide. It 's upto you to decide what is right in your sit-uation."

Dwelling Portably was originally pub-lished by Bert and Holly Davis as a seriesof small zines over 28 years. They used atypewriter for text and hand drawn im-ages for their tidy, packed publications.They made the zines as they lived a no-madic life in the woods of the PacificNorthwest of the United States. The zineshows tips and strategies for living a fru-gal, low-impact, nomadic life. There areplans for building tension bridges,makeshift shelters, packing your bike ef-ficiently and a lot more. As a zine, withrather limited distribution, DwellingPortably built up a large cult followingand was next to impossible to find eitherthrough zine distributors or in stores sell-ing them. Fortunately, Microcosm Pub-lishing did what they do best: gatheredtogether all the copies of the zines andpublished them in three volumes. Wehave found these publications in bothforms – as zines and now books – deeplycompelling and bursting with humanspirit and creativity that you wish youwould encounter much more often.

The Dymaxion World ofBuckminster Fuller8

Fuller, Buckminster R. and Marks,Robert. Garden City, NY: DoubledayAnchor, 1973, 246 pp.

Buckminster Fuller's legacy as an inven-tor, engineer, and futurist is explored inthis collection of drawings, photographs,and text that Fuller himself preparedwith the help of journalist Robert Marks.Widely known for his innovations in cre-ating structures with the geodesic domeas a model, Fuller's influence on lan-guage, global viewpoints, and efficiencycan be re-discovered here. This out-of-print book was an important addition tothe Self-Reliance Library as it includesmuch information about the larger engi-neering context that is necessary to un-derstand in order to see the depth ofFuller's (often derided) vision. An incred-ible amount of exciting illustrations areincluded: sketches, photographs of pro-totypes that the public may have not beenaware of at the time of their creation, andpersonal notes from Fuller. Gaining anunderstanding of Fuller's sometimesheady concepts can help us understandthe limitations of the ways in which ourpublic and private spaces are currentlystructured.

Fantastic Architecture –Personal and EccentricVisionsPhotographs by Schuyt, Michael and Elf-fers, Joost. Text by Collins, George R.New York, NY: Harry N. Abrams, Inc.,1980, 254 pp.

This oversize book on unusual architec-tural structures features cursory text de-scriptions and large format photographicoverviews and details by two photogra-phers that traveled to document many ofthese firsthand. In addition to obviouschoices like Buckminster Fuller, AntonioGaudí, and Simon Rodia's Watts Towers,the book also digs into Pieter Wiersma'ssand castles, Grandma Prisbrey's Bottle

10

Village, novelty vernacular architecturelike a hot dog stand in the shape of a hotdog, and the art of topiary. Most of thesebuildings and sites are complex enoughto each warrant a book. While we cravemany more photos of some of the placesdocumented by Schuyt and Elferrs, thisbook remains a rich introduction.

Field WorkKawamata, Tadashi. Hannover, Ger-many: Reihe Cantz, 1997, 68 pp.

Since 1984, artist Tadashi Kawamata,who is best known for his large scale ar-chitectural creations, has also under-taken a more personal, fast and guerrillastyle method of building called FieldWork. He works with cast off boards, bitsof wood, and sheets of cardboard and af-fixes these materials in a temporary andprovisional way with nails or tape. Thesesmall structures, resembling single-per-son homeless shelters, are put up quicklyin overlooked city spaces along the mar-gins of urban centers. This book includesblack and white photos of Kawamata'sField Work in multiple cities, with a cou-ple photos of his process of driving with avan filled with scrap materials in searchof work sites. The book opens up our per-ception of the many places where smallshelters could be sited and the ways inwhich temporary micro-architecturecould integrate itself alongside preexist-ing structures.

The Foxfire BookWiggington, Eliot, ed. Garden City, NY,Anchor Books, 1972, 388 pp.

Foxfire 2Wiggington, Eliot, ed. Garden City, NY,Anchor Books, 1973, 428 pp.

Foxfire 3Wiggington, Eliot, ed. Garden City, NY,Anchor Books, 1975, 522 pp.

Foxfire is a series of twelve numbered

books, originally derived from a maga-zine of the same name, that focus onsouthern Appalachian living.We have in-cluded the first three books in this series.Each is a combination of how-to mate-rial, folklore and oral histories and is richin information, photos and illustrations.Foxfire was initiated by Eliot Wigginton,a high school teacher, whose students col-lected oral histories from local people.Some of the many topics included inthese first three volumes on "the affairs ofplain living" are log cabin building,moonshining, wild plant foods, spinningand weaving, animal care, banjos anddulcimers, butter churns, and ginseng.Far more than a mere description of liv-ing practices, these books provide somuch information in their large pagecounts that they often become thoroughinstructional guides.

Handmade Electronic MusicCollins, Nicolas. New York, NY. Rout-ledge, 2009, 364 pp.

This book and DVD set's subtitle is "TheArt of Hardware Hacking," and the artpart as well as the hacker part are ex-plored with expertise in the second edi-tion updated in 2009. Nicolas Collins is acomposer and performer of electronicmusic himself, as well as an academicand editor. He writes with experience, of-fering both tips and tricks for makingelectronic circuits and hacked instru-ments, as well as offering photos and de-scriptions of contemporary circuitbreakers and makers, performers, inven-tors, and their handmade and homemadeinstruments and creations. Pretty mucheverything one might need to know aboutthis genre of electronic music is included,and for those who have prior extensiveknowledge, Collins has included more in-formation (and some corrections!) on hispersonal website. This kind of work is notjust for gearheads or tech nerds. The per-

12

formative aspect of these inventions, aswell as the sometimes totally dysfunc-tional ways in which they work, will be ofinterest to anyone.

Home-Made: ContemporaryRussian Folk ArtifactsArkhipov, Vladimir. London, England,Fuel Publishing, 2006, 304 pp.

Vladimir Arkhipov is a Russian artistwho has been researching, collecting, andexploring the world of hand-made, usu-ally utilitarian objects since 1990. Home-Made is a compendium of photographs ofand stories about these items and theircreators. In the book's introduction,Arkhipov explains that his personal col-lection of these "thingamyjigs" (the au-thor's word choice) started when hehappened to see an unusual clothes hookon the wall of an acquaintance's house. Itwas made from an old toothbrush.Arkhipov was immediately drawn to thissort of self-made design and contactedfriends and family to seek out similar ob-jects and solutions in their own houses.The book consists of a myriad of photo-graphs of these objects, along with shortdescriptions and interviews by many ofthe creators. Many of the inventions andcreations remind us of the same impetusand ingenuity that the inventors repre-sented in our book Prisoners' Inventions.Books like Home-Made help to reinforceour notion that creativity and inspiringinvention can be found under any cir-cumstances.

HomeWork – HandbuiltShelterKahn, Lloyd. Bolinas, CA: Shelter Pub-lications, 2004, 260 pp.

Lloyd Kahn is responsible for numerousinspiring books on handbuilt housing. Hewas the "Shelter" section editor for theWhole Earth Catalog and this book is the

23rd for his imprint Shelter Publications.This sumptuous book is a jam-packedgreatest hits compendium of Kahn'sdecades of research. It includes hundredsof mostly color photos – often eight perpage – of handbuilt construction fromaround the world. Subjects include mul-tiple profiles of individual builders, yurts,desert houses, homes off the grid, homeson the beach, new settlers in NewMexico,"zomes", houses built on rock, mud andstraw constructions, bamboo joinery, treehouses, a bottle house, and an extensiveselection of mobile homes. There are alsocontributions from writers that are simi-larly obsessed with handbuilding likeLester Walker and Kevin Kelly, alongwith a section of recommended books onbuilding.

Housebuilding For ChildrenStep-By-Step Plans ForHouses Children Can BuildThemselvesWalker, Lester. Woodstock, NY: TheOverlook Press, 1977, 176 pp.

This book offers clear instructions andexciting photos of buildings made by chil-dren ages 7-10. The core list of toolsneeded is a mere seven items (not count-ing the box of bandages and carpenter'sapron). Though the structures are in-tended for play (such as tree houses andstructures made from scavenged junk),many of the houses look quite durableand could be fun to assemble for a varietyof creative projects for adults. Note thatLester Walker is also the author of TinyTiny Houses.

Make Your Place:Affordable,SustainableNesting SkillsBriggs, Raleigh. Bloomington, IN: Mi-crocosm Publishing, 2009, 128 pp.

Another inexpensive and handy book

published by Microcosm. Designed withcharming, clear drawings and completelyhandwritten text, Make Your Place fo-cuses on DIY approaches to health andfirst aid, non-toxic cleaning and bodycare, and gardening. In the health andfirst aid section you'll learn how to makenatural salves, tinctures, and tonics andtreat burns, rashes, stomach problems,bruises, headaches and more. The clean-ing portion addresses eco-friendly recipesfor taking care of floors, toilets, windowsand pet stains, as well as your hair, face,teeth, cats and dogs. For your garden,this book shares helpful knowledge oncomposting, fertilizing, planting and pestcontrol.

Making Stuff & DoingThings: A Collection of DIYGuides to Doing Just AboutEverythingBravo, Kyle, ed. Bloomington, IN: Mi-crocosm Publishing, 2005, 288 pp.

A compendium of folk knowledge from avariety of sources and authors with ayouthful Punk spirit. The presentation ofthis information ranges from a roughphotocopy and collage aesthetic to hand-drawn, hand-written, or computer-de-signed layouts. Some of these ideas areparticularly smart and cost effective(making a homemade Neti pot for nasalrinsing using a dishwashing soap bottleand some salt), while other ideas (such assculpting, making a mold, and castingyour own dildos and buttplugs) reallyforce the question of whether or not somethings are better left to the experts. Otherideas look like lots of creative fun, suchas tips for making your own loopingaudio tapes, quill pens and rubberstamps.

Messing AroundWithDrinking StrawConstruction14

Zubrowski, Bernie, Boston, MA: Linda,Brown and Company, 1981, 68 pp.

This activity book by The Children's Mu-seum, with illustrations by StephanieFleischer, provides information on basicarchitectural engineering principals forstrong design. Photos of children at workon structures scaled to their bodies sug-gest a range of creative applications.

Mingering Mike:The Amazing Career of anImaginary Soul SuperstarHadar, Dori. New York, NY: PrincetonArchitectural Press, 2007, 192 pp.

Ready to create your own world fromscratch? How about your own albums,singles, kung fu movie soundtracks, andbenefit record for sickle cell anemia re-search? Take a lesson from "Mingering"Mike Stevens, whose childhood and ado-lescent isolation drew him to create animaginary world and an alternate life forhimself. Author Dori Hader happened tofind a crate of MingeringMike's creationswhile looking for albums at a flea marketin Washington, D.C. These are not onlydrawings of fantasy record covers, but insome cases homemade records them-selves (complete with grooves in the fakevinyl, liner notes, and sometimesshrinkwrap). In another great moment ofkismet, Hader is a criminal investigatorand DJ, and was able to actually findMike Stevens and get his permission tohelp show the world these amazing cre-ations. This is self-reliance of the finestcaliber – a true artist who creates his ownworld and multiple record labels to fulfillhis lifelong dreams when SpaceshipEarth just ain't cuttin' it.

AModern Herbal: How toGrow, Cook, and Use HerbsStevenson,Violet, ed. Hong Kong, China:Lynx Press Ltd, 1974, 144 pp.

This is a fantastically illustrated andfairly complete guide to herbs, includingtheir history, and identification and culti-vation tips. It's also a collection of practi-cal things to do with herbs includingcooking and making potpourri. Herbs incontainers, as house plants, and their an-cient properties are discussed.

New Treehouses of theWorldNelson, Pete. New York, NY: Abrams.2009, 224 pp.

Any notion that treehouses are merelyplay structures for children is thoroughlydemolished by this sumptuously illus-trated book for adults (and kids too ifthey have amazing parents). Treehousesaround the world are photographed fromboth the outside and their interiors.Homes range from small single-roomunits to complex multi-level structures.The range of ladders and scaffolds usedto gain entry to the shelters is nearly asvaried as the homes themselves. Just asLester Walker's book Tiny Tiny Housesawakens the desire to own a single roomstructure on land, this title makes livingin a forest, high in the branches, look ab-solutely glorious. The author Pete Nelsonalso runs a Treehouse building company,TreeHouseWorkshop Inc. in Seattle, andNew Treehouses of the World is en-hanced by examples of his own designsand the experience he brings to buildingthem.

Nomadic Furniture 1Hennessey, James and Papanek, Victor.NewYork, NY: Pantheon, 1973, 164 pp.

Nomadic Furniture 2Hennessey, James and Papanek, Victor.NewYork, NY: Pantheon, 1974, 158 pp.

Though these books were authored in

16

1973 and 1974, passages like this aboutnomadic living and frequent relocationcould have been written yesterday or nextweek, "For those of us in the ‘f loating ac-ademic crap-game’ (professors), ‘forever’is a 9-month appointment." The focus, asstated in the first book, is on, "How tobuild and where to buy lightweight furni-ture that folds, collapses, stacks, knocksdown, inflates or can be thrown away andrecycled. Being both a book of instructionand a catalog of access for easy moving."Not everything must be built or pur-chased, however. A section of the firstbook shows how common recycled or-ange crates and grape boxes were used tooutfit a store.

In addition to seating, desks and storage,the second book includes plans for creat-ing playground equipment, lighting fix-tures, lamp shades, and a treehouse. Theauthors are also obvious music lovers soadvice on stereo equipment and recordstorage is here too. Both books are de-signed with a wonderful style of hand-written text and excellent clear photosand drawings. Were it not for the appear-ance of reel-to-reel players in some of thephotos, many of the designs would feelcompletely contemporary – in part be-cause of a resurgence of interest in thisperiod of design, but also because theyare still relevant to people's needs. Thesecond book contains a dedication tothose who, "are still choosing instead ofthinking you know, traveling instead offeeling you have arrived, finding yourselfinstead of settling down."

The Owner-Built HomeKern, Ken. Auberry, CA: HomesteadPress, 1972, 290 pp.

Ken Kern's guide to building your ownhome from the ground up is consideredsomething of a bible amongst self-made,country homemaker, and weekendbuilder types. It's divided into sections

such as "Site and Climate," and teachesbasic building techniques while remind-ing the amateur builder to keep both en-vironmental and aesthetic issues in mindwhile designing and building their dreamhome. The techniques and suggestionsfeatured are low-cost and simple, but areall a testament to building something cor-rectly the first time to last a lifetime.

Pioneering in the UrbanWildernessStratton, Jim. New York, NY: UrizenBooks Inc., 1977, 208 pp.

A fascinating look at the phenomena ofrenovating dilapidated urban lofts into tolivable homes and alternative art spacesthroughout many U.S. cities but with afocus on New York City. Jim Stratton'swriting is loaded with colorful stories de-rived from direct experience transform-ing these sometimes extremely roughbuildings. In addition to accounting forconstruction and utilities challenges, hedescribes the threat of building inspec-tors, and concerns about other tenantsthat call attention to illegal renovationsby being careless about moving construc-tion materials in and out during daylight.Of particular interest is Stratton's ac-count of the development of art galleriesand spaces in SoHo and the real estate in-volvements of film-maker Jonas Mekas,and George Maciunas, the father of theFluxus movement, and his company thatused the same name, as well as Flux-house.

Prisoners’ InventionsAngelo and Temporary Services.Chicago, IL: WhiteWalls, 2003, 132 pp.

Prison is a place where one's basic needsof shelter and food are taken care of justenough for a crude existence. Survivalthere is about maintaining one's sense ofself-worth, purpose, and carving out asmuch autonomy as is humanly possible

under such difficult restraints. This bookexplores the amazing capacity of humansto use their creativity to endure the hu-miliating and dehumanizing confines ofprison. It is a celebration of ingenuity andpresents the reader with an array of in-ventions. One can learn how to cook foodusing burning toilet paper and the builtin steel furniture. Leisure activities likeplaying chess, dominoes, or entertainingoneself with pet insects can be achievedwith simple materials and solutions.There are instructions for homemade sexdolls and privacy curtains for the smallspace of a single cell.

Angelo, our friend and collaborator onthis book, wrote about and illustratedmany of the inventions from firsthandknowledge. Some of the inventions comefrom things that Angelo has seen inprison; others are objects that Angelo andhis cellmates have made themselves. Allof these items are contraband.

This book fundamentally altered how weunderstand the material make up of ourworld. It gave us a profound appreciationfor creativity that is applied with rigorand unrelenting drive. We wish more ofthe people on the outside who considerthemselves artists or creative had half thecapacity that prisoners do when theycome up with these solutions for briefmoments of sanity and control in a placethat does everything to keep you off bal-ance.

Project Student Autonomy:A Student’s Guide toTaking Back Power in theClassroomSelf-published by Project StudentAuton-omy. Santa Cruz, CA: Quiver Distro,2006, 24 pp.

Project Student Autonomy is a decentanti-copyright publication that asks ques-tions about power and autonomy in the18

student learning experience. Why do wehave the rules and expectations we havein our current educational systems. Areall students actually benefiting from theway that things are? How can we, as stu-dents, parents, and teachers, create class-room experiences that go beyond theconstraints of homework and lecturing?Radical and practical approaches tochanging the classroom experience on apersonal and local level are offered alongwith case studies from the Project Stu-dent Autonomy group's research.

Public PhenomenaTemporary Services. Chicago, IL: HalfLetter Press, 2008, 152 pp.

This book is the result of over ten yearsof photographic documentation and re-search on the variety of modificationsand inventions people make in public.From roadside memorials to makeshiftbarriers, people consistently alter sharedcommon spaces to suit their needs, or letboth man-made and natural aberrationsrun wild. The result is a new kind of pub-lic space – with creative and inspiringmoments that push past the originalplanned design of cities.

Recreational DiscographicsCaillet, Patrice. Montreuil, France: Édi-tions Bricolage, 2004, 132 pp.

Patrice Caillet's first compilation of beau-tiful, found, recreated and modifiedrecord album covers. (See also Disco-graphisime Récréatif, 2009)

Simple Methods of MiningGoldFaulk, Terry R. Palmer Lake, CO: FilterPress, 1969, 32 pp.

Simple Methods of Mining Gold offersexactly what the title suggests - a primeron finding, mining, and staking a claim

on "placer gold" nuggets that may still beavailable in the American West andAlaska. We like the format (it's in theTemporary Services-approved half letter,machine-stapled booklet size) and themeticulous yet optimistic advice thatFaulk provides to prospective miners.This small booklet is part of a series ofover thirty that Filter Press publishedfrom the 1950s through the 1970s. Eachvolume in the series promises informa-tion and instruction in the ways of the"Wild and Woolly West," from Navajoweaving to game cookery.

Shop Drawings of ShakerFurniture andWoodenware, Vol. IHandberg, Ejner. Stockbridge, MA: TheBerkshire Traveller Press, 1973, 96 pp.

Shop Drawings of ShakerFurniture andWoodenware, Vol. IIHandberg, Ejner. Stockbridge, MA: TheBerkshire Traveller Press, 1975, 82 pp.

Shop Drawings of ShakerFurniture andWoodenware, Vol. IIIHandberg, Ejner. Stockbridge, MA: TheBerkshire Traveller Press, 1977, 96 pp.

These three identically-designed volumesprovide clearly measured and propor-tioned line drawings designed to helpreaders construct their own copies ofShaker furniture designs, which areknown for their simplicity, austerity andspare use of materials. While amateursmight have a hard time comprehendingsome of the joining methods from thesedrawings, those with a moderate degreeof wood-working skill should be able tofollow the illustrations with success. Se-

20

lected photos and original Shaker catalogrenderings are included in each volumeto help readers get a more specific senseof the finished products.

The Survivor, Volume 1Saxon, Kurt. Alpena, AR: Atlan Formu-laries, 1988, 476 pp.

While Kurt Saxon states that, "Survivalis about looking out for number 1", healso notes that, "The inexperienceddreamer simply cannot survive alone."This book may have been inspired by theauthor's desire to be prepared against aforeign invasion, but it also containsmany ideas (and reprints from old arti-cles in Popular Mechanics) for expandingone's approach to living in any situation.

Tiny Tiny Houses or How toGet Away From It AllWalker, Lester. Woodstock, NY: TheOverlook Press, 1987, 224 pp.

For this book, long a favorite of Tempo-rary Services, Lester Walker compiledover 40 examples of buildings under 325square feet, providing photos, drawings,floor plans, and in some cases instruc-tions for the reader to follow. Examplesinclude a rolling home on wheels, a tenthouse, an ice fishing shanty, a portableshelter cart for the homeless designed byChristopher Egan, Henry DavidThoreau's cabin, and George BernardShaw's writing hut which can be manu-ally rotated to take advantage of the arcof the sun. The appendix includes ideasfor kitchens and bathrooms

Toolbox For SustainableCity LivingKellogg, Scott, and Pettigrew, Stacy.Cambridge, MA: South End Press, 2008,248 pp.

The Austin-based Rhizome collective

published this inspiring book on how topractice sustainable living and design inurban centers. The book shows how tokeep and raise chickens, establish aqua-culture, build composting toilets, and in-tegrate water conservation and greywater into a healthy garden. Members ofTemporary Services visited the ware-house in 2009. We got to see many of thesystems documented in the book.We alsomet an enormous turkey that had freerun of the place. The Rhizome collectiveresponsible for this book seemed to be onhiatus and maybe an addendum to thebook should be written telling folks that ifyou choose to follow the instructions inthe book, expect to do a lot of mainte-nance and upkeep if you want things tokeep going.

Whole Earth: Access toTools & Ideas for theTwenty-First CenturyRheingold, Howard, ed. San Francisco,CA: Harper San Francisco and PointFoundation, 1994, 384 pp.

Long before the internet and quicksearches you had to do the hard work tofind the tools and information needed forbuilding geodesic domes, making solarpower, raising your own food, and drop-ping out of industrialized America. TheWhole Earth (WEC) Catalog, publishedmainly between 1968 and 1972, was aone-stop source for many to get the toolsfor rebuilding a more just, ecological, andpeaceful world. The biggest promise ofthis counter-cultural catalog was its sim-ple yet empowering motto, "access totools." You could get books or tools forbuilding houses by hand, creating radiostations, wiring a building, fishing and somuch more. The book was more than acatalog. It also had reviews of importantcounter-cultural gatherings or the use ofpsychedelic drugs. More than any otherpublication that came out of this time, the

22

WEC gives a strong sense of the produc-tive side of the counter-cultural move-ment and its grand aspirations. Wecontinue to find reasons to learn from thepeople who made the WEC.

The Wizard's Eye: Visions ofAmerican ResourcefulnessHiggs, Jim and Milligan, Charles. SanFrancisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 1978,108 pp.

From the back cover: "A sourcebook ofimaginative money-making, energy-pro-ducing, house-building and fixing ideasthat all use recycled materials, and theability to see the gold in the scrapheap."The Wizard's Eye, which includes an in-troduction by Buckminster Fuller, is aslick, mainstream book that presentsshort profiles on some pretty radical andimaginative ideas, as well as others thatreflect 1960s and 70s aesthetics thatcould use some updating. Some of themore exciting inclusions are a mobilehome made from the cockpit of a DC-7and Bonnie Sherk's inner-city farm on anisland of land surrounded by freewayexits and on ramps.

Working Big: A Teachers’Guide to EnvironmentalSculptureBunch, Clarence, and Lidstone, John.New York, NY: Litton Educational Pub-lishing, Inc., 1975, 96 pp.

This exciting guide applies some of theideas of artists and writers like Ant Farm,Otto Piene and Willoughby Sharp tolarge scale art projects that can be exe-cuted with children. A pull quote fromthe back cover, "Children who have theopportunity to work together with large-scale materials are more likely to havemeaningful, in-depth experiences thanthose whose background has been re-stricted to participation in small-scale

classroom activities. [...] A school shouldrecognize that (such projects are) notonly a logical extension of the classroomcurriculum but also a way that studentscan become involved with art forms thatare relevant to the world they live in."

About Temporary Services

Temporary Services is Brett Bloom, Salem Collo-Julinand Marc Fischer. We have existed as a group, withseveral changes in membership and structure, since1998. We produce exhibitions, events, projects, andpublications. The distinction between art practice andother creative human endeavors is irrelevant to us.

Temporary ServicesP.O. Box 121012Chicago, IL 60612USA

www.temporaryservices.orgPrinted in October, 2010