In April Sendb00ks collaborates with Mexican artist and writer Fernanda Ballesteros to make a miniature handmade journal found inside The Pearl by John Steinbeck
Dear The Readers,
So many people have inspired sendb00ks. Mostly, the people who receive the books and let me in on their feelings about it, where they read it, how it affected their week and so on. But also many of my friends who told me to keep going when something difficult made it seem like it was impossible to continue. Fernanda was one of these friends, always introducing me to people as ‘Gemma with the c project’. Fernanda and I have similar taste in literature, and I have spent the last 4 days at her family home in Hermosillo, Mexico, where her childhood bedroom’s bookcase is almost the same as mine (although in four languages as Fernanda is fluent in Spanish, English, French and Italian). I felt this was the most beautiful thing, people all over the world finding and loving the same books and enrichening their minds in the same way. This is what we hope to do with sendb00ks, allow anybody with a phone, postbox and appetite for information to have the greatest education possible via literature.
Fernanda also helped me develop a way of running the project from wherever Charles and I go on our trip, giving me a reading list of Latin American writers. She recommended that as our trip would begin in Baja California we should read the small but perfectly formed novella The Pearl by John Steinbeck as it explores the history, geography, religion and feeling of a place and how it affects Kino, whom the story revolves around. One of the most potent short stories I have ever read, this is what we will send to you in April.
For the commencing months, we have decided to send each book with a chapter of a journal which Charles and I will write each month in relation to the book we send. This can be found inside the book, along with the work of the monthly artist, hand made in each country. It has been so challenging and rewarding to write this and go over it with Fernanda who really understands Mexico. Fernanda has introduced us to local writers inspired by the Sonoran desert living in Hermosillo, a town that many believe to be a fictional town that Roberto Bolanõ created in his novel The Savage Detectives.
I am going on, but I would like to invite you all to sign up for April/May to receive The Pearl by John Steinbeck, an 8 page long mini book/journal by Charles Flamand and I, and the wonderful work of Fernanda. This will be hand wrapped and sent by the consistent, clear and wonderful Marlene from her home in Berlin.
There will be a limited amount of 150 copies at the of the full package and afterwards, we will continue to send the essay and artwork separately.
All our love,
Gemma, Marlene, Charles and Fernanda at sendb00ks.