Stigmata: An Anthology of Writing and Art

Rating:
Summary: An incredible book...
Review: A steal! I don't think I could add much to the review provided by "mason" other than the book is limited to a production run of only 300 and I believe that the book is published by Centipede Press, not Last Gasp. (Maybe it is a name change?) Jerad Walters is the editor of Stigmata and is responsible for publishing the work. Don't underestimate the content and quality of this book.

Rating:
Summary: High words and art bleeding from the palms.
Review: This anthology is unique in terms of both content and the quality of the book object itself. Starting with the object, it is beautifully bound and has a heft that suggests solidity and durability. The pages are thick; they feel good between the fingers. The print is large and bold with well-chosen fonts that are pleasing to the eye. There is a sharpness to this effort that sets it apart from mass-manufactured hardcovers.

As for content, the reader will find in Stigmata an excellent selection of essays, stories, and art, most of which are out of print and difficult to find. Henry Miller's amazing Staff of Life is in there, along with an essay by Susan Sontag, and Robert Coover's seminal short story, The Babysitter. The anthology, though eclectic, maintains a coherence of vision through the uniform high-art quality of the selections.

This book exudes an overall passion for art, the whole of which is greater than the sum of choice parts that comprise it. Perfect for the book collector or Romantic enthusiast. It made me want to go back to my college English texts and read some Lord Byron. Awesome stuff. The man behind Stigmata (Jerad Walters - whoever that is) deserves some kind of prize.