What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver - March Book Pick

Our March Reading Club Pick is What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver.

See you March 30th for the discussion - 7:30 at Atomic Books.

Supreme Court Justice Of Assholedom - Tim Kreider

Rolling Stone's Matt Taibbi has convened a Supreme Court of Assholedom.

The justices include: Mara Schmid, Drew Magary, Tim Kreider, David Sirota, David Rees, Jenny Boylan, Jessica Kourkounis, Adam Whitmer.

The court will be hearing asshole cases shortly. But you can meet Supreme Court Justice Tim Kreider this Friday, when he comes to Atomic to read from, discuss and sign copies of his new book, Twilight of the Assholes.

According to Kreider, "All children eventually have to learn, however grudgingly, that they are not the only person in the world, nor are they even its center… All assholes have in common this obliviousness or indifference to other people’s subjective reality. By this definition we are all assholes inside, of course; the crucial distinction between the true Asshole and other people is in how hard we try not to act like one."

Great quotes from other prospective Justices in the Taibbi piece include:

There was the software engineer who wrote in about his experiences living with his Filipino wife in the state of Arizona. “My wife is often… complimented on her English. She has no accent,” he writes. He added (incoherently I think but I loved it) that “I do not believe in libertarianism, because it is evil in a shiny coat and a neckbeard.”

There was the reader from Syracuse University, a student who incidentally was the only applicant who took seriously my appeal for strong drug connections. He focused his pitch on a sensitivity to the new forms of assholedom unique to the next, i.e. his generation. “Think of all the innovative ways that my generation has thought of to piss people off,” he writes. “Take this as an example: a kid is ordering coffee at a Starbucks (an asshole move in and of itself). The barista asks the kid a question. The kid has to finish up an email before answering, which not only takes up the barista's time, but also the time of everyone else on line.

“Even though it's true that these people always existed,” he went on, “what makes people of the current adolescence bigger assholes is the fact that we actually get pissed off when the barista asks the question again. Why? Because we were doing something EXTREMELY IMPORTANT on our cellphones that she prevented us from completing. You couldn’t do that 50 years ago.”
...
Another candidate, a reality-show producer from Los Angeles whom I had to cut from the final group with great reluctance (as you might guess, he had outstanding experience in the field), summed this idea up I thought quite well. An asshole, he noted, has “… an entirely self-centered worldview – nothing that happens outside of an asshole's personal sphere actually matters. This is totally wide-ranging: assholes use this mindset in traffic, in business, in personal relationships. Everyone else is a side character in the asshole's epic life story. (A side note: should an outside event pierce the asshole's bubble, it immediately becomes the most IMPORTANT CRISIS EVER).”

Twilight of the Assholes

Next Friday, Tim Kreider will be at Atomic Books for a book party for his latest collection, Twilight of the Assholes. Tim will do a slideshow presentation and sign copies. Adult beverages will be on hand. Starts at 7pm!

Check out our other upcoming events (more to be announced on the way).

What Up Federal Hill?

noveltyspace, originally uploaded by sugarfreak.

Hey, what's Benn up to down in Federal Hill? What's Noel doing there?

Vinylmore 4 - Open for Submissions

We're taking applications for Vinylmore 4.

This year the show will be open to all toy templates, of any size. You can design, paint and add on sculptural pieces however you like. Show us your best!

Deadline for submissions is March 1st (you can simply submit a sketch for your entry if you don't have a finished figure). The exhibit will be juried for prizes and will open April 1st, with a crowd favorite vote the night of the reception.

Guidelines:

1. No custom toys. Please use a template toy.

2. Please do not use a franchised character and be aware of copyright laws. We encourage the creation of original character design in these pieces.

3. Your submission must be the sketch that was accepted for the exhibit. Last minute design/concept changes will not be accepted.

We have a Facebook Vinylmore group for artists and fans. Please check it out if you have further questions. You can also always email us.

Email your submissions with your name, title of the piece, size/template figure and sketch.

Let's revisit last year's show:

Local On Tap

rontannerbookevent, originally uploaded by sugarfreak.

Thanks to everyone who came out last night for Ron Tanner's book event last night!



Not sure why Raven, the beer, fell off our radar. The first time we had it was when it was served at the premiere of A Dirty Shame. But we've become reunited with it again (and it feels so good!) because it's now on tap at the Golden West Cafe Bar.

Local authors, local brews!

Kiss Me, Stranger - Ron Tanner Reading

This Thursday, for our first Atomic Fiction Series event of the year, we'll be having a release party for Ron Tanner's Kiss Me, Stranger.

Hosted by Kathy Flann, 7-9pm, here at Atomic Books.

RIP Tura Satana

Tura Satana, who's most famous for her role in Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, has passed away.

This is the scene where Dan Clowes got the name for two of his comics - "Eightball" and Like a Velvet Glove Cast in Iron.

Ice Haven by Dan Clowes - February Book Pick

Our February Reading Club Pick is Ice Haven by Dan Clowes.

See you Feb 23rd for the discussion - 7:30 at Atomic Books.

Atomic VD Picks

Valentine's Day is almost here and we've got some Atomic highlights for you!

The Traditionlist:
These retro cards are discontinued and almost gone.

The Non Traditionalist:
Those Some ECards also come as postcard books.

The Baltimorean:
Love Rats in Red or White.

A Date with John Waters - a signed CD of some of John Waters' favorite love songs.

The Foodie:
Amor Y Tacos - what if you gave this book as a gift and promised to make every single recipe in it for your loved one? OMG.

The Artster:
The lastest Juxtapoz book collection is all Erotica.

The Bethrothed:
Perhaps you've made the leap and got engaged? Adrian Tomine's wedding favor was a comic he made of everything they went through in the planning of their Special Day.