Happier things

After discussing things I think you shouldn't read, here are a few I think you should.

You may have visited Lileks.com in the past. I had been away and I see there is new content. If you are unfamiliar with Lileks, he basically takes marketing materials from the 30s to the 70s and makes fun of them. Here you can see his guide to matchbook covers. Or you might like the Orphanage of Cast Off Mascots. My absolute favorite his mockery of a Phillip Morris cigarette ad from the 40s. One of his sections, The Gallery of Regrettable Food, has been turned into a book. This one makes fun of mid 20th century cookbooks and cooking guides. It's immensely funny.

I read the short Lovecraft book At the Mountains of Madness. It really is the best work of Lovecraft. In China Mieville's excellent although spoiler laden introduction, he shows the import of Lovecraft to fiction in general. Guillermo del Toro is trying to make a movie of the book. It will not be an easy movie to make, as much of the dread comes from a massive dead alien city and very little comes from action. In order to make it work, I think they will need to develop some nightmarish visuals. I wish him luck.