Apparently, when you buy a book from Idiots Books of Chestertown, Maryland they assign you to do a book report on it.  Who knew? I got flashbacks from 6th grade when I heard that! And that’s a long time ago. Some might say, a really long time ago. Really really. (I’m lookin’ at you Sue, Linda and Loretta)

Anyways, I heard about them in a post on the New York Times website a few weeks ago and had to check them out since they’re so close to here, and they do letter press stuff. I’ve been thinking about getting some letterpress business cards.

I love the fact they’re  a small business. Set up to match the lifestyle they want to live. In fact, it’s really small. Matthew and Robbi are a husband and wife team and the entire staff of the operation. Robbi is a girl. It sounds kind of like Pat, so I figured I should tell you. Hows that for a Saturday Night Live reference?

The site is cool and I checked out their webstore, of course. How can you not make a purchase from a place with this as their opening graphic?

Of course you have to make a purchase!

I picked up “Understanding Traffic, an Expert Account” based on this description:

The world has waited generations for the definitive book on traffic. Now, in the company of small, unsophisticated, off-register illustrations, the answers unfold in dazzling fashion. Part monograph, part liberation theology, our smallest creation to date is also the most wordy. Poor you.

In part it was the description. In part it was me being cheap. There, I said it. I’m a bargain book hunter.

The book is filled with amazing facts like restaurants cause roads and

“It is better to sit quietly in monastic repose for the sake of keeping traffic at abeyance. But so urgent is the need to share our ourselves with others, this is never ever going to happen.”

Jack Handey has nothing on these people! Is there anyone else out there that knew Jack is a real person?Another SNL reference!

See how educational Idiots’ Books is?

People from New Jersey might not like the book. Aspersions were cast. Just sayin’

Everyone else on the planet will. Especially if they want to understand traffic.

I loved  the personalized note on the back of a post card that came in the package with the book. Pretty cool to deal with real people.

I asked my mom to sign me up for one of their subscriptions. So I could be one of the cool kids. And mostly so I could send on the books to any reform school graduations I might attend. I will be prepared, if it ever happens.

The End