Two copies of "Things I would like to do with You"—gift one or both. Signed by author to make it extra-special. Give the gift of this eco book: a heart-warming read, ready for cozy contemplation by your friend or loved one.
"Love is about finding one's match, which means we shall touch our minds and hearts together at once, and never condescend or aim for any goal between us but the truth."
ABOUT THE BOOK:
"Things I would like to do with You" is about love. A love for a new generation—a love that includes room for independence, change, humor...even loneliness. Poetically searching through four seasons, Things is a sweet book to curl up with.
QUALITY EDITION:
Even more eco-responsible. Instead of toxic glue, this is sewn, making it heirloom-able (it'll last generations, it's a work of craft). What little glue is needed is non-toxic. The ink is "green" (don't worry, it's black) and the paper is Rainforest Alliance-certified.
The beautiful cover is plastic-free cloth (every other book in the United States now is plastic-coated, making it mildly toxic and uncompostable/recyclable, like, ever). It's printed locally, saving tons of carbon emissions (many books are printed overseas, now, or far from their distribution).
Each book is offset with a donation to save and rescue a wild horse. The packaging it comes in is recycled, unbleached. The tape is paper, not plastic, and the packaging inside the box is re-used.
Includes original illustrations by the author, and calligraphy, printed not only in the US of A on ecopaper, but locally. We don't use faceless, sketchy shipping offices where workers' rights can be...questionable.
All Elephant orders are packed and shipped by hand and with love by our shop manager, Elizabeth.
May it be of benefit!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Waylon Lewis likes to think he snowshoes hut-to-hut and builds nail-less tiny houses in trees while drinking wild-crafted teas from herbs he has gathered in the woods beside his faithful half-hound, Redford. In reality, he founded Elephant Journal, is a mediocre climber and a lazy yogi, loves vegan food and bikes on the daily.
"Love is no thing, and nothing is a gift, space is a playground, and time and distance are merely cold peaks and green valleys in the topography of genuine love. Love does not require a map: it makes its way across the miles. Love does not heed the time; it does not care for one or two moons. Love is not bothered by obstacles—they form the high sides to the left and right of this rocky path. This path does not depend upon external signs: love will find its own way. And my love will wait, a tiger in the tall grass, and my love will relax and curl up then stretch out and nap and sigh. I am here."
FROM THE BOOK: ABOUT THE BOOKINESS OF THIS BOOK.
We all love books. We all love independent bookstores. But the physical creation of a book, these days, is horrible.
Most books are printed overseas, plastic-coated, with toxic glues and toxic inks. Vegetable inks are better, but still sketchy. Paper is chlorine-full (which kills biodiversity in our watersheds). Books are carbon-heavy to ship, and book stores (those surviving the leaching presence of Amazon) return most (unsold) books to most publishers (those surviving the leaching presence of Amazon).
Finally, recycling plastic and toxic books is energy-intensive and toxic.The book you hold in your hands is about the healing power of nature and true love. I therefore could not print with a Big Publisher or feed this book to Amazon. So we went our own way. Our hard-won achievements include: printing in the USA (and, locally!—22 blocks from my home); keeping the cover plastic-free; using 100% recycled, 100% chlorine free, 100% sustainably-managed, and certified carbon-sucking wildlifehabitating paper that’s sewn, not toxic glued; printing with the best inks available; and offsetting every book and it's shipping with a donation to save a wild horse.
Finally, Amazon is a book bully: bad for publishers, authors and readers (google "New Yorker: ’Cheap Words’"). I am therefore distributing this book independently. If so inspired, invite a friend to get a copy.
"I do not want my idea of you. That is too easy, and it is not real. I want you, faults and all. And I want you to want me, faults and all, not any ideas you have about love."
A THANK YOU FROM THE AUTHOR.
This third edition is the eco-est book possible, that we know of. It’s far “greener” than the first or second editions, which were already far more eco-responsible than most books out there. That’s not bragging—who cares, right? It’s more about conveying that we do care about our Planet, and raising the bar for other authors and publishers and printers. And, if you know of
someone doing something better than us, please let us know—we’re all about improving and sharing what we’ve learned.
Let’s create an eco-book movement.
This book is now (we’re told by the owner) the best-selling book, ever, at our local independent Boulder Book Store. That’s a big bookstore, and a big honor. That’s all thanks to you.
This book was rejected for distribution by Ingram, the monopoly of book distribution, and we’ve never pushed it on Amazon, though it’s generally available there. This book is about creating something healthy, not toxic. Thanks to our Kickstarter fans and benefactors, our first edition of 2,000 books sold out fast.
Thanks to our Elephant readers and Instagram fans, the next 20,000 sold steadily. And now, thanks to you, we continue to reprint what has become, it seems, a timeless, yet timely classic.
