ABOUT THE ENTHUSIAST
The Enthusiast is a publisher of handmade books and zines focused on affordable and unique
bindings that draw on a punk and camp aesthetic. And while our About Statement has been criticized on rather specious grounds — compared to a Dr. Bronner's
soap label — we really are a socialist political project that advocates for the creation of literary
space outside the restrictions of traditional institutional control! We are run out a small alcove built into the wall of a boarding house in
Queens and are committed to no less a cause than the welfare of animals, plants and people as well as the continuation of democracy itself. We find solace
in the work of writers who, far from being able to thrive in the mainstream, haven't necessarily found their footing in a subculture. So if you're part of
an underrepresented community, constitutionally constrained, have something to say, are desperate to air your grievances, or are tired of people harboring
so many resentments and airing them in public, then we are probably looking for your work.
The Enthusiast is dedicated to the creation of camp bindings, and in queer fashion, will leave the specifics of its hydra-headed opposition to the stultifying conformity of the ideological state open to its authors — not wanting to impose our vision on your work. We stand as a statement of alterity in what has been called the “extreme conservatism” in the history of the book, and we see ourselves as a populist venture vested in an anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist agenda, aiming at the cultivation of art outside the stranglehold of an increasingly isolated, ludicrous (but hopelessly self-satisfied) cultural elite.
Furthermore, we are not isolated crackpots ranting and raving from a forgotten corner of our society — we have a Master’s of Library and Information Science! A librarian, our founder has been to Rare Book School twice. He is literally paid to work with books — at no less than $25 an hour! They are the author of a much-downloaded Master’s thesis “Virginia Woolf: the Bookbinder and the Bibliophile,” which is currently being repackaged as a bibliomemoir and political manifesto, railing against the well-mannered (and not so well-mannered) fascism of the American elite. Some of that thesis will be presented at a pair of academic conferences in the UK, this summer.
That said, their bindings do reflect some abbreviated sewing practices. There are times when the gatherings are stapled and not sewn, held together by sawed-in hemp cords. While these practices do transcend the rules of conservation and preservation, we assure you that the transgression is perfectly harmless! Staples are a 19th century horror widely known to degrade paper—but our staples are manufactured with an alloy that their Sunset Park manufacturer assure us will not rust even in the harshest of environments. Our books also use split-board attachments and other aspect of library binding and represent a heartfelt and wholly earnest effort to combat the disposable, machine-made aesthetic so characteristic of a predatory late-capitalist regime.
COLLABORATORS
KERIN NICOLE is an artist who has helped with both the press insignia and the beautiful hot air balloons that are doubling as buttons
at the very top of this page. She is an American Painter & Poet. Born and raised on the East Coast and shaped by a career in complementary
health. She paints to process the contradictions of American culture and reconnect with a more compassionate and sustainable source of
inspiration and livelihood. Her pieces often feel both intimate and mythic, rooted in truth, imagination,
and the occasional controversial take. To learn more, you can visit kerinnicole.com or email her at studio@kerinnicole.com
2023 Geoffrey Bridgman