Dispatches From The Lizard Brain: A Descriptive Bibliography of Ninja Press

New York: Russell Maret, 2022. Hardcover. Fine. Hardcover. Number 37 of 102 copies, signed by the authors and craftspeople involved in making the book. This is one of the 77 numbered copies that includes tip-ins of original material. This magnificent production documents the life and work of Carolee Campbell, founder of Ninja Press and one of the country's most noted book artists. The foreword and afterword beautifully describe Campbell's ethos as an artist and bookmaker that has informed her work since she began making books in 1984. Russell Maret writes of her: "It takes a special kind of person to know that what one is working on is not ready to be discussed. It takes someone...who unhurriedly allows her books to germinate in her lizard brain until they are ready to be dispatched into the world. With each new book Carolee teaches the rest of us how it should be done - not how to make books like hers , but like her, to make books the way the books want to be made."

The extensive annotated bibliography of the works produced by the press includes books, broadsides, commissions and collaborations, ephemera, and writing, reviews, criticism. The annotations include comments by Carolee on the making of each book or broadside. There is also a section describing the Ninja Press type collection and an index. There are beautiful vintage paper tip-ins throughout of papers used, and pages from some of the books and broadsides. Accompanied by a booklet reprinting two essays by Carolee.

Dispatches from the Lizard Brain was designed and edited by Russell Maret, and printed by him and Sarah Moody. The primary text face, Carolee, was designed by Maret and printed from photopolymer plates on Twinrocker Handmade Paper. The titles are set by Felix Titling. The cover design was design was adapted from an ornament by Campbell. The blue green binding with a leather spine was designed and executed by Amy Borezo at Shelter Bookworks. The book is housed in a handsome brownish orange cloth covered portfolio with a white title label. In fine condition. Folio measuring 15 x 9 inches. 128 pages. PRI/060222.