When I find myself on the hunt for a new read–and want something that is thought provoking and beautifully written, rather than quick and mind-numbing–I invariably pull up Hawthorne Book‘s catalog and pick one of their backlist that I haven’t yet had a chance to read. They are an independent publisher out of Oregon that publishes nothing but absolutely incredible work. I have studied under two of their authors (Michael Strelow and Scott Nadelson) and fallen in love with several others (Poe Ballantine of note, and I cannot wait for his new book, set to come out next year!).

Their dedication to superb work extends not only to the work they choose to publish, but to the design and printing of the books themselves. They are sleekly designed with archival quality paper and heavy duty spines to withstand rugged loving, yet provide the reader with a truly pleasant reading experience.

But enough gushing over the paper stock. I will have some reviews up soon on some of their books, including Clown Girl by Monica Drake and Scott Nadelson’s new collection Aftermath. And who knows, I’ll probably keep digging through the backlist and reviewing more of their books; frankly, I always enjoy them so much I can’t stop talking about them anyways, so you all might as well get a taste!