[Imc-newsroom] For Immediate Release: Urbana author claims world record?

[Spineless Books]

2002: A Palindrome Story in 2002 Words, by Nick Montfort and William
Gillespie, is now available as an elegant 4x4 perfect bound illustrated
book, with vellum plates and wraps, from Spineless Books, an independent
literary publishing house on Urbana's upper east side. The book can also
be bought at the Illini Union Bookstore and the Urbana Independent Media
Center.

A palindrome is a text whose sequence of letters is the same forward and
backward, such as "Satan, oscillate my metallic sonatas" or "A man, a
plan, a canal: Panama." Such texts are difficult to write and typically no
longer than a few words. Montfort and Gillespie have created a 2002-word
palindrome that tells the tragic story of Bob, Babs, and the
malevolent Otto.

When 2002 was originally published on the World Wide Web on 20-02-2002,
Paul Braffort, noted French author and member of the writing group
Oulipo, proclaimed the work to be the longest literary palindrome in the
world, longer even than Georges Perec's beloved Le Grande Palindrome
(French). The web publication of 2002 features the entire text of the
palindrome as well as Deep Speed, a palindrome authoring tool allowing the
reader to write their own palindrome online.

The illustrated book comprises 2002 in its definitive form, designed by
Ingrid Ankerson, co-editor of poemsthatgo.com, and with illustrations by
New York writer Shelley Jackson, author of The Melancholy of Anatomy.

Quoth publisher William Gillespie: "I intend to put Urbana on the map for
people interested in book arts and fine experimental literature." With
endorsements from members of the Oulipo, celebrated authors Harry Mathews,
Richard Powers, and Ross Eckler, it appears Gillespie is serious.

Celebrate the last palindrome year of your life! The next one won't happen
until 2112.

http://spinelessbooks.com/2002

Spineless Books
http://spinelessbooks.com
Box 515 Urbana Illinois 61803
Phone: 217.337.6237
Fax: 217.344.0059