celebrating the book.

Our work at 11stories involves not only the recording of life stories, but the writing, design, and publication of a beautiful book that will preserve your memories forever.

A book is a sensory experience.  The book itself has a feel, a look, in its textures and design.  The act of reading a book is sensory – feeling its weight in your hands, the sounds of the spine opening for the first time, turning each page to discover new ideas or pictures.

A book can also be a relational experience, whether snuggling on the couch with a loved one to look at a book together, or passing along a dog-eared copy of your favorite book to a friend, or giving a beautiful art book as the perfect present.

A book is timeless and enduring, a permanent and lasting form of communication in an age where so much of our communication is temporary.

I launched this business at an interesting time in the history of the book.  Just as technology is pushing us to embrace digital forms of communication, we are seeing a resurgence of interest in bookbinding, letterpress and calligraphy artists, and the various art forms that celebrate the book.  As I’ve grown this business over the past few years, I’ve had the pleasure to connect with many people who share a love of books and are working to preserve the art of bookmaking.  To see a small example of what I mean, take a look at this lovely documentary: http://www.epiloguedoc.com/doc.html

I firmly believe that the book will endure in a space alongside digital forms of communication; that there is a place for both, and indeed a need for both.  Books were an important part of my childhood, and it is now such a joy to watch my daughter experience that same love of books.  She has always loved books, never missing a chance to snuggle up to listen to tales of dinosaurs and princesses.  Now at four years old she is just starting to unlock the keys to reading, learning how the letters on the page come together to tell her favorite story.  She will curl up with a stack of ten books early in the morning while she waits for the rest of the house to wake up.

My hope at 11stories is that we can help to capture your stories and preserve priceless memories, and at the same time pass on a little bit of what we think makes books so special.