The Volume Library 1976

The Volume Library 1976

Sometime in the 1970s, my mother bought a copy of The Volume Library from a door-to-door salesman.

For nearly the next decade, that enormous book was one of my primary sources of information. Long before I could type a question into a computer and have an answer appear in seconds, if I needed to know something for school, I went to The Volume Library.

I used it for book reports. I used it for homework. I used it simply because I wanted to know things.

What I remember most clearly was its wonderful material on mythology and literature. I returned to those sections over and over again. Greek and Roman mythology, writers, stories, characters, history—the book provided a map of a world that seemed almost impossibly large to me then.

I didn't realize it at the time, of course, but much of what I learned from those pages became permanent. That old reference book still comprises part of the backbone of what I know about mythology and literature.

There is something difficult to explain now about growing up with a book like that in the house. Information had a physical location. If you wanted to know about mythology, you didn't search for mythology. You went to the shelf. You pulled down the enormous book. You found the section. And then, inevitably, while looking for the thing you wanted, you found three other things you hadn't known you wanted to know.

Years passed, and the copy we had in our house disappeared somewhere along the way.

Eventually I went looking for it again.

I found a copy on eBay—not the actual book from my childhood, but the same edition, The Volume Library from 1976. I bought it.

It's on my bookshelf now.

I suppose that's one advantage of getting older. Every once in a while, you get the chance to buy back a small piece of the world that made you.

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Atrocious Poems A To Z By Thomas L. Vaultonburg, Illustrated By Jenny Mathews

After a scant forty years of work, my seventh book is now at the printers. It is a book I am sure my 5th grade teacher never would have envisioned me finishing. Perhaps I should send her a copy. 

It's title Atrocious Poems From A To Z

Atrocious Poems A To Z is a book that takes the problems and challenges of childhood seriously. VERY seriously. Some might say too seriously. By taking a comic approach to everyday issues children face in lighthearted poems and whimsical drawings we hope to present a jumping off point where children and parents can discuss topics like bullying, sharing, dealing with siblings, anxiety etc. It was our goal to ease into these topics employing comedy, sensitivity, and an understanding that although children may see these "atrocities" as the end of the world, they are really things we have all gone through and just a natural part of growing up. 

Me and my life and creative partner Jenny Mathews raise two children: Ella (13) and Jack (6), and although many of the poems and illustrations in the book are about the struggle of their daily lives and the so-called atrocities they encounter, we hope it will be applicable to all parents doing their best to explain a sometimes unfair and scary world to children.

My favorite poem in the book is of course the haiku. It's also the poem I probably spent the most time on. The haiku is a deceptively simple form. This one took a great deal of work to say this little. 

But saying little is something I've always done exceedingly well. 

Not sure this was about

Anyway, I finished the book at the end of March, and we sent it to the printer last week. Now comes the least fun part of the process: selling it.

If you're interested in owning a copy you can order it now at Kickstarter 

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Three Time Presidential Physical Fitness Award Winner Thomas L. Vaultonburg Gives Advice On Health and Photography

Before most of you were even born I had won three Presidential Physical Fitness Awards. I would have won a fourth, but I left school at the age of ten to be a physical fitness consultant on Chuck Norris movies. I also learned at a very young age to take stellar photographs under even the most adverse conditions. For instance, as I was about to shoot this photograph of my third Presidential Physical Fitness Award, a brownie (that's a mythical creature,look it up) dashed out from a corner of my apartment, punched me in the balls, and ran back into a closet. It's amazing I was able to finish taking the photograph at all, let alone take such a breathtaking photo of my third Presidential Physical Fitness Award. You got questions about the flexed arm hang, I'm your guy.

Presidential Physical Fitness Award

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