On 05/07/2016 12:18 PM, Uncle Monster wrote:

BTW: It had a happy ending. The neighboring yard is lower than mine and
in that area, there was a slight depression.

The problem of what I was going to do with my over-filled compost box
has now been solved.

Hey bud, how's the book going? ^_^




Very well thank you, the printed edition turned out great.

Will have book signing party at the house on Saturday.

I post to several newsgroups so it's hard for me to keep track of what
I've posted here, but three of the local papers are doing reviews, here
is the first one:


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Coffee Ennui, an autobiographical book of photos and poems by Philip
"Philo" Kassner.

Reviewed by Christina Zawadiwsky

With his Roy Rodgers camera, Philo Kassner took his first photo at the
age of 6, graduating to a "real" Brownie camera at age 7. Later, at age
13, he developed a photo for the first time with the help of a darkroom
instructor. After learning to develop photos, his true interest in
photography emerged and ever since he's been teaching himself what
photography is: historical documentation and self-expression.

The cover of Coffee Ennui presents to us a young Colleen (an artist
who's now Philo's wife) drinking coffee but not at all becoming
activated by it. The other 140 pages of Kassner's book of photos and
accompanying stories and descriptions span over 60 years of curious and
energetic living in unique settings and among characters from Milwaukee
whom many of us would easily recognize. Here we encounter beatnik Bob
Watt, abstract beach glass artist and environmentalist Ringo White,
rockabilly singer and musician Delilah DeWylde at Club Garibaldi with
her band The Lost Boys, Goldman's (now defunct) department store, Fuel
Cafe, the amazing host of Poet's Monday, Timothy Kloss, and wild poet
laureate of Milwaukee in 2016, Matt Cook, to name just a few.

Prophet Blackmon appears on the same page with Kathy L.., "the mischief
queen," and Frank Mente presides over Gallery Books. Time stops as the
present and the past merge. Both black-and-white and color photos dance
and sparkle across these pages, as do Philo's poems. About artist and
art gallery owner Jimmy Von Milwaukee Kassner writes " Controversy is
his other name."

We remember The Hi-Fi Cafe and Colleen's Gallery Grand. We visit Germany
and New Mexico, and later Coney Island and The Chelsea Hotel in New York
City. Alluring Center Street in Riverwest appears at sunset in the
summer. Kent Mueller is still there in his now gone KM art Gallery.
(Kent always gave great parties!) Kassner writes about his subjects with
great enthusiasm, as if he were meeting and viewing them for the first
time and imparts good will, humor, wisdom, and panache to them all. With
photographer and musician Stonie Rivera, of the former Psycho Bunnies,
Kassner notes that originally he was afraid of her but soon discovered
that she was really a sweetheart. Kassner's own photograph on the back
cover (taken by Colleen) reveals a kind man with sensitive and humble
eyes (not exactly the same guy he depicts in the comedic photo “Mug Shot.”)

Coffee Ennui is definitely a book about one man's journey and one man's
Milwaukee; the Milwaukee we've all come to know and love as continuously
surprising and entertaining. As Kassner relates, "Milwaukee is the
oddest, most hodge-podge city I have ever seen" and "Hardly a month goes
by where I don't hear about some odd store, tavern or bowling alley."

Coffee Ennui can be purchased locally at Woodland Pattern.


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(also avail on Amazon)