Never one to be short on ideas, Jack White has announced the launch of Third Man Books, an independent publishing company and offshoot of his Nashville-based record label, Third Man Records.
As reported by Rolling Stone, the first release from Third Man Books will be Language Lessons: Volume I, a collection of prose and poetry featuring the work of Dale Ray Phillips, CD Wright, Adrian Matejka, and non-fiction pieces by punk musicians Richard Hell and Tav Falco.
This being a Jack White endeavor, however, the book will also come with two LPs of "jazz, psychedelic-punk, poetry, blues, and pop," featuring the music of William Tyler and Destruction Unit.
In addition to the book itself and the records, Language Lessons will also include frameable poems by CD Wright, Frank Stanford, Brian Barker, Jake Adam York, and Chet Weise, featuring artwork by Big Boys guitarist Tim Kerr, Hate illustrator Jim Blanchard, and folk artist Butch Anthony.
Language Lessons: Volume I will be available for purchase on August 5 and can be pre-ordered at the Third Man website.
Concerning the launch of the new company, Third Man has released a statement, which says, "Third Man Books, like Language Lessons, will be fearless, imaginative, and eclectic. We hope to be a welcome addition to what is already a very compelling and thrilling independent American literary landscape."
Rolling Stone also reports that this weekend's Newport Folk Festival will feature a preview of Language Lessons with live readings from some of the book's contributors, such as Zachary Schomburg, Joshua Maria Wilkinson, Janaka Stucky, Sampson Starkweather, Paige Taggart, and Kendra Decolo. Jack White is also scheduled for a headlining performance at the festival.
