BOOK REPORT

Pretty Much Everything, by Aaron James Draplin

Years ago, I watched a YouTube video called “Why America is Fucked” It features a guy who drunk-bid for a motel sign on Ebay. He won the damned thing and had to drive his econobox from states away to get it, and then couldn’t fit it in his car. So he settled for a small section of it, tying it to his roof for its return trip to Portland. Funny humanoid, this Aaron James Drapin cat. 

I soon discovered he was a graphic design savant and the creator of Field Notes. Talented MF, this Draplin dude.

Last year, I went to see him talk in Denver and bought his amazing book, “Pretty Much Everything”. I suggest you do the same.

I crossed the room to try to fan-hug the bear of a man but got cut-off by someone with similar intentions, and then I realized that a 6’5” tall waist grope from a complete fuckin’ stranger might not play well.

I tempered my enthusiasm as I stood in line to buy his book and have it signed. The woman directly in front of me instructed Draplin to, “just write whatever you want.” He wrote, “Whatever I want”, autographed it, and handed it back to her. 

Aaron Draplin is a national treasure. A great designer who doesn’t take his shit too seriously. Maybe that’s what makes him so vastly entertaining and infinitely huggable. If you haven’t heard him story-tell, do so ASAP. You’re in for a treat. Or type “Why America is Fucked” into YouTube and grab some popcorn

My summer as a carny. All I want to do is junk.  That damn sign (Yeah, that sign story).

If I didn’t know better, I’d think I was reading one of the finest writers of our generation. A blue-collar Sedaris poured into the frame of a lumberjack. A man’s man in a world of PC bullshit somehow trying to make sense of it all.

 And make sense he does both graphically and anecdotally.

Aaron is a graphical guru and this book has more great thinking, living, and writing in it than you’re likely to find in any graphic designer’s musings. The other thing that struck me as so right about this dude? 

He’s diabolically humble. 

And with that, I humbly suggest you get more Draplin in your life pronto.