Will Schofield is a Philadelphia-based editor and book collector. He writes a very interesting blog—with ephemera related content—called A Journey Round My Skull. We talk about the blog and his interest in ephemera in the following interview.
ephemera: How did you become interested the ephemera, literature, et al?
Schofield: I remember standing in front of my dad's wall of paperbacks like a monkey before the monolith. My parents are pack rats and it rubbed off. I don't throw things away. For the past ten years I've had competing collecting interests—books and records. I feel most at ease surrounded by books with a record blasting.
ephemera: I think that's a heck of a good way to spend time, too. What have you discovered blogging about those subjects? How has it shaped who you are?
Schofield: Choosing to blog about books instead of records was in retrospect a big decision. I've always been able to talk to friends about music, but I didn't really connect with people who read the strange books I read until I started blogging. Blogging about book covers made me more aware of graphic design, which slowly morphed into a focus on visual ephemera. In the past year, more than 50 percent of the posts feature material I wouldn't have discovered unless I was blogging.
ephemera: What challenges or obstacles do you encounter as a blogger?
Schofield: It's a pure joy. My wallet has suffered because I keep finding and buying objects.
ephemera: What are some of your favorite posts?
Schofield: The best post is my interview with the writer and collector of literary memorabilia—Gilbert Alter-Gilbert. He has turned me on to countless writers and artists, and I think of him as a collaborator. A guest post by the bookseller and musician Cary Loren turned me on to the work of William Mortenson, a pictorials photographer. The post Sign Language of German Romanticism is a favorite because it pulls together so many of my interests: ignored books, neglected writers, impossible typography, visual delight, and head-scratching glory. I think it sums up my blog.
ephemera: Those are amazing topics and great posts. What are your future plans for the blog? How do you see it evolving?
Schofield: I began collecting international children's books from the 60s, 70s, and 80s and just launched a series on forgotten illustrators. I finally found a Japanese book dealer, so I'll be featuring many more unknown Japanese illustrators. I'm searching for a book by the Japanese illustrator Takei Takeo…brought into my possession a 1936 pamphlet from the Japanese government tourist agency.
ephemera: Thank you, Will.
