Patrick Puckett's reading list...

From Henry Miller to cocktail recipes from a friend in Georgia, these are the books that Patrick Puckett is turning to as he creates his 7th solo show for us opening this June.

1. De Kooning: An American Master by Mark Stevens & Annalyn Swan

A fantastic Pulitzer Prize-winning biography on one of my favorite artists. A simple how-to guide to becoming one of greatest artists of your generation. Easy peasy. Random note: Annalyn Swan was born in Mississippi. I was born in Mississippi. Coincidence? Yes.

2. Fay by Larry Brown

If you want to better understand the women in my paintings this would be a good place to start. Sorry, that’s pretty vague so you’ll just have to read it. Larry Brown was from Oxford, Mississippi. His novels will punch you in the eye socket.

3. Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch by Henry Miller

I became obsessed with Big Sur, California, several years back. The first time I camped out in Big Sur I didn’t realize how cold it got at night. I had to wrap a couple pairs of underwear around my head to stay warm in my sleeping bag. Let Henry Miller teach you how to become an artsy bohemian weirdo.

4. The Frankies Spuntino Kitchen Companion and Cooking Manual by Frank Falcinelli, Frank Castronovo, & Peter Meehan

I’ve never been to Frankies but I do love this Italian cookbook. Now is a good time to sit down with a bowl of pasta and watch all 800 hours of The Godfather part 1 & 2. Make the Sunday Sauce any day of the week!

5. Karmic Traces by Elliot Weinberger

I’ve got a 10 month old (who is currently refusing to take his nap) so I don’t really have much time to read these days. This is a book of short essays that are easy to consume in small doses. This is unlike anything you have ever read. Absolutely magical.

6. Art and Visual Perception by Rudolph Arnheim

This was the only “textbook” that mattered when I was in college. Sometimes it’s nice to go back and get a refresher on the basics. Leave this out on your coffee table so people will think you’re smart.

7. Sweet & Low by Nick White

Nick White is another Mississippi native keeping alive the tradition of southern writers writing things that will punch you square in the eye socket. Great short stories you can read while the kid is napping…..or not napping. Please, please go to sleep.

8. The Southern Foodways Alliance Guide to Cocktails by Sara Camp Milam and Jerry Slater

Jerry is a good friend of mine. He owns a restaurant in Athens called The Expat. You should go eat there after this is all over. Anyway, you might as well make good cocktails if you’re going to drink every day. No judgement.

9. Any book by Carlo Rovelli

Now is also a great time to realize just how little the universe cares about us. Kick back with a good cocktail and ponder the eventual heat death of the universe!!!

10. Everyday Drinking by Kingsley Amis

Let a professional guide you through your home isolation alcohol adventure.

“The Dry Martini is the most famous and the best cocktail in the world. It was probably invented in New York about 1910 and some say it was the favorite tipple of John D. Rockefeller, the original oil tycoon. (He died at the age of ninety-eight, a fact worth remembering when you find yourself under attack for excessive boozing.)”

Stay safe and healthy. Cheers.

posted on 4/13/2020