S.R. Wild: Artist and Graphic Designer

Magazines from a Lawn

02:35
22
August
2007

Magazines from the side of the road

Tuna’s a good tonic for that

One of my coworkers told me a woman in the neighborhood sometimes puts books and magazines out on her lawn for people to take. Today was one of those times. After work I walked by on my way home.

There was a woman there, digging through one of the boxes. She looked at me, “There all free!” she exclaimed. I surveyed the selection, saw a box of magazines, and dug in. As we were looking, we shared our finds with each other. Most of the magazines I found were from the ’40s to ’60s so I showed her the humorous ads. She found some odd books like Ronald Regan Wit and one from the ’20s with an illustration of a kid drinking booze on the cover.

I grabbed most of the magazines. As I was leaving, the proprietor of the fine establishment came out. I talked to her for a bit about the stuff I found. She asked if I took the True Story Magazine with the article about a woman falling in love with a Nazi. Unfortunately, I didn’t.

I have a feeling that she has an enormous collection in her house. I hope she gives away more stuff.

3 Comments

  • kellyO said 1113 days ago:

    hey, wouldya couldya email me this fine lady’s address, so i may one day luck out like you did? i’d die for a piece of (old mag) pie…
    ta,
    kellyO
    kellyoart@gmail.com

  • S.R. Wild said 1113 days ago:

    Gladly. Heading towards UVM, it’s on the left side of College St., between S. Union St and Hungerford Terrace. I heard she’ll have stuff out all week, but she didn’t today — might have been due to the threat of rain or everything was taken.

    There’s a flea market on Route 2, just past Richmond, that sells old issues of Life Magazine for 50¢ to $4. It’s only open on the weekends.

  • Bill Simmon said 1112 days ago:

    I totally had that Mad Super Special when I was a kid. It had a reprint of a really old Mad inside of it — that’s an illustration of it on the cover. I’d love to see that sometime, Scott. It would be a trip (down memory lane).

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