The short, crazy and incredibly influential life of Janis Joplin finally gets its due in this new biography written by Holly George-Warren, one of the most highly regarded chroniclers of American music history. Based on unprecedented access to Joplin’s family, friends, band mates, archives, and long-lost interviews, Janis draws an intimate portrait of the one they called the Queen Of Rock n’ Roll.
With a lightweight design derived from the classic military dog tag, the Limited Edition B-2 Dog Tag is an EDC nano blade knife offering safe concealed carry. On a chain around your neck or tucked in your coin pocket. With a 1-inch blade made of 440 carbon stainless steel, it locks into the sheath for rock solid grip and precision cuts. A funded Kickstarter.
POWERUP introduced the world to the smartphone-controlled paper airplane, a micro-drone kit that slips onto any paper airplane & turns it into a remote control toy with a flight range of 230 feet. The POWERUP 4.0 kit features a new onboard flight computer, autopilot assist, 2 new sensors & a design so robust you can fly planes of balsa, foam, cardboard & paper, with the ability to perform loops, barrel rolls & hammerheads with the press of a button. Optional lights are available for night flight. A funded Kickstarter.
We’re huge fans of smallness, so we think Tinybags are awesome. “As small as a coin and as capable as a backpack” they say. And they’re not lying. These compact, packable bags are made of water-resistant ripstop nylon tough enough to carry up to 55-pounds of cargo. When not in use, simply roll, fold & clip, and it’s pocketable. Available in 2 sizes, the large fits all sorts of stuff up to a 15” laptop & the original will hold a 12” laptop. A funded Kickstarter.
Following on the heels of his sweeping RocketMan biopic, Elton John has released his first (and the only official) autobiography. In it, the global pop culture icon reveals intimate truths about his extraordinary life as an entertainer, from the rollercoaster superstar lifestyle depicted in the film to his personal evolution into a saner, more grounded human while upholding his legacy as a living legend. Elton goes deep & covers it all.
Created from a collection of over 300 United States national park maps, ephemera, and brochures spanning over 100 years, Parks is a high-quality casebound chronicle of 100 years of art, cartography, and printed materials in a compelling visual history of America’s national parks through evolving graphic design styles.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, Four Point created their 1000 piece, circular Moon Puzzle featuring the near side of the Moon in incredible detail. The image, courtesy of NASA, is the clearest image of the Moon to date and shows even the tiniest of craters in stunning clarity. With a diameter of 26.5-inches, this puzzle gets a 4.5 out of 5 on the difficulty scale.
Thomas Edison was the most famous American of his time and today is considered the most prolific genius in American history. This new biography, Edison by Pulitzer Prize winning author Edmund Morris is the result of 7 years of research among five million pages of original documents preserved in Edison’s New Jersey laboratory, exclusive access to family papers still held in trust, and the writer’s own acuity for creating deeply layered personal portraits.
The compact ProTac 90 takes the traditional EDC flashlight and flips it 90º giving users the convenience of a right angle configuration & all the features we expect in a tactical torch: 300 lumens of bright white LED, IPX 7 waterproof rating, a MOLLE clip for hand-free use, and single push-button dual mode control. Powered by AA Lithium, AA Alkaline, or CR123A Lithium battery.
California-based GPCA packs lots of function into their screw-locking Utility Carabiner. Available in Titanium, aluminum or stainless, it features a locking blade box cutter, a pry tool, Phillips and flat head screwdrivers, plus a bottle opener. Clip on all your other EDC doinklets and you’ll be ready for anything. A funded Kickstarter.
In his new memoir Hurricanes, hip-hop mogul Rick “The Boss” Ross chronicles his wild ride to fame and fortune in the music industry: from his days as a dope boy in Carol City’s notorious Matchbox housing projects, coming of age amid Miami’s crack epidemic, the music, the star-studded controversies and his unstoppable rise to fame. Available September 3.
Charging your laptop in the car is a great option to have. With Satechi’s 72W Type-C PD Car Charger, you can do it. This compact little charger delivers up to 60W from its USB-C port to fast charge not just laptops but tablets and smartphones as well. There’s also an extra USB-A port to simultaneously power another device up to 12W.
Permanent Record is the story of American whistleblower Edward Snowden, the man who risked everything to expose the U.S. government’s system of mass surveillance. In this new autobiography he reveals for the first time the story of his life, from his early years to the classified NSA & CIA leaks he published to his current exile in Russia. Available September 17.
The SuperMini Powerbank is a very pocketable 10K mAh backup battery. With 18W USB-C power delivery technology it will maintain 1-2 days of extra mobile power for flagship phones and tablets, and can nearly double the battery life of smaller laptops. Compatible with Apple, Samsung Galaxy, Huawei, OnePlus and Nintendo products. Available in black, silver, & blue horizon. A funded Indiegogo.
These arcade-inspired switchplates fit right over your flat, rocker-style light switches with the big mechanical buttons found on your favorite old school video games. They add a fun detail to the man cave or game room and are available in a variety of colors.
Following up his acclaimed memoir Sting-Ray Afternoons, sports writer Steve Rushin digs deeper into his own story. If the first book was a coming of age story, Nights In White Castle is the young adult years. From his first summer job at a Bennigan’s in suburban Milwaukee to his first career writing gig in New York at the legendary Time & Life building, it paints a tender portrait of an interesting journey.
Filled with words, images, & writings from the artist himself, The Beautiful Ones is the story of how Prince became Prince; a first-person account of a kid who created a persona, an artistic vision, and a life, before the hits and fame that would come to define him. The book is told in four parts. The 4th & final segment of the book cover the Purple Rain years, so this is coming-of-age, pre-superstardom Prince—a period of his life that is sure to inspire. Available in hardcover October 29.
P.T. Barnum is known as the greatest showman on earth. In this new biography, the first in a generation, author Robert Wilson captures the full genius, infamy, and allure of the man who created Barnum & Bailey’s circus. It is a story of ingenuity, grit, reinvention, and redemption through which Wilson makes the case for P. T. Barnum’s place among the icons of American history.
It’s nice to have that 32-ounce water bottle with you everywhere—except for having to carry it around. Wild Wolf Outfitters got the memo & built a very functional insulated bottle carrier. Made with military grade 600D polyester and neoprene, it features external zip pockets, & D-rings for the adjustable shoulder strap for hands-free carry, Fits HydroFlask, Nalgene and most standard shaped 32-ounce bottles.
San Fran-based pop toy maker Super7 just released a cool new collab collection with MLB—a series of 3.5” baseball action figures. The Classic All-Stars Collection features baseball’s biggest names, the likes of Carl Yazstremski, Willie Mays, Carlton Fisk, Mickey Mantle, the Phillie Phanatic mascot & many more. Available August 15.
