At long last Third Man Records and Third Man Books are very proud to present our first commercially available book, Language Lessons: Volume I. Though the term book, in this case, may actually be a bit limiting considering what this whole package actually contains… Want to hear more? Read on.

Language Lessons is a 321 page hardbound book, co-edited by Chet Weise and Third Man’s own Ben Swank, full of contemporary poetry and prose including over 20 award winning and / or nominated contemporary poets and authors such as Dale Ray Phillips, a Pulitzer Prize nominee in fiction, C.D. Wright, a National Book Award finalist and National Book Critics Circle winner in poetry, and Adrian Matejka, a National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize finalist in poetry. Language Lessons is two vinyl LPs of jazz, psychdelic-punk, poetry, blues and pop from artists such as William Tyler, Destruction Unit, Ken Vandermark, Sampson Starkweather and more. Language Lessons is 5 pieces of frameable broadsides of poems by C.D. Wright, Frank Stanford, Brian Barker, Jake Adam York and Chet Weise with original art from former Big Boys guitartist Tim Kerr, one-time Hate illustrator Jim Blanchard, intertwangle-ist folk artist Butch Anthony and more. That’s a lot of bang for your buck… and it all comes housed in a hard-case clothbound sleeve. Has any other record label ever created such a thing? Are we mad?!

We are not mad. As previously mentioned, LL:VI will be Third Man Books first commercially available tome and signifies a strong intent for Third Man entering the universe of publishing. Third Man Books, like Language Lessons, will be fearless, imaginative, and eclectic. We hope to be a welcome addition to what is already a very compelling and thrilling independent American literary landscape.

Language Lessons: Volume I is now available for pre-sale direct from the Third Man Store and will be available in discerning book and record stores the world over from August 5th.

* The Language Lessons: Volume I box set includes a hardbound book of contemporary poetry and prose, two vinyl LPs of jazz, psychedelic-punk, poetry, blues and pop, and 5 pieces of hangable art all housed in a hard-case clothbound sleeve.

* In 321 pages, the book includes over 20 award winning and / or nominated contemporary poets and authors such as Dale Ray Phillips, a Pulitzer Prize nominee in fiction, C.D. Wright, a National Book Award finalist in poetry, and Adrian Matejka, a National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize finalist in poetry. And, almost as interestingly, many in the book will be published for the first time in their lives.

* To hang on the wall, five frameable broadsides of poems by C.D. Wright, Frank Stanford, Brian Barker, Jake Adam York and Chet Weise, with original art by former Big Boys guitarist Tim Kerr, one-time Hate illustrator Jim Blanchard, intertwangle-ist folk artist Butch Anthony, and more.

* Features unpublished work by Frank Stanford, Jake Adam York, C.D. Wright, Steve Stern, Sampson Starkweather, Joshua Marie Wilkinson, bemsilr brigham, TJ Jarrett, Janaka Stucky, Sommer Browning, Gaylord Brewer, Dan Boehl, Ben Mirov, Daniel Lucca Pujol, William Miller and Chet Weise.

* Features unheard music by William Tyler, Destruction Unit, Paul “Wine” Jones, and Ken Vandermark.

* Nonfiction from punk rock progenitors Richard Hell and Tav Falco.

* The occupations of the anthology’s contributors range from teachers, morticians, librarians, software developers, actors, and taco chefs to bartenders, farmers, musicians, and parents. Although from all over America (and beyond), almost 90% of the contributors read in Nashville at a DIY series called Poetry Sucks.

Order your copy HERE.