Behind the Book: The Making of Fables of Aesop with Arion Press

Join members of the Arion Press production team in conversion on the art of bookmaking and their expert craftsmanship of Arion publications. This conversation with Joel Benson (Press Room), Brian Ferrett (Foundry), and Megan Gibes (Bindery) will highlight the Press’ newest publication: Fables of Aesop, featuring modern morals by beloved comic author Daniel Handler, a sculptural box with artwork by iconic artist Kiki Smith, and prints from 15 Arion artists who each illustrated one fable. The bookmakers will share behind-the-scenes details about the making of the book, the thoughtful design process behind each element, and the historical significance of Aesop’s as the second most printed book in the English language. The program will be moderated by special guest Daniel Handler and conclude with a short reading from the fables.

By early 2025, Fables of Aesop will join the many Arion Press books already in the Mechanics’ Institute Archive.

About the Speakers

Joel Benson began his career in the book arts with a class at the Cowell Press at UC Santa Cruz. He apprenticed at The Yolla Bolly Press in Covelo California and later worked for Julie Holcomb Printers in San Francisco where he learned to run Heidelberg presses and the discipline in production printing. From 2002 until joining Arion, he ran Dependable Letterpress, a job printing shop in San Francisco that specialized in fine letterpress printing.

Brian Ferrett has a printing degree from MATC and previously worked in offset web and screenprinting. Brian has worked with M&H Type since 2008 when he began his apprenticeship under Lewis Mitchell. These days he manages M&H's daily operations, maintains the historic casting machines and presses, and works the presses as needed. Brian is a member of the Northern California chapter of the American Printing History Association, the American Typecaster Fellowship, and volunteers with San Francisco Public Library's annual Valentine’s Day broadside event.

Megan Gibes’ life-long love of working with her hands led her to study bookbinding at the North Bennet Street School in Boston. Upon graduation in 2015, she went to work in Santa Barbara as the Head Bookbinder for Heirloom Bindery until a chance encounter revealed the Arion Press apprenticeship program. Working under Rochelle Youk, Megan began her apprenticeship in 2016 and now runs day-to-day production in the bindery. An active member of the Guild of Bookworkers and board member of the Hand Bookbinders of California, she also creates her own work as Long Arrow Bindery.

Daniel Handler is the author of seven novels, including Why We Broke Up, All The Dirty Parts, Bottle Grove, and the 2024 memoir And Then? And Then? What Else? As Lemony Snicket, he is the author of far too many books for children including Poison for Breakfast, the four-volume All The Wrong Questions, and the thirteen-volume A Series of Unfortunate Events, which has been adapted for screen and television. His books have sold more than 70 million copies and have been translated into 40 languages. Most recently, he wrote the morals and introduction for the 2024 Arion Press edition of Fables of Aesop. Daniel lives in San Francisco with the illustrator Lisa Brown, to whom he is married.

Host or Publisher Mechanics' Institute