When I was a little girl, I hated to read. I remember sitting on my living room couch, huddled in a ball under the yellow lamp my dad always used to read, struggling to find meaning in the randomized figures on the laminated book pages.

As I have collected my favorite books and pieces of design throughout my career, I have also been collecting memories. Like any pack rat, I have collections of movie stubs, play bills, notes scratched on post it notes, shoeboxes filled with birthday cards, doodles from friends, photos, etc.

Within these books, you will find a collection of quotes from my favorite books: a selection of my favorite moments from stories that have shaped who I am—for that’s exactly what this book is, a collection of stories, frozen within the pages they were written—forever a part of me.

For my senior capstone, I combined my two passions and disciplines—Literature and Graphic Design; I mapped the memories of my life through the books and stories that shaped them.

The story is divided into three volumes beginning in second grade with the first book I remember ever wanting to reread—all the way through my last few months in undergrad. Each volume is divided into chronological chapters and features my favorite quotes from each book. Interspersed in the collection are my reflections, what I remember most—my stories.

Photography (both black & white and digital) within the pages highlights the human quality of the books and their relationship to me: notes in the margins, repurposed bookmarks, mementos.

The wall spread displays excerpts from each volume; the bookcase is comprised of the three volumes with a shelf dedicated to each volume displaying the books they are made from. I marked the passaged highlighted in my memoir with book darts and encouraged other to mark any of their favorite passages as well.

The final manuscript on display was perfect bound by hand with french fold pages.

—

These books tell my story; they have taught me about love, life, adventure, taking risks, to never be ashamed to apologize, that we are not always the best versions of ourselves, to live.

Creative direction: Jason Dilworth & Megan Urban
Copy, photography, art direction & design: Sarah Rocco

Read Volume I