The Ship of Fools

"Renaissance men developed a delightful, yet horrible way of dealing with their mad denizens: they were put on a ship and entrusted to mariners because folly, water, and sea, as everyone then "knew," had an affinity for each other. Thus, "Ship of Fools" crisscrossed the sea and canals of Europe with their comic and pathetic cargo of souls. Some of them found pleasure and even a cure in the changing surroundings, in the isolation of being cast off, while others withdrew further, became worse, or died alone and away from their families. The cities and villages which had thus rid themselves of their crazed and crazy, could now take pleasure in watching the exciting sideshow when a ship full of foreign lunatics would dock at their harbors." [From Jose Barchilon's Introduction to Foucault's Madness and Civilization].

My new zine The Ship of Fools has now finally been assembled, collated and published. You can obtain your very own copy here via this fancy Paypal button. The zine is a choice mix of gallows humour, pickled organs, 6 for 5 on south London stories into the distant darkness, a biscuit review, the noble gases, a song about Simon Cowell and an explanation of what happens when you throw your wallet into a river. Everything is centered around this carnivalesque ship of fools. There's a dark laughter bubbling throughout.