April 1: Edible Book Day

Today is Edible Book Day, conceived in 1999 by Judith A. Hoffberg, a librarian, curator and expert on mail art and artists books. Edible Book Day festivals, launched in 2000 by Hoffberg and artist Béatrice Colon, have been held since then in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxemburg, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, United States (twenty-six states), Romania, Russia, Singapore, and Sweden. The creations are photographed and archived at books2eat.com before being consumed. Hoffberg died in January, 2009 at 74. “The whole field of artist books became my life, and I wanted to share it with all of you. Although marginal at the beginning, it has grown into a movement, a new chapter in art history.” —Judith A. Hoffberg