Of all the zines I've ever seen, a few stand out as the best in several unspoken categories. And while While a Lucid Ease isn't the zine that's richest in content, what is there is an amazingly creative soul laid bare on the page, through art and words. Creator Heidi S. Wallace's binding is the best I've ever seen, and the production quality is nothing short of beautiful.

From the cardstock printed covers and black binding on issue #1, to the meticulously crafted collage art inside, reading WALE is like sitting with an artist friend at a cafe, talking about her life. She shows you little snippets of what she's working on and small bits of her writing in journal and article form, and though you may not always understand it, there are things that you can easily pull out to remember.

Heidi also includes a small glassine envelope of "gifties" -- tags, artistamps and a uniquely designed business card. There are writing prompts ("a list of things to write about"), poetry and elegantly printed lists of music to listen to. Though it might be short, it's engaging and interactive in some ways -- which is more than a lot of personal zines can say.

Buying this zine is kind of like getting the most expensive silverware available. You could easily find something cheaper, but you feel so indulgent when it arrives, when you use it, that the cost really seems irrelevant. It's a luxury of words and an indulgence of art, and is definitely worth a second look.

Subscribe for $20 per year by writing Heidi S. Wallace, 8821 David Ave., St. Louis, MO 63114-4333.

[ by Elizabeth Badurina ]