Call Me Ishmael revolutionized the way we talk about books when it launched in the summer of 2014. The brainchild of Logan Smalley and Stephanie Kent, the website features a number where you can “call Ishmael” and leave a message about a book that has impacted your life. Smalley then films himself transcribing the messages on an old typewriter, and he uploads several messages to the site every week. Since its launch, thousands of readers have left messages for Ishmael that have been viewed by millions of people across the globe.
Now Call Me Ishmael is branching out from the Internet to the physical world with their Kickstarter campaign for the Call Me Ishmael Phone. Perfect for libraries, bookstores and schools, the replica vintage payphone lets you listen to curated messages about beloved books.
Since the campaign reached 500 backers, the Call Me Ishmael team will also deploy a special fleet of Phones that will allow your local library/bookstore/school to try out the device for only the cost of shipping. Hurry to get your favorite local spot on the list; the Kickstarter ends in only 29 hours.
With rewards like personalized reading recommendations and the opportunity to add your name to the world’s longest, hand-typed thank you note, this is a creative Kickstarter campaign worth supporting.