Intention: The Book of Phriends was started as a hardcopy solidarity resource among netters who meet on tour. There are now many such books, and no one really knows the whereabouts of (m)any of them, but there's history being made among this beautiful community, out there somewhere.

Creation: Each book starts as a bound collection of blank pages, perhaps with a container of crayons or pencils or markers attached, perhaps with decorations on the inside or outside or binding, perhaps in a bag or box or something that will protect it and make it easier to pass along to others. If you start a new volume, be sure to identify what it is at the beginning, perhaps including ideas from this page (or just print this page; whatever's easiest/best for you.)

Distribution: The book is taken to a Phish show where it is passed along (in the lot or at pre- or post-event gatherings) to another fan, usually but not necessarily someone from the Phish.Net. That person holds it for the night (or so, maybe more or less) and reads and enjoys whatever's in it, adds his/her comments/thoughts/art/additions, and takes it to the next show.

Acquisition: To acquire the BOPH, you should ask, upon noticing it, "IS that the Book of Phriends I see in your hands?" The actual mechanics and additional guidelines for passage may be ad hoc, but rely upon the trust and solidarity which preserve this net. The primary requirement for acquiring the BOPH should be that you are going to at least the next show, if not a few upcoming shows, in order to preserve passage as continually and continuously as possible. Each acquirer is encouraged to sign the book (crayons or markers preferable to pencil or pen, so come to shows prepared!), as well as add inserts of photos, clippings, or drawings. Acquirers and other participants are asked to respect the nature of the excercise and, thereby, to not fill an undue amount of space.

Registration: You might be interested in starting another volume. If you do, please inform ellis@netspace.org so that this FAQ can reflect how many there are, where (i.e. show and date) they started, who (name and email id) started them, and what (size, color, material) they look like.

Documentation? Mark Walsh suggested (8/20/98) that the official Phish archives might have want for the Books of Phriends as historical materials: "Perhaps the book could find its way to the archives if it's near full...".

Past Volumes

Volumes I and II: From: Kim Hannula 10/2/94: "The idea of passing around a book at Phish shows originated with Mary Grace Wilkinson . ... The first two books are big black blank books with "Book of Phriends" written on the front cover in white ink. Both books surfaced at the end of this past tour [summer 1994]. ... I started the first book in Montreal (4/5/94). I also started the second book, because as far as I could tell the first book had disappeared sometime in May [1994]. ... Book #1 apparently (this is 2nd or 3rd hand info) ended up in Burlington with some friends of Fishman. ... I don't plan on starting any others. There isn't anything magic about starting one, though -- anyone can do it -- and I would encourage anyone who thinks the idea sounds like fun to go buy a book, take it to a Phish show, give it to someone, and see what happens." Kim added (8/23/96), "I never imagined that the thing was still kicking around somewhere." You can get that same weird wonderful feeling by starting another volume, passing it on, and then waiting to hear... LAST SEEN: ??

Volume II: Kim continued: "The second book began its journey in Minneapolis (6/16/94); Jagjit Chadha reported 3/1/98 sending it on with Mark Walsh. ... Book #2 was only part full at the end of the summer 1994 tour, and Mark Walsh took it back to Santa Cruz with him, with the intention of taking it to Glenns Fall. Mark Walsh emailed (from Santiago, Chile; 3/8/95), "the Book of Phriends II...bounced around Santa Cruz and Northern California for a while after the end of Summer Tour '94 (and what a coincidence you ask as just yesterday I got a care package in the mail that included Sugarbush II, which I am listening to here as I type.) Last time it was actually in my hands I took it over to Bill Shaw's house full of phishy people, as he was going to be going back on tour sooner than I. ... You know, I think Bill was going to take it back on tour, but do not know the location of the book after I left it at that house. Bill could tell you if he reintroduced it into the phlow. I thought about seeing if for some reason it was still in Santa Cruz, and if so bringing it down to Chile to get the comments of the people I turn on to live Phish, but for some reason I think I never saw it at Bill's house. ... So anyway, my contact with the book ended last fall in Santa Cruz, after having circulated around the Santa Cruz and Berkeley areas." Mark Walsh reported (8/20/98) that when he "returned from Chile in 1996, he found the Book of Friends II among some phishy people in Santa Cruz. So later that I stuck it in a wedding gift being sent to Rosemary Mackintosh and John. The book passed among the contributors to the gift box, and eventually ended up back with Rosemary. And Rosey will have to continue with the story from there..." LAST SEEN: August 1996 at the Clifford Ball, with Rosemary Mackintosh.

Volume III: Suzi Balleisen (4/19/95) brought a Volume 3 to Boise, Idaho, 6/7/95, then to Salt Lake and Red Rocks, then passed it to Pat "ultrafunk" Layman to get it onto the rest of tour - no word on it since then. LAST SEEN: Red Rocks 1995 with Ultrafunk.

4th volume: Jason Hine (4/12/95) also brought a volume to Boise, Idaho, June 7, 1995. Jason's is "a large blue ring binder, reinforced with duct tape on the edges, loaded with paper (graph and lined) organized into various sections (maybe by show), with ... folders/dividers ... a box of crayons (8), a highliter or two, and a packet of hole reinforcers. The Book [was] initially ... decorated with fluorescent tape, pictures, quotes and glued-on doo-dads. Total investment [was], well worth the price, I expect. Use it, don't lose it." LAST SEEN: Start uncertain.

Volume 5: Carter Coleman emailed 6/27/96 to say he'd start volume five at the August 1996 Red Rocks shows. LAST SEEN: Start uncertain.

One Volume 6: Chad Walker emailed 6/28/96 saying he'd start volume six, emailed 7/11/96 to say, "The Book of Phriends Vol.6 will be kicked into play at the Alpine Valley show next month", and emailed 8/28/98 that he "sent it out at Alpine Valley like promised, but that's the last I saw of it.". LAST SEEN: Sent off to Alpine?

Another Volume 6: Matt Steger emailed 6/24/96 to say he was doing the entire Summer 1996 tour, where he would be starting volume six, featuring Salvador Dali's "The Disintegration of Memory" on the cover. LAST SEEN: Start uncertain.

Volume 7: Kevin P Fox emailed 11/28/96 to say, "I'll start volume 7 of the book of phriends at the New years shows in boston, dec. 30+31. It will be a big black three ring binder with the title "book of phriends" on the front plus a volume seven.*quot; LAST SEEN: Start uncertain.

8th volume, The Colonel Forbin Volume: Ed Flagg emailed 11/19/96 to say, "The Book of Phriends, "Colonel Forbin," was started on 10/31/96, and eventually passed on to Michael Gouker. It was a black, 9" x 6" spiral bound notebook with a plastic book cover. On the front is a picture of Forbin with squinty eyes (almost like they were plucked out!!!!) in front of a forest with a mountain in the middle, and an unidentified bird--chances are good it's a mockingbird--flying in the background. Printed sideways along the spiral are the word COLONEL FORBIN. We were able to stick some instant photos taken 10/31 in it, plus some other people wrote inside. It comes with a green marker. On the back inside is a picture of Cat in the Hat, and on the back outside is, well, that's a surprise." LAST SEEN: A volume started fall 1996 (presumably the Col. Forbin Volume) was passed from Virginia Beach 7-21-97 to Raleigh the next night by Jason P oulton.

9th Volume: Kurt Haug emailed (7/30/96) to say, "Just wanted to let you know that we intend to start another new Book of Phriends at the Wolf Mountain (Park City, UT) show. This one will be unique in that it is being started by a bunch of Phishheads from Tokyo who will be seeing that show and probably the Red Rocks shows. The book is made of traditional Japanese paper, and bears a Japanese name (English pronunciation GYOMO NO HON) based on my creating some unique Japanese characters to reflect the slightly off-center sensibilities of the Phish-loving community." LAST SEEN: Start uncertain

10th volume, The Palmer Volume: Ellis started the Palmer Volume, formed from a large account ledger book, and housed in a decorative (AC/DC) bag with a gold tassled rope. LAST SEEN: Passed off to _?_ Virginia Beach 1997.

11th volume, The Poster Nutbag Volume: Ed started the "Poster Nutbag" volume in August of 1997. It went with Ed to the Great Went, and was then snail mailed to Ellis and then to Charlie Dirksen, who was going to start the volume on its way for the Fall '97 tour in the Las Vegas tapers' section. LAST SEEN: Charlie Dirksen had it for Fall 97, and says (8/31/98) that he mailed it to someone, but he's not sure whom....

12th Known Volume: Started by Jen Marshall at the Great Went gathering, and brought it to gatherings at 11-21-97 Hampton and 12-30-97 New York. According to Jen, it's "a plain black scrapbook with beige construction paper inside. The very first page is done in marker and glitter and says, rec.music.phish gathering at the Great Went August 16-17, 1997. Jen reported again 8/28/98: "I took the Book of Phriends up to the rmp gathering at the Lemonwheel and passed it around, and I'm still keeping possession of it for the time being. Before the next gathering I may or may not buy a new book to use as this one's getting rather full." LAST SEEN: Unlike the other volumes, this one's being held by the creator (Jen), "at least until a museum dedicated to Phish is created! ;)"

13th Known Volume: Karen Kako reported 6/13/99: it is a black binder with a white tye-dyed "like" cover with the "book of friends summer tour '99 "colorfully written on the cover. the back has colorful phish pictures and has a quote on what the book of friends is. then the inside cover has more pictures- it says "be phree" on the inside and then back inside cover has more pictures. it starts off with "Welcom e to the book of friends" then it explains what this book is, where it was started,how to write in it- pictures, poems, drawings, adding something, has "about karen" and then it has a story of my first real experience with phish. the rest is filled with computer paper and a notebook for phans to write their own experiences. in the back i have written my address- email and home on a piece of paper and on the binder. there is also a pencil like case that i ahave written numeros lyrics to songs on which contains pencils, pen, crayons, pez and gum.

The next one... from you? Probably not all of these actually got off the ground, and I'm trying (at 2/25/98; still trying at 8/27/98) to take stock of which were never started, and where the others are now, but it's been five or six tours since the last volume was started. It's always been a DIY sorta thing so, when you get the gumption, start up the next volume -- and let me know that you're doing so, so I can list it here! :-)

On 5/3/99, AOLer Stephen claimed the idea started in 1989 and had a different name: "the Phishing Phriends books are books started by fans who would have all good headly folks they met at a show or gathering where Phish would perform contribute to it. starts out as a big blank sketchbook & ends up with artwork, poetry, setlists, show reviews, etc. the first book was around from 89 until the clifford ball. Book II lasted from Clifford Ball until MSG 98'. at each show, whomever had the book would pass it along to someone who looked like they were truly sharing the vibe & celebrating the spirit of exactly why there was a gathering. i'm not sure what happened to the first book (I'd imagine that it was "full" so whomever it was passed to when "full" probably sent it to the band & started Book II) but Book II was confiscated by MSG security on new years eve because they thought there was acid in it or something absurd like that. We want to start up Book III."

For a more generalized application, see the 1000 Journals Project.