By Matthew Thompson
Fluke Publishing, Phoenix, AZ, 2021
Pages: 76
Dimensions: 5 5/8 in x 7 1/2 in
Cover: Paper
Binding: perfect bound
Process: offset
Color: full color
Edition size: 3000
ISBN: none

It has been a pleasure to watch Matthew Thompson's zine Fluke expand and deepen in various thoughtful and interesting ways in recent years. This issue is somewhat unexpected for its theme (Fluke tends to focus on punk type content), but issue #19 makes obvious sense when considered against the highly democratic, energetic and DIY nature of mail art culture. There are seemingly few books that attempt to document mail art culture and history and some of those that do exist are either out of print or quite expensive. To have this shockingly cheap publication ($5.00! How?!) appear in a large edition is exciting and refreshing. A great introduction to a vast creative world that resists being easily archived. 

From the publisher:

Fluke 19 is an exploration into the world of the pioneers of Mail Art. We traveled far and wide for interviews with buZ blurr, John Held, Jr, Anna Banana, Leslie Caldera, EF Higgins III, Ryosuke Cohen, Noriko Shimizu, Henry Denander and more. Bonus interview from 1977 with the Father of Mail Art, Ray Johnson. The stalwarts of Mail Art who have been active in the movement since the '70s and '80s are all here at your fingertips!