Times-News

The second edition of "James Castle: His Life and Art," written by Boise State University professor Tom Trusky and first published in 2004, has been released by the Idaho Center for the Book.

"James Castle: His Life and Art" contains rare documents and photographs, exclusive interviews with Castle's family, childhood friends and contemporary art and medical experts. The new edition features two new chapters, and 200 black-and-white and color images and maps. The book has been revised and updated, including the book notes and bibliography.

Castle, a native Idaho artist who died in Boise in 1977, was labeled his entire life as deaf, mute, illiterate and mentally challenged, and is now thought to have been autistic. He was born in 1899 in Garden Valley and never learned to speak, and had a limited ability to read and write. His primary form of communication was the thousands of drawings and illustrations he produced. He used crude tools and supplies - ink made from soot and saliva, pens fashioned from twigs or sticks and canvases scavenged from scrap paper, cardboard, books and catalogs. Castle made art for more than 60 years and left behind more than 20,000 artworks.

"James Castle: His Life and Art" sold out its first edition. It is published by the Idaho Center for the Book, housed at BSU, and is available at the Boise State Bookstore and Amazon.com.