- Tony Campbell notes news out of the Czech Republic that a 47-year old Polish man, Piotr Stanislaw Peron, has been sentenced to five years in prison for the theft of a 1520 world map from the Scientific Library in Olomouc and the attempted theft of a 1599 map of northern North America. The court expelled Peron from the country for eight years and ordered him to pay 1.2 million crowns to the library as restitution. Peron has appealed the verdict.
- Over at Houghton, John Overholt reports the arrival of the published catalog for his upcoming exhibit, "A Monument More Durable Than Brass: The Donald & Mary Hyde Collection of Dr. Samuel Johnson." I'll probably spring for a copy at this week's Johnson Symposium, which I'm really looking forward to!
- Laura needs a job. Can you help her out?
- In the NYTimes today, an article on the division among European publishers/libraries/&c. over the Google Books Settlement. Among the news here (to me at least) is that the judge overseeing the settlement plans to rule on it by 7 October.
- Rare Book Review reports that a rare Popple map of North America (1734) will sell at auction next month. I'll keep an eye on it.
- In Slate, Mike Steinberger takes a look at the fascinating Thomas Jefferson wine hoax, tossing in the juicy bits about the Rodenstock lawsuits, Michael Broadbent's attempt to sue Random House, &c. Great read.
- J.L. Bell points out some great new online exhibits of interest: a Brown University Library sampling of Revolutionary War soldier art, and the National Portrait Gallery's exhibit of Thomas Paine.
Reviews
- Thomas Levenson's Newton and the Counterfeiter is reviewed by Laurence Phelan in The Independent.
- Dennis Drabelle reviews Peter Mancall's Fatal Journey in the WaPo.
- In the WSJ, Aram Bakshian Jr. reviews Thomas Fleming's The Ascent of George Washington.
- Hobson Woodward's A Brave Vessel is reviewed by Ben Cosgrove for the San Francisco Chronicle.
