Apologies for not getting a post up last week; as usual the New York Book Fair weekend proved too busy to get much written. It was lovely to see many friends at the book fair(s), and if you have a chance to get to the Grolier Club for the absolutely excellent Aldus show before it comes down on 25 April, do go and see it.
- Rebecca Rego Barry has a rundown of the book fairs at the Fine Books Blog, while Greg Gibson at Bookman's Log writes about the "dueling" shadow shows (I went to both, and must say the venue for the Getman show was a real winner; it made browsing the booths much more pleasant).
- At The Collation, Sarah Werner takes a look at the use of printed cancel slips as a method of correcting printing mistakes.
- Entrepreneur John Rogers, who bought up the photo archives of several major American, Australian, and New Zealand newspapers (in exchange for money and digital copies of the photos) reportedly faces up to a dozen lawsuits and his business has been raided by the FBI, Brian Lamber reports for MinnPost.
- More on that unpublished Jupiter Hammon poem from the N-YHS blog.
- An exhibition at the Library of Congress on early American printing opens on 4 June and will run until 2 January 2016. The show features two copies of the 1640 Bay Psalm Book, among other treasures.
- There's an update from the CBC about the aftermath of the disastrous fire at Moscow's INION in January. Library staff and volunteers are still packing and removing damaged books from the site.
- Jennifer Schuessler reports for the NYTimes on the possible shutdown of the Dictionary of American Regional English due to funding shortfalls. More from the Boston Globe.
- Work by UVA profs Chad Wellmon and Brad Pasanek to create a "digital network of print materials created during the Enlightenment" is highlighted in UVA Today.
- The Royal Archives is digitizing some 350,000 pages from the private papers of George III.
- Also from Jennifer Schuessler, a report on Terry Alford's new biography of John Wilkes Booth, Fortune's Fool (OUP), and Alford's work with amateur Booth researchers.
- The manuscript of Don McLean's "American Pie" sold for $1.2 million at Christie's on 7 April.
- Erik Kwakkel has a new piece on how people sent short messages to each other in earlier centuries: "Texting in Medieval Times."
- The Outer Banks Sentinel reports on some new research which suggests that the Roanoke colonists may well have relocated to Hatteras Island (as has been long thought).
- Some 450 artifacts made by Japanese-Americans in WWII internment camps (and later given to a historian writing about the art created in the camps) were withdrawn from a New Jersey auction this week following online protests and threats of legal action.
- Ralph Blumenthal reports on the Stanford Literary Lab's Mapping Emotions in Victorian London project.
- Book collector and Melbourne barrister John Emmerson has bequeathed his library to the State Library of Victoria. The collection, numbering more than 5,000 volumes, includes a number of important English imprints from the Civil War period, books from Charles I's personal library, &c. The bequest also funds fellowships for visiting scholars to work with the collection. [h/t Anthony Tedeschi]
- Literary Hub has launched.
- In the THE, Christopher Bigsby writes on the changing nature(s) of libraries.
- From the WSJ, a report by Steven Rosenbush, "In This Digital Age, Book Collecting is Still Going Strong."
- At Inside Adams, Julie Miller writes on Jefferson's manuscript chart on the appearances of fruits and vegetables in the markets of Washington, D.C. (compiled while Jefferson was president).
- On the JHI blog, Maryan Patton writes on "The Early History of Arabic Printing in Europe."
- A key Alan Turing notebook was sold at Bonhams New York on 13 April for $1,025,000.
- The current Houghton Library exhibition, Starry Messengers: Signs and Science from the Skies, closes on 2 May. As a sneek peek, they've posted a short video conversation between curator John Overholt, Sara Schechner (Curator of Harvard's Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments) and Owen Gingerich.
- There's an excerpt from Alex Johnson's new book Improbable Libraries online at the Guardian.
- Johnson's Dictionary is highlighted on the John J. Burns Library's Blog.
- More than a hundred professors at the University of Oregon have called on the university administration to reinstate archivist James Fox, who was placed on administrative leave following the release of confidential university data to a professor.
- Abbie Weinberg writes at The Collation about the sorts of bibliographical thread-pulling expeditions that provide hours of entertainment for those of us who enjoy such things (and utter, hair-pulling-worthy frustration for others, I'm sure!).
- Over at The New Antiquarian, John Waite profiles a rare edition of The New England Primer, one printed during the 1780s which contains a portrait of Washington possibly engraved by Paul Revere.
- Sarah Henary profiles the legacy of Anthony Trollope at The Millions.
- Writing for the Guardian, Calum Marsh asks "Can you really make a living by selling used books on Amazon for a penny?"
Reviews
- Mary Pilon's The Monopolists; review by Sarah Wise in the Telegraph.
- Deborah Cadbury's Princes at War; review by Philip Ziegler in the Telegraph.
- Jon Ronson's So You've Been Publicly Shamed; review by Choire Sicha in the NYTimes.
- Cassandra Good's Founding Friendships; review by Tom Cutterham at The Junto.
- Robert Bevan reviews the new Weston Library in Architects Journal.
Showing posts with label Samuel Johnson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Samuel Johnson. Show all posts
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Links & Reviews
- The Guardian reported this week that the Vatican has received a demand for €100,000 in ransom for the return of two Michelangelo letters recognized as missing from the archives of St. Peter's Basilica in 1997. The fact that the letters were missing had not been publicly disclosed prior to Italian media reports of the ransom demand. A CBC report adds that the Vatican has refused the ransom demand.
- The Glasgow School of Art has released details of items recovered from the fire which destroyed the iconic Mackintosh Library last year. GSA director Tom Inns also said this week that the school plans to rebuild the library according to Mackintosh's designs (but with allowances for technological updates).
- Adam Gopnik writes for The New Yorker on the Warburg Library.
- A new, and excellent as usual, issue of Common-place is out, with a roundtable on Kathleen Donegan's Seasons of Misery, Meredith Neuman on sermon notes, and Lisa Wilson on early American stepfamilies.
- The Times of India reports on the planned sale of John Randall's collection of books and newspapers printed in India.
- The New York Observer highlights the NYPL's What's on the Menu? digitization and crowdsourced transcription project.
- A project to accurately date early Irish manuscripts has received funding of €1.8 million from the European Research Council.
- Dan Dwyer talked to Scott Clemons about the Aldus exhibit now on display at the Grolier Club.
- Rare Book Week is coming up soon: FB&C has all the details about all kinds of bookish events in New York in early April.
- The AAS has acquired a box of nine goose quill pens from around 1850, with the original labeled box.
- Greg Gibson reports on the Washington Antiquarian Book Fair for the ABAA blog.
- I missed this last month, but better late than never: Maine Antiques Digest profiled collector and curator Susan Jaffe Tane.
- Umberto Eco's latest novel, a bestseller in Italy, will be published this fall in the United States by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt as Numero Zero.
- Jerry Morris writes on My Sentimental Library about Samuel Johnson's undergraduate library.
Reviews
- Barry Strauss' The Death of Caesar; review by James Romm in the NYTimes.
- Reif Larsen's I Am Radar; review by Christopher Byrd in the NYTimes.
- Andrew Roberts' Napoleon; review by Charles Reinhardt in the CSM.
- Stephen Kurkjian's Master Thieves; review by Art Taylor in the WaPo.
- Erik Larson's Dead Wake; review by Daniel Stashower in the WaPo.
- Sally G. McMillen's Lucy Stone; review by Janet Napolitano in the LATimes.
- Molly Guptill Manning's When Books Went to War; review by George Bornstein in the TLS.
- Charles Stack's Liberty's First Crisis; review by James Sullivan in the Boston Globe.
- The Glasgow School of Art has released details of items recovered from the fire which destroyed the iconic Mackintosh Library last year. GSA director Tom Inns also said this week that the school plans to rebuild the library according to Mackintosh's designs (but with allowances for technological updates).
- Adam Gopnik writes for The New Yorker on the Warburg Library.
- A new, and excellent as usual, issue of Common-place is out, with a roundtable on Kathleen Donegan's Seasons of Misery, Meredith Neuman on sermon notes, and Lisa Wilson on early American stepfamilies.
- The Times of India reports on the planned sale of John Randall's collection of books and newspapers printed in India.
- The New York Observer highlights the NYPL's What's on the Menu? digitization and crowdsourced transcription project.
- A project to accurately date early Irish manuscripts has received funding of €1.8 million from the European Research Council.
- Dan Dwyer talked to Scott Clemons about the Aldus exhibit now on display at the Grolier Club.
- Rare Book Week is coming up soon: FB&C has all the details about all kinds of bookish events in New York in early April.
- The AAS has acquired a box of nine goose quill pens from around 1850, with the original labeled box.
- Greg Gibson reports on the Washington Antiquarian Book Fair for the ABAA blog.
- I missed this last month, but better late than never: Maine Antiques Digest profiled collector and curator Susan Jaffe Tane.
- Umberto Eco's latest novel, a bestseller in Italy, will be published this fall in the United States by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt as Numero Zero.
- Jerry Morris writes on My Sentimental Library about Samuel Johnson's undergraduate library.
Reviews
- Barry Strauss' The Death of Caesar; review by James Romm in the NYTimes.
- Reif Larsen's I Am Radar; review by Christopher Byrd in the NYTimes.
- Andrew Roberts' Napoleon; review by Charles Reinhardt in the CSM.
- Stephen Kurkjian's Master Thieves; review by Art Taylor in the WaPo.
- Erik Larson's Dead Wake; review by Daniel Stashower in the WaPo.
- Sally G. McMillen's Lucy Stone; review by Janet Napolitano in the LATimes.
- Molly Guptill Manning's When Books Went to War; review by George Bornstein in the TLS.
- Charles Stack's Liberty's First Crisis; review by James Sullivan in the Boston Globe.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Links & Reviews
- From Small Notes, the blog of UVA's special collections library, David Whitesell reports a reunion between long-separated fragments of a Jefferson manuscript (a ~1769 draft of rules changes for the House of Burgesses).
- The AAS has acquired an unrecorded 1812 New York edition of Aristotle's Masterpiece.
- From Heather Wolfe at The Collation, a fascinating look at handwriting instruction during the early modern period.
- Over at the Ticknor Society's blog, an overview of the books George Ticknor was borrowing from the Boston Athenaeum.
- From the BBC, a look inside the UK's last remaining carbon paper factory. [via Brycchan Carey]
- An important collection of Philip Mazzei manuscripts has been given to the Thomas Jefferson Foundation.
- Quite a good exploration of early Bible leaves used as paper wrappers on the Cambridge Incunabula Project blog.
- The OED appeal I mentioned last week still stands, and got some attention this week from Rachel Maddow, among others.
- A 1939 journal by W.H. Auden, thought lost, has been found and will be sold at Christie's in June.
- From Medieval Fragments, a tour of one of the last intact chained libraries, at the Church of St. Walburga in Zutphen.
- At Salon, Andrew Leonard reports on a dark side of Wikipedia (its potential to draw vindictive sock-puppetry, &c.).
- Gordon Rugg on why the Voynich Manuscript matters.
- At Notabilia, a look at the distinctive shelf-mark of Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland.
- Sarah Faragher posted this week about a fantastic find at an antique shop: a copy of the 1773 edition of Johnson's Dictionary at what sounds like an extremely good price indeed.
- Always interesting: a step-by-step look at conservation on a 17th-century book from the Senate House collections. [via @john_overholt]
- In the TLS, Mark Davies explores a possible real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll's Mad Hatter.
Reviews
- John Taliaferro's All the Great Prizes; review by Thomas Mallon in the NYTimes.
- Dan Brown's Inferno; review by Jake Kerridge in the Telegraph.
- Marcia Coyle's The Roberts Court; review by Jeffrey Rosen in the WaPo.
- The AAS has acquired an unrecorded 1812 New York edition of Aristotle's Masterpiece.
- From Heather Wolfe at The Collation, a fascinating look at handwriting instruction during the early modern period.
- Over at the Ticknor Society's blog, an overview of the books George Ticknor was borrowing from the Boston Athenaeum.
- From the BBC, a look inside the UK's last remaining carbon paper factory. [via Brycchan Carey]
- An important collection of Philip Mazzei manuscripts has been given to the Thomas Jefferson Foundation.
- Quite a good exploration of early Bible leaves used as paper wrappers on the Cambridge Incunabula Project blog.
- The OED appeal I mentioned last week still stands, and got some attention this week from Rachel Maddow, among others.
- A 1939 journal by W.H. Auden, thought lost, has been found and will be sold at Christie's in June.
- From Medieval Fragments, a tour of one of the last intact chained libraries, at the Church of St. Walburga in Zutphen.
- At Salon, Andrew Leonard reports on a dark side of Wikipedia (its potential to draw vindictive sock-puppetry, &c.).
- Gordon Rugg on why the Voynich Manuscript matters.
- At Notabilia, a look at the distinctive shelf-mark of Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland.
- Sarah Faragher posted this week about a fantastic find at an antique shop: a copy of the 1773 edition of Johnson's Dictionary at what sounds like an extremely good price indeed.
- Always interesting: a step-by-step look at conservation on a 17th-century book from the Senate House collections. [via @john_overholt]
- In the TLS, Mark Davies explores a possible real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll's Mad Hatter.
Reviews
- John Taliaferro's All the Great Prizes; review by Thomas Mallon in the NYTimes.
- Dan Brown's Inferno; review by Jake Kerridge in the Telegraph.
- Marcia Coyle's The Roberts Court; review by Jeffrey Rosen in the WaPo.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Links & Reviews
- New from the Folger, Shakespeare's Sisters: Voices of English and European Woman Writers, 1500-1700. The exhibit was reviewed in the NYTimes this week by Edward Rothstein.
- Tom Scheinfeldt's "Nobody cares about the library" is a must-read post of the week.
- From the really delightful Public Domain Review, Claire Preston examines Thomas Browne's Musaeum Clausum in "Lost Libraries."
- Brian Cassidy's new catalogue (his sixth) is now online [PDF].
- Another fantastic post by Sarah Werner at The Collation, "Learning from Mistakes" (on what we can glean about the production process from errors that appear in early modern printed books).
- In this week's New Yorker, Lizzie Widdicome profiles Quentin Rowan, who found himself in hot water last year over plagiarism in his novel Assassin of Secrets.
- From the John Rylands Library, First Impressions, a site designed to display the spread of print across Europe.
- An official with the German cultural ministry was found to have thousands of books stolen from libraries in his home.
- At 8vo, Brooke Palmieri calls for a revitalized Federal Writers Project (or something like it). And Brooke is also featured in the Fine Books "Bright Young Things" series this week!
- For "Weekend Edition Saturday", Jacki Lydon visited the Providence Athenaeum, one of the most fascinating and historic libraries around.
- News this morning that Maine bookstore chain Mr. Paperback will be closing all ten of its stores by April.
- Flooding from a burst pipe at the Auckland Central Library was threatening the rare book and map collections this weekend.
- Jerry Morris treats us to some images and stories about books from his extensive collection of Johnsoniana.
- Over at the AAS blog, Ashley Cataldo uses a great J. Francis Ruggles book label to highlight collections relating to printing and bookselling history.
- From Biblioguerilla, one of my very favorite printers' devices.
Reviews
- Irvin Yalom's The Spinoza Problem; review by Ron Charles in the Washington Post.
- Matthew Pearl's The Technologists; review by Janet Maslin in the NYTimes.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Links & Reviews
- In yesterday's NYTimes, Jennifer Schuessler covers Matt Kirschenbaum's research on the history of word processing (to be published in 2013 as "Track Changes: A Literary History of Word Processing").
- From the 14 December New Republic, a profile of accused document thief Barry Landau. Some new details here, including that some 2,000 items seized from Landau's apartment are now believed to have been stolen.
- A number of rare books and manuscripts were destroyed when the Institute of Egypt building was burned during protests. Police have already arrested one man for trying to sell manuscripts stolen from the library.
- There are a couple good pieces relating to print history in the year-end Economist, including a profile of Albrecht Dürer as entrepeneur and "How Luther Went Viral."
- John Overholt reports that a volume of proceedings from the fantastic 2009 conference on Samuel Johnson has now been published as Johnson After Three Centuries: New Light on Texts and Contexts (Harvard University Press). Five papers from the conference are included, as well as a bibliography of research on the Dictionary published between 1955 and 2009 (compiled by Jack Lynch).
- In an 8-part YouTube series, Michael Suarez talks about Oxford Scholarly Editions Online. Part 1 begins here.
- From Echoes from the Vault, a fantastic manicule from the incunabula collection of Archbishop William Schreves.
- In the Guardian, Wayne Gooderham writes about interesting inscriptions he's discovered in secondhand books.
- Writing in the NYTimes, Marilynne Robinson discusses the influence of the Bible on literature.
- New from the Internet Archive, a live status board showing recently-scanned books.
- From The Age newspaper, an interesting story about carbon-dating some elm leaves found in a 1540 Great Bible.
- David Weinberger talked to the CBC about ShelfLife and LibraryCloud, two projects of the Harvard Library Innovation Lab.
- Over at the Collation, a look at "reduce, reuse, recycle" in early modern books. If you're not already reading this great new blog, start immediately.
- Michael Sims talked to NPR about his recently-edited The Dead Witness: A Connoiseuer's Collection of Victorian Detective Stories.
- Randall Stross writes in the NYTimes about the state of the "tug-of-war" between publishers and librarians over e-book purchases.
- The Fine Books Blog's "Bright Young Things" series continues, with Nate Pedersen interviewing David Eilenberger of Eilenberger Rare Books.
Reviews
- Jonathan Israel's Democratic Enlightenment; review by Darrin M. McMahon in the NYTimes.
- Anthony Horowitz's The House of Silk (and other Holmesian novels and t.v./film adaptations); review by D.J. Taylor in the WSJ.
- Stella Tillyard's Tides of War; review by Charles McGrath in the NYTimes.
- Grolier Club exhibition "Printing for Kingdom, Empire & Republic: Treasures from the Archives of the Imprimerie Nationale"; review by David Dunlap in the NYTimes.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Links & Reviews
- A 12th-century manuscript known at the Codex Calixtinus has been stolen from the library of the cathedral at Santiago de Compostela.
- Anne Bradstreet's manuscript of "Meditations Divine and Morall" has been digitized and is now available for viewing, thanks to a partnership between the Stevens Memorial Library and Harvard University.
- In the Boston Globe, the first of a three-part series on the history and future of reading, by Jane Brox.
- The Folger's current exhibit was reviewed this week in the NYTimes, by Edward Rothstein.
- Carol Fitzgerald has donated her impressive collection of regional series Americana to the Library of Congress.
- Word this week that the British Museum may close the Paul Hamlyn Library.
- John Overholt reports that the papers from Houghton's 2009 Samuel Johnson conference will be released in book form in August.
- Humanities Magazine has a piece by Thomas Fulton, "John Milton and the Culture of Print," highlighting a new Rutgers exhibition of Milton material.
- From BibliOdyssey, J.F. Naumann's 1818 engravings of bird eggs.
- Michael Sims talked to NPR's Maureen Corrigan about his new book The Story of Charlotte's Web; great interview about a book I truly enjoyed.
- Before this week's SHARP conference in DC, there'll be a discussion at the Library of Congress this coming Wednesday on The French Book Trade in the Enlightenment project, which I'm quite excited about. If you go to the discussion, please keep me posted (and/or tweet the proceedings for the rest of us!).
Reviews
- Stephen Foster's A Private Empire and Emma Rothschild's The Inner Lives of Empire; review by John Mackenzie in the Scotsman.
- Simon Winchester's Atlantic; review by Christopher Hirst in the Independent.
- John Julius Norwich's Absolute Monarchs; review by Bill Keller in the NYTimes.
Friday, November 06, 2009
Recent Print Articles
Some articles in various print publications I've read and enjoyed recently:
- Hannah Farber, "The Rise and Fall of the Province of Lygonia, 1643-1658." The New England Quarterly LXXXII:3 (September 2009), pp. 490-513. A fascinating look at a failed colony in southern Maine.
- James S. Leamon, "The Parson, the Parson's Wife, and the Coming of the Revolution to Pownalborough, Maine." The New England Quarterly LXXXII:3 (September 2009), pp. 514-528. Another Maine piece, this one on Anglican minister Jacob Bailey's run-ins with the forces of revolution in the early 1770s (including his refusal to read the Declaration of Independence from his pulpit as ordered).
- Hannah Farber, "The Rise and Fall of the Province of Lygonia, 1643-1658." The New England Quarterly LXXXII:3 (September 2009), pp. 490-513. A fascinating look at a failed colony in southern Maine.
- James S. Leamon, "The Parson, the Parson's Wife, and the Coming of the Revolution to Pownalborough, Maine." The New England Quarterly LXXXII:3 (September 2009), pp. 514-528. Another Maine piece, this one on Anglican minister Jacob Bailey's run-ins with the forces of revolution in the early 1770s (including his refusal to read the Declaration of Independence from his pulpit as ordered).
- Philip Ranlet, "A Safe Haven for Witches? Colonial New York's Politics and Relations with New England in the 1690s." New York History 90:1/2 (Winter/Spring 2009), pp. 37-57. An examination of why accused MA and CT witches sought and received refuge in New York; Ranlet also offers up a medical explanation for NY Governor Lord Bellomont's erratic behavior during his tenure.
- Maureen E. Mulvihill, "Literary Property Changing Hands: The Peyraud Auction (New York City, 6 May 2009)." Eighteenth-Century Studies 43:1 (2009), pp. 151-163. A discussion of the sale of Paula Peyraud's collection, the "largest collection in private hands of books, manuscripts, and images associated with the Georgian period," including much related to the "literary ladies" of the time, plus Samuel Johnson, Pope, Burke and others. Mulvihill recaps the sale, and includes information on buyers where known, and much background on the collection. [Update: Since I read it, the article has become available online, here (PDF)].
- Maureen E. Mulvihill, "Literary Property Changing Hands: The Peyraud Auction (New York City, 6 May 2009)." Eighteenth-Century Studies 43:1 (2009), pp. 151-163. A discussion of the sale of Paula Peyraud's collection, the "largest collection in private hands of books, manuscripts, and images associated with the Georgian period," including much related to the "literary ladies" of the time, plus Samuel Johnson, Pope, Burke and others. Mulvihill recaps the sale, and includes information on buyers where known, and much background on the collection. [Update: Since I read it, the article has become available online, here (PDF)].
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Happy Birthday, Mr. Boswell
It's the anniversary of the birth of James Boswell (29 October 1740), so why not take the opportunity to check out a new exhibit at Yale, "Really As It Was: Writing the Life of Samuel Johnson"? The show will run through mid-December, and there is an online component as well (quite a nice one, I must say).
[h/t John Overholt]
[h/t John Overholt]
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Auction Report: Highlights & Upcoming
- At the Christie's Travel, Science and Natural History sale on 15 October (previewed here), the signed Heart of the Antarctic made £15,000, but the paintings were the high spots. A 1615 globe made £44,450 (more than its estimate). The Douglas Adams library globes and the early Spanish equinoctial dial apparently didn't sell.
- At the Heritage rare books sale on 16-17 October (previewed here), it was the day for The Federalist. The second volume of the first edition, in a contemporary sheep binding, made $77,675; the first volume, in a Rivière & Son binding, made $71,700 (estimates had suggested the first volume would make more than the second; both about tripled the estimates). Both were sold to phone bidders (or a phone bidder). A signed copy of Casino Royale fetched $50,787.50, and a set of the first four Winnie the Pooh books, each signed by Milne, sold for $23,900. A first edition of Johnson's Dictionary made $14,340. The early Cotton Mather book from Joshua Gee's library didn't sell.
- At Heritage's historical manuscripts sale (also 16-17 October and previewed here) the Lafayette letter was the highlight as expected, selling for $31,070 (the same price as a John Coffee order book). The John Adams presidential letter bettered its estimate, making $28,680.
- At the Bonhams Fine Books and Manuscripts sale (19 October, previewed here) the Hawaiian mission primer made $7,320; the Herman Melville letter didn't sell. An inscribed first edition Grapes of Wrath was the high spot, selling for $45,750.
Upcoming
- Sotheby's London will sell Books and Manuscripts from the English Library of the 5th Earl of Rosebery on 29 October. They've got a cool new e-catalogue feature, too (which unfortunately makes it tricky to link to the lots). Highlights are expected to include a trove of Byron letters to his friend Francis Hodgson (lot 19, estimated at £150,000-180,000); John Speed's The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain (1676) (lot 107, estimated at £50,000-60,000); Christopher Saxton's 1579 atlas of England and Wales (lot 199, estimated at £40,000-60,000); John Rocque's 1763 Set of Plans and Forts in America (lot 95, estimated at £7,000-10,000).
- At the Heritage rare books sale on 16-17 October (previewed here), it was the day for The Federalist. The second volume of the first edition, in a contemporary sheep binding, made $77,675; the first volume, in a Rivière & Son binding, made $71,700 (estimates had suggested the first volume would make more than the second; both about tripled the estimates). Both were sold to phone bidders (or a phone bidder). A signed copy of Casino Royale fetched $50,787.50, and a set of the first four Winnie the Pooh books, each signed by Milne, sold for $23,900. A first edition of Johnson's Dictionary made $14,340. The early Cotton Mather book from Joshua Gee's library didn't sell.
- At Heritage's historical manuscripts sale (also 16-17 October and previewed here) the Lafayette letter was the highlight as expected, selling for $31,070 (the same price as a John Coffee order book). The John Adams presidential letter bettered its estimate, making $28,680.
- At the Bonhams Fine Books and Manuscripts sale (19 October, previewed here) the Hawaiian mission primer made $7,320; the Herman Melville letter didn't sell. An inscribed first edition Grapes of Wrath was the high spot, selling for $45,750.
Upcoming
- Sotheby's London will sell Books and Manuscripts from the English Library of the 5th Earl of Rosebery on 29 October. They've got a cool new e-catalogue feature, too (which unfortunately makes it tricky to link to the lots). Highlights are expected to include a trove of Byron letters to his friend Francis Hodgson (lot 19, estimated at £150,000-180,000); John Speed's The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain (1676) (lot 107, estimated at £50,000-60,000); Christopher Saxton's 1579 atlas of England and Wales (lot 199, estimated at £40,000-60,000); John Rocque's 1763 Set of Plans and Forts in America (lot 95, estimated at £7,000-10,000).
Monday, October 19, 2009
Links & Reviews
Apologies for the lateness of these this week!
- Chris at Book Hunter's Holiday recaps Terry Belanger's 5 October talk on deaccessioning.
- Over at AL Inside Scoop, Bev Goldberg looks at the current state of library budgets. And Scott Douglas uses his new "Dispatches from a Public Librarian" column to plead for additional library funding.
- An interview with Hilary Mantel over at The Book Bench. The last couple exchanges made me laugh. Another interview from the Boston Globe.
- Nick Basbanes has some new history titles to tickle your fancy.
- Over at ephemera, they're looking at a rare and controversial 1819 Declaration of Independence broadside that's currently for sale on eBay.
- Rick Ring posts on some early English cryptography books in the PPL's collections.
- In the TLS Alex Burghart writes on the recent find of a massive Anglo-Saxon treasure hoard in Staffordshire.
Reviews
- Hillary Mantel's Wolf Hall is reviewed by Joan Acocella in the New Yorker. Marjorie Kehe reviews it in the CSM
- Mark Garvey's Stylized: A Slightly Obsessed History of Strunk & White's 'Elements of Style' is reviewed by Jennifer Balderama in the NYTimes.
- Audrey Niffenegger's Her Fearful Symmetry is reviewed by Catherine Taylor in the Telegraph.
- Jonathan Bate reviews David Noke's Samuel Johnson: A Life in the Telegraph.
- Chris at Book Hunter's Holiday recaps Terry Belanger's 5 October talk on deaccessioning.
- Over at AL Inside Scoop, Bev Goldberg looks at the current state of library budgets. And Scott Douglas uses his new "Dispatches from a Public Librarian" column to plead for additional library funding.
- An interview with Hilary Mantel over at The Book Bench. The last couple exchanges made me laugh. Another interview from the Boston Globe.
- Nick Basbanes has some new history titles to tickle your fancy.
- Over at ephemera, they're looking at a rare and controversial 1819 Declaration of Independence broadside that's currently for sale on eBay.
- Rick Ring posts on some early English cryptography books in the PPL's collections.
- In the TLS Alex Burghart writes on the recent find of a massive Anglo-Saxon treasure hoard in Staffordshire.
Reviews
- Hillary Mantel's Wolf Hall is reviewed by Joan Acocella in the New Yorker. Marjorie Kehe reviews it in the CSM
- Mark Garvey's Stylized: A Slightly Obsessed History of Strunk & White's 'Elements of Style' is reviewed by Jennifer Balderama in the NYTimes.
- Audrey Niffenegger's Her Fearful Symmetry is reviewed by Catherine Taylor in the Telegraph.
- Jonathan Bate reviews David Noke's Samuel Johnson: A Life in the Telegraph.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Links & Reviews
- In Humanities, there is a conversation with Jill Lepore, which I enjoyed reading. She talks about her books, her teaching, her writing process, &c., and about the field of history in general.
- Another interview (sort of), this one with ITV's Melvyn Bragg in The Scotsman.
- In the Boston Globe, Joshua Kendall writes on Samuel Johnson as anti-American.
- Nick Basbanes offers up his picks from the fall's major book releases.
- On Friday, the Justice Department weighed in on the Google Books Settlement, admitting concerns but suggesting that the agreement could be modified. The Open Content Alliance responds.
- Over at Reading Copy, they take a look at what books were selling like hotcakes in 1909 ... fascinating list.
- On one of the NYT blogs, an essay on the chilling effect of British libel law.
- The National Heritage Museum offers to answer any of questions about Freemasonry and associated subjects that crop up as you're reading the new Dan Brown book (as I am at the moment). The museum, founded and supported by the Masons, holds one of the greatest collections of Masonic materials in the U.S.
- Neely Tucker reported for the WaPo on this week's Swann sale of Bibles from the collection of Mel and Julie Meadows. A full report on that sale and this week's others to follow.
Book Reviews
- In the WaPo, Diane Ackerman's Dawn Light: Dancing with Cranes and Other Ways to Start the Day is reviewed by Wendy Smith.
- Lacy Ford's Deliver Us From Evil: The Slavery Question in the Old South is reviewed by Ira Berlin in the NYTimes.
- Philip Kopper reviews Alison Hoover Bartlett's The Man Who Loved Books Too Much, in the Washington Times.
- Another interview (sort of), this one with ITV's Melvyn Bragg in The Scotsman.
- In the Boston Globe, Joshua Kendall writes on Samuel Johnson as anti-American.
- Nick Basbanes offers up his picks from the fall's major book releases.
- On Friday, the Justice Department weighed in on the Google Books Settlement, admitting concerns but suggesting that the agreement could be modified. The Open Content Alliance responds.
- Over at Reading Copy, they take a look at what books were selling like hotcakes in 1909 ... fascinating list.
- On one of the NYT blogs, an essay on the chilling effect of British libel law.
- The National Heritage Museum offers to answer any of questions about Freemasonry and associated subjects that crop up as you're reading the new Dan Brown book (as I am at the moment). The museum, founded and supported by the Masons, holds one of the greatest collections of Masonic materials in the U.S.
- Neely Tucker reported for the WaPo on this week's Swann sale of Bibles from the collection of Mel and Julie Meadows. A full report on that sale and this week's others to follow.
Book Reviews
- In the WaPo, Diane Ackerman's Dawn Light: Dancing with Cranes and Other Ways to Start the Day is reviewed by Wendy Smith.
- Lacy Ford's Deliver Us From Evil: The Slavery Question in the Old South is reviewed by Ira Berlin in the NYTimes.
- Philip Kopper reviews Alison Hoover Bartlett's The Man Who Loved Books Too Much, in the Washington Times.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Happy Birthday, Dr. Johnson!
It's the 300th anniversary of the birth of Samuel Johnson. Some links to mark the occasion, and I highly encourage anyone in the Boston area to take advantage of the wonderful exhibit currently on display at Harvard's Houghton Library of highlights from the Donald and Mary Hyde Collection of Dr. Samuel Johnson (if you're not around Boston, you can at least check out the really excellent online exhibit).
- Britannica Blog has some additional links to various recent articles on Johnson and his life's works.
- In the NYRB, Andrew O'Hagan reviews some of the recent Johnson biographies and anthologies.
I'm sure more of these will come in over the course of the day; I'll add them if so.
- Britannica Blog has some additional links to various recent articles on Johnson and his life's works.
- In the NYRB, Andrew O'Hagan reviews some of the recent Johnson biographies and anthologies.
I'm sure more of these will come in over the course of the day; I'll add them if so.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Links & Reviews
Sorry for the slightly delayed post this week:
- Julia Keller writes on book theft in the Chicago Tribune.
- The Rhode Island Historical Society has been awarded a $99,400 IMLS grant to complete the cataloging of its audiovisual materials. Very cool!
- Laura's found and provided some nifty images of vade mecum, thanks to a sharp-eyed reader.
- All branches of the Philadelphia Free Library will be closing on 2 October 2009 due to budget shortfalls. More here.
- Some essays on Samuel Johnson in The Telegraph: by (London mayor) Boris Johnson, Christopher Howse. And John notes that BBC4 is running some Johnson-related programming, which I invite folks to check out.
- McSweeney's has a timely feature on libraries. This cracked me up.
Reviews
- In the New Yorker, Caleb Crain reviews Morris Dickstein's Dancing in the Dark, a history of American culture in the 1930s. A good piece as always!
- Sally Jenkins and John Stauffer's The State of Jones is reviewed in the WaPo by Stephen Budiansky. It's been a long time since I've seen a book from a big press like Doubleday get so universally panned.
- Boyd Tonkin reviews David Nokes' new biography of Samuel Johnson in The Independent.
- Several recent books on "medical monsters" are reviewed by Bettina Bildhauer in the TLS.
- Julia Keller writes on book theft in the Chicago Tribune.
- The Rhode Island Historical Society has been awarded a $99,400 IMLS grant to complete the cataloging of its audiovisual materials. Very cool!
- Laura's found and provided some nifty images of vade mecum, thanks to a sharp-eyed reader.
- All branches of the Philadelphia Free Library will be closing on 2 October 2009 due to budget shortfalls. More here.
- Some essays on Samuel Johnson in The Telegraph: by (London mayor) Boris Johnson, Christopher Howse. And John notes that BBC4 is running some Johnson-related programming, which I invite folks to check out.
- McSweeney's has a timely feature on libraries. This cracked me up.
Reviews
- In the New Yorker, Caleb Crain reviews Morris Dickstein's Dancing in the Dark, a history of American culture in the 1930s. A good piece as always!
- Sally Jenkins and John Stauffer's The State of Jones is reviewed in the WaPo by Stephen Budiansky. It's been a long time since I've seen a book from a big press like Doubleday get so universally panned.
- Boyd Tonkin reviews David Nokes' new biography of Samuel Johnson in The Independent.
- Several recent books on "medical monsters" are reviewed by Bettina Bildhauer in the TLS.
Sunday, September 06, 2009
Links & Reviews
- John Overholt notes the success of the Johnson at 300 symposium last week (my thoughts here) and points out a great article in the Harvard Gazette about the meeting.
- The Ransom Center has launched a massive (c. 4,000-item!) digital Edgar Allan Poe collection. Super cool.
- In the NYT, Sam Roberts writes on New York's "oldest murder," committed 400 years ago today.
- Paul Collins notes the death of would-be spelling reformer Ed Rondthaler. And on NPR, Paul discusses the use of invisible ink in childens' activity books.
- I missed the beginning of the series, but McSweeney's is running "Dispatches from a Hangdog Bankrupt," written by rare-book dealer Bill Cotter. I'm catching up on these now. [h/t The Millions]
- Biblio's hosting a Biblio Book Hunt on Twitter - fun!
Reviews
- In the NYRB, James McPherson reviews several new Lincoln biographies.
- Douglas Brinkley's Wilderness Warrior is reviewed by Kathleen Dalton in the Boston Globe.
- Caleb Crain is in this week's New Yorker with "Bootylicious," a review of several recent works on pirates and piracy. On his blog he provides some background and further reading (always fascinating), and has added a coda on buried treasure now, too.
- In the WSJ, Thomas Lipscomb reviews In Defense of Thomas Jefferson by William Hyland.
- David Crystal's memoir, Just a Phrase I'm Going Through, is reviewed by Henry Hitchings in the TLS.
- The Ransom Center has launched a massive (c. 4,000-item!) digital Edgar Allan Poe collection. Super cool.
- In the NYT, Sam Roberts writes on New York's "oldest murder," committed 400 years ago today.
- Paul Collins notes the death of would-be spelling reformer Ed Rondthaler. And on NPR, Paul discusses the use of invisible ink in childens' activity books.
- I missed the beginning of the series, but McSweeney's is running "Dispatches from a Hangdog Bankrupt," written by rare-book dealer Bill Cotter. I'm catching up on these now. [h/t The Millions]
- Biblio's hosting a Biblio Book Hunt on Twitter - fun!
Reviews
- In the NYRB, James McPherson reviews several new Lincoln biographies.
- Douglas Brinkley's Wilderness Warrior is reviewed by Kathleen Dalton in the Boston Globe.
- Caleb Crain is in this week's New Yorker with "Bootylicious," a review of several recent works on pirates and piracy. On his blog he provides some background and further reading (always fascinating), and has added a coda on buried treasure now, too.
- In the WSJ, Thomas Lipscomb reviews In Defense of Thomas Jefferson by William Hyland.
- David Crystal's memoir, Just a Phrase I'm Going Through, is reviewed by Henry Hitchings in the TLS.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Links & Reviews
- In today's New York Daily News, a piece on David Gary's excellent research into the library of Rufus King, now at the N-YHS (a hopefully soon to be included on LT as a Library of Early America). I am quoted in the article as a "skeptic" of Gary's thesis, which I'm certainly not; I think his efforts will be much appreciated among the scholarly community and that we will be able to learn much from the research that he's doing about King in particular and the founding generation in particular.
- From McSweeney's, Hamlet through a Facebook news feed.
- Over at Frognall Dibdin's Shelves, a list of the author's favorite books about books, and at The Private Library, a rundown of histories of the book to include on one's shelves.
- Dominick Donne, prolific author and journalist, has died at age 83.
- In The Scotsman, a short piece on Jonathan Bate's decision to write a Shakespeare biography.
- In the NYTimes today, news that the EU will propose loosening rules on "orphan works" and a broad range of other copyright changes to govern European books.
Reviews
- At the NYPL blog, Emma Carbone reviews The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane.
- Apropos of this week, several new Samuel Johnson biographies and monographs are reviewed by H.J. Jackson in the TLS.
- In the Financial Times, John Sutherland reviews several new books about books.
Book acquisitions to follow; I haven't cataloged them yet.
- From McSweeney's, Hamlet through a Facebook news feed.
- Over at Frognall Dibdin's Shelves, a list of the author's favorite books about books, and at The Private Library, a rundown of histories of the book to include on one's shelves.
- Dominick Donne, prolific author and journalist, has died at age 83.
- In The Scotsman, a short piece on Jonathan Bate's decision to write a Shakespeare biography.
- In the NYTimes today, news that the EU will propose loosening rules on "orphan works" and a broad range of other copyright changes to govern European books.
Reviews
- At the NYPL blog, Emma Carbone reviews The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane.
- Apropos of this week, several new Samuel Johnson biographies and monographs are reviewed by H.J. Jackson in the TLS.
- In the Financial Times, John Sutherland reviews several new books about books.
Book acquisitions to follow; I haven't cataloged them yet.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Johnson Conference: Recap
Although I was a wuss today and let some rain deter me from trekking out to Cambridge for the third and final day of the Samuel Johnson symposium at Harvard, the two days that I made it to were perfectly delightful. On Thursday morning Nicholas Hudson delivered a plenary address on "Johnson and Revolution" (particularly focusing on Johnson's views of the Glorious Revolution of 1688, the changing uses of the word "revolution" over time, and a discussion of Johnson's views of the American and other revolutions).
Also on Thursday morning I attended a really fascinating panel on Johnson and America. As part of that, Thomas Curley (whose books I really must read, and he's got a recent one out on Johnson and the Ossian controversy which is going to move to the top of the list) discussed Johnson's views of Americans (they were not positive) and of colonialism and imperialism in general. Helen Deutsch then discussed a theory that Hawthorne may have been influenced by Johnson's story of doing penance of Uttoxeter Market and drawn on the motif for his portrayal of Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter. Finally, the very engaging and amusing William Dowling discussed Oliver Wendell Holmes' longstanding fascination with Johnson (Holmes' bicentennial birthday is today, by the way), and his conscious modeling of Boston's Saturday Club on Johnson's London Club of a century prior. This paper, delightfully delivered and incredibly well written, might have been my favorite of the conference.
On Thursday afternoon the panel I attended was "Johnson, Boswell, and the Circle." John Radner (who is now writing a book on the Johnson-Boswell friendship) discussed Johnson's early correspondence with three friends (Robert Chambers, Bennet Langton, and Boswell); James Caudle discussed a parallel visit of Samuel Johnson and the poet Ben Jonson to the same manor house in Scotland; and Matthew Rusnak took us into the seamy underworld of London crime with a talk on Johnson's role as character witness in the Baretti murder trial (fascinating stuff, that). Gordon Turnbull gave a lively and incredibly funny response to the papers, which had everyone in the room laughing.
Following the panels on Thursday we repaired to Houghton Library for a look at the new exhibition of highlights from the Donald and Mary Hyde Collection (online version here). It's an amazing show, so do make sure you get there to see it if you can. We were also allowed to purchase sneak advance copies of the exhibit catalog, which is positively gorgeous (and will be available from Harvard University Press later in the fall).
Yesterday morning's panels were given over to the Dictionary: first a plenary discussion and then another follow-up panel of responses and additional comments. Anne McDermott gave a very intriguing paper suggesting that Johnson actually completed a full first draft of the Dictionary around late 1750, but then found himself dissatisfied with the work and just about started over again approximately a year later, taking another "break" after his wife's death and then finishing the work at a breakneck pace in the last eighteen months before it was published. This hypothesis sparked a few tough questions, but all agreed that the evidence is worth examining in greater detail.
Jack Lynch then discussed Johnson's modes of definition, using a numerical analysis of those methods and comparing them to other dictionaries before or since. Many of the funniest parts of this centered on "Johnson's misfires," i.e. where he admitted to not knowing the meaning of a word, or defining it utterly circularly or uselessly ("defluxion" as "a defluxion"), but Lynch's useful beginnings of a method for classifying Johnson's definitions should be very welcome indeed. We also learned Lynch's favorite word from the Dictionary: anatiferous (producing ducks). I like it too. Finally, Allen Reddick examined Johnson's use of John Milton in his illustrative quotations and elsewhere, arguing that Johnson selectively used Milton's language in order to put down the author and "exact revenge" on Milton for his anti-monarchical views.
Friday afternoon's panel was perhaps the most bookish of the lot, featuring some of the biggest names in book history scholarship. Terry Belanger discussed the penchant among English printers and publishers for the folio format (for certain genres of works, at least) as a symptom of the innate conservative nature of the English book trade. He examined the words per page, relative costs and survival rates among book formats, and noted that this talk might be, for him, the first toe "back into the waters of book trade history." James Raven, who could not attend due to a bout of the chickenpox, sent his paper (which Pat Rogers delivered in his stead), which examined the book trade community around Fleet Street during Johnson's time, drawing on his research into the London land tax records. Finally, Paul Baines discussed Johnson's relationship with Thomas Osborne, the bookseller who was supposedly beaten by Johnson (whether with a "great folio volume" or not). Baines' paper mostly centered on the game of "telephone" which morphed the story into various forms over the course of history.
All in all, a tremendously interesting and very well-organized conference (kudos to John Overholt and Tom Horrocks and everyone else at Houghton for doing such a tremendous job!). Dr. Johnson would be proud.
Also on Thursday morning I attended a really fascinating panel on Johnson and America. As part of that, Thomas Curley (whose books I really must read, and he's got a recent one out on Johnson and the Ossian controversy which is going to move to the top of the list) discussed Johnson's views of Americans (they were not positive) and of colonialism and imperialism in general. Helen Deutsch then discussed a theory that Hawthorne may have been influenced by Johnson's story of doing penance of Uttoxeter Market and drawn on the motif for his portrayal of Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter. Finally, the very engaging and amusing William Dowling discussed Oliver Wendell Holmes' longstanding fascination with Johnson (Holmes' bicentennial birthday is today, by the way), and his conscious modeling of Boston's Saturday Club on Johnson's London Club of a century prior. This paper, delightfully delivered and incredibly well written, might have been my favorite of the conference.
On Thursday afternoon the panel I attended was "Johnson, Boswell, and the Circle." John Radner (who is now writing a book on the Johnson-Boswell friendship) discussed Johnson's early correspondence with three friends (Robert Chambers, Bennet Langton, and Boswell); James Caudle discussed a parallel visit of Samuel Johnson and the poet Ben Jonson to the same manor house in Scotland; and Matthew Rusnak took us into the seamy underworld of London crime with a talk on Johnson's role as character witness in the Baretti murder trial (fascinating stuff, that). Gordon Turnbull gave a lively and incredibly funny response to the papers, which had everyone in the room laughing.
Following the panels on Thursday we repaired to Houghton Library for a look at the new exhibition of highlights from the Donald and Mary Hyde Collection (online version here). It's an amazing show, so do make sure you get there to see it if you can. We were also allowed to purchase sneak advance copies of the exhibit catalog, which is positively gorgeous (and will be available from Harvard University Press later in the fall).
Yesterday morning's panels were given over to the Dictionary: first a plenary discussion and then another follow-up panel of responses and additional comments. Anne McDermott gave a very intriguing paper suggesting that Johnson actually completed a full first draft of the Dictionary around late 1750, but then found himself dissatisfied with the work and just about started over again approximately a year later, taking another "break" after his wife's death and then finishing the work at a breakneck pace in the last eighteen months before it was published. This hypothesis sparked a few tough questions, but all agreed that the evidence is worth examining in greater detail.
Jack Lynch then discussed Johnson's modes of definition, using a numerical analysis of those methods and comparing them to other dictionaries before or since. Many of the funniest parts of this centered on "Johnson's misfires," i.e. where he admitted to not knowing the meaning of a word, or defining it utterly circularly or uselessly ("defluxion" as "a defluxion"), but Lynch's useful beginnings of a method for classifying Johnson's definitions should be very welcome indeed. We also learned Lynch's favorite word from the Dictionary: anatiferous (producing ducks). I like it too. Finally, Allen Reddick examined Johnson's use of John Milton in his illustrative quotations and elsewhere, arguing that Johnson selectively used Milton's language in order to put down the author and "exact revenge" on Milton for his anti-monarchical views.
Friday afternoon's panel was perhaps the most bookish of the lot, featuring some of the biggest names in book history scholarship. Terry Belanger discussed the penchant among English printers and publishers for the folio format (for certain genres of works, at least) as a symptom of the innate conservative nature of the English book trade. He examined the words per page, relative costs and survival rates among book formats, and noted that this talk might be, for him, the first toe "back into the waters of book trade history." James Raven, who could not attend due to a bout of the chickenpox, sent his paper (which Pat Rogers delivered in his stead), which examined the book trade community around Fleet Street during Johnson's time, drawing on his research into the London land tax records. Finally, Paul Baines discussed Johnson's relationship with Thomas Osborne, the bookseller who was supposedly beaten by Johnson (whether with a "great folio volume" or not). Baines' paper mostly centered on the game of "telephone" which morphed the story into various forms over the course of history.
All in all, a tremendously interesting and very well-organized conference (kudos to John Overholt and Tom Horrocks and everyone else at Houghton for doing such a tremendous job!). Dr. Johnson would be proud.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
A Few Days with Doctor Johnson
I'll be out at Harvard for the next three days at the Johnson at 300 conference, which promises to be great fun. I'll try to check in either here or via Twitter, so stay tuned for updates from the meetings.
John Overholt notes today that the online version of the Houghton Library exhibition to accompany the conference and highlight the Donald and Mary Hyde Collection is now up and running, so do be sure to visit that (as well as the physical show, of course!).
John Overholt notes today that the online version of the Houghton Library exhibition to accompany the conference and highlight the Donald and Mary Hyde Collection is now up and running, so do be sure to visit that (as well as the physical show, of course!).
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Links & Reviews
- 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.
- 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.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Links & Reviews
- New blogs, via Laura and Ian: The Private Library and Bibliopole. Both are excellent. I've added links on the sidebar.
- Registration is now open for the Houghton Library's Johnson at 300 symposium, to be held 27-29 August. I must remember to register, this is not a conference to miss!
- Abby was off to the London Book Fair recently to speak at a panel on books and marketing in an online world.
- From BibliOdyssey, natural history images.
- In the Globe today, news that UMass Dartmouth's Center for Portuguese Studies and Culture has digitized 84,000 pages of the Diário de NotÃcias (1919-1973), called "the most important Portuguese newspaper ever published in the United States." The archive is freely available here.
- Famed book collector Daniel Volkmann died on 27 April. Obituary.
- Ian's got a very good post on the wide range of ways bibliophiles are connecting these days.
- Chinese and other media outlets have been profiling Du Weisheng, a conservator at the National Library in Beijing.
- Another posthumous Tolkien book was released this week. Christopher Tolkien comments on the work in The Guardian.
- Rick Ring found a neat little law book in the PPL's collections this week. And Rick's got a post unveiling a new print serial publication, Occasional Nuggets. I've subscribed - you should too!
- Two books, one from Shelley's library and one from Byron's, were recently found in a French trash can. They've now been acquired by London dealer Peter Harrington.
- David Weinberger comments on a forthcoming search engine, WolframAlpha. [h/t Tim]
- Rory Litwin notes that some podcasts from the recent MIT Media in Transition conference are now posted.
- In the Boston Globe, Irene Sage covers what certainly seems to be a fascinating new book by a local author (Reif Larson's The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet). I've ordered a copy.
- The silly biblio-news of the week award goes to the "health and safety" officials at the Bodleian Library, who have banned the use of stepladders (making certain books inaccessible to students). [h/t Ian]
Reviews
- In the Washington Post, Louis Bayard reviews Jonathan Bate's new biography of Shakespeare, Soul of the Age
- In April's William & Mary Quarterly, Edward Countryman reviews Annette Gordon-Reed's The Hemingses of Monticello [PDF].
- Ron Charles reviews The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet for the WaPo.
- In the NYTimes, Iliya Troyanov's The Collector of Worlds (a novel about Sir Richard Francis Burton) is reviewed by Ben Macintyre.
- Registration is now open for the Houghton Library's Johnson at 300 symposium, to be held 27-29 August. I must remember to register, this is not a conference to miss!
- Abby was off to the London Book Fair recently to speak at a panel on books and marketing in an online world.
- From BibliOdyssey, natural history images.
- In the Globe today, news that UMass Dartmouth's Center for Portuguese Studies and Culture has digitized 84,000 pages of the Diário de NotÃcias (1919-1973), called "the most important Portuguese newspaper ever published in the United States." The archive is freely available here.
- Famed book collector Daniel Volkmann died on 27 April. Obituary.
- Ian's got a very good post on the wide range of ways bibliophiles are connecting these days.
- Chinese and other media outlets have been profiling Du Weisheng, a conservator at the National Library in Beijing.
- Another posthumous Tolkien book was released this week. Christopher Tolkien comments on the work in The Guardian.
- Rick Ring found a neat little law book in the PPL's collections this week. And Rick's got a post unveiling a new print serial publication, Occasional Nuggets. I've subscribed - you should too!
- Two books, one from Shelley's library and one from Byron's, were recently found in a French trash can. They've now been acquired by London dealer Peter Harrington.
- David Weinberger comments on a forthcoming search engine, WolframAlpha. [h/t Tim]
- Rory Litwin notes that some podcasts from the recent MIT Media in Transition conference are now posted.
- In the Boston Globe, Irene Sage covers what certainly seems to be a fascinating new book by a local author (Reif Larson's The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet). I've ordered a copy.
- The silly biblio-news of the week award goes to the "health and safety" officials at the Bodleian Library, who have banned the use of stepladders (making certain books inaccessible to students). [h/t Ian]
Reviews
- In the Washington Post, Louis Bayard reviews Jonathan Bate's new biography of Shakespeare, Soul of the Age
- In April's William & Mary Quarterly, Edward Countryman reviews Annette Gordon-Reed's The Hemingses of Monticello [PDF].
- Ron Charles reviews The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet for the WaPo.
- In the NYTimes, Iliya Troyanov's The Collector of Worlds (a novel about Sir Richard Francis Burton) is reviewed by Ben Macintyre.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Links & Reviews
- Sign of the times watch: Virginia Tech said this week it would be cutting $900,000 worth of journal subscriptions for the 2009-10 year ($500,000 to make budget cuts, and $400,000 to meet cost increases). The dean of university libraries is asking for input from VTech professors and researchers about which titles are most important to them in their work. In other academic library news, Emory University's libraries have cut $200,000 this fiscal year by not filling vacant positions and not hiring for other open jobs. Other measures may be put in place shortly.
- Much of Rolland Comstock's collection has now been acquired by Dick Rofritch of The Woodlands, TX, who opened a bookstore (Good Books in the Woods) to sell the books. The Houston Chronicle has the story of how Rofritch came to own the collection and get started with bookselling.
- Rare Book Review notes that the "Library of the Religious Society of Friends has completed the cataloguing of all its Pre-1801 printed materials, with an additional 7,400 Quaker titles now available for research purposes." The catalog is here. I tested it on on some very rare Thomas Maule titles I knew were supposed to be in the library, and there they were.
- Nick Basbanes has a piece on booking along Maine's Route 1. He's right, Maine's a wonderfully-bookish place.
- In the TLS, Thomas Keymer examines the first American edition of Samuel Johnson's Rasselas; the essay is taken from his introduction to the forthcoming Oxford World's Classics edition of the work.
- Staff for the National Trust for Scotland have found a copy of A Select Collection of Original Scottish Airs, co-edited by Robert Burns, which Burns signed and presented to a Miss Graham, the daughter of his boss. The book will be displayed in a new Burns museum in the near future.
- An utterly amazing (and disturbing) look at "essay mills" was published in the 20 March Chronicle of Higher Ed. Highly recommended. [h/t Literary Fraud & Folly]
- Laura's off on what sounds like a fantastic trip to Germany and Egypt - I know I'm looking forward to pictures and tales!
- Caleb Crain has an essay in the NYT book review about the hilarious 1857 book The Physiology of New York Boarding-Houses, available in a new reprint from Rutgers University Press or in facsmile from Cornell University Press (or digitally via the Internet Archive or Google Books).
- Literary agent Lynn Chu argues in the WSJ that the Google Books settlement is a very bad deal for authors [h/t LISNews]
- The NYT covered the results of the Bookseller/Diagram Oddest Book Title contest, the winner this year being The 2009-2014 World Outlook for 60-Milligram Containers of Fromage Frais (Baboon Metaphysics took second place). The beauty of the Times piece is the quotes from the runner-up authors and past winners, which are very enjoyable. More from Alison Flood at the Guardian, who points out that the author of the winning book is a professor of management science at French business school Insead who says he has "published" more than 200,000 titles (print-on-demand econometrics reports, basically).
Reviews
- In the WSJ, Mark Teaford reviews Ruth Richardson's The Making of Mr. Gray's Anatomy.
- Richard Cox reviews John Ridener's From Polders to Postmodernism: A Concise History of Archival Theory, which is high on my "to read" list as well.
- At Book Patrol, Charles Seluzicki reviews Leanne Sharpton's novel-as-auction-catalog.
- Much of Rolland Comstock's collection has now been acquired by Dick Rofritch of The Woodlands, TX, who opened a bookstore (Good Books in the Woods) to sell the books. The Houston Chronicle has the story of how Rofritch came to own the collection and get started with bookselling.
- Rare Book Review notes that the "Library of the Religious Society of Friends has completed the cataloguing of all its Pre-1801 printed materials, with an additional 7,400 Quaker titles now available for research purposes." The catalog is here. I tested it on on some very rare Thomas Maule titles I knew were supposed to be in the library, and there they were.
- Nick Basbanes has a piece on booking along Maine's Route 1. He's right, Maine's a wonderfully-bookish place.
- In the TLS, Thomas Keymer examines the first American edition of Samuel Johnson's Rasselas; the essay is taken from his introduction to the forthcoming Oxford World's Classics edition of the work.
- Staff for the National Trust for Scotland have found a copy of A Select Collection of Original Scottish Airs, co-edited by Robert Burns, which Burns signed and presented to a Miss Graham, the daughter of his boss. The book will be displayed in a new Burns museum in the near future.
- An utterly amazing (and disturbing) look at "essay mills" was published in the 20 March Chronicle of Higher Ed. Highly recommended. [h/t Literary Fraud & Folly]
- Laura's off on what sounds like a fantastic trip to Germany and Egypt - I know I'm looking forward to pictures and tales!
- Caleb Crain has an essay in the NYT book review about the hilarious 1857 book The Physiology of New York Boarding-Houses, available in a new reprint from Rutgers University Press or in facsmile from Cornell University Press (or digitally via the Internet Archive or Google Books).
- Literary agent Lynn Chu argues in the WSJ that the Google Books settlement is a very bad deal for authors [h/t LISNews]
- The NYT covered the results of the Bookseller/Diagram Oddest Book Title contest, the winner this year being The 2009-2014 World Outlook for 60-Milligram Containers of Fromage Frais (Baboon Metaphysics took second place). The beauty of the Times piece is the quotes from the runner-up authors and past winners, which are very enjoyable. More from Alison Flood at the Guardian, who points out that the author of the winning book is a professor of management science at French business school Insead who says he has "published" more than 200,000 titles (print-on-demand econometrics reports, basically).
Reviews
- In the WSJ, Mark Teaford reviews Ruth Richardson's The Making of Mr. Gray's Anatomy.
- Richard Cox reviews John Ridener's From Polders to Postmodernism: A Concise History of Archival Theory, which is high on my "to read" list as well.
- At Book Patrol, Charles Seluzicki reviews Leanne Sharpton's novel-as-auction-catalog.
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