Now, a few of the whole bunch of things I meant to/wanted to link to this week and didn't quite get time for:
- Scott Brown at Fine Books Blog had a couple great posts, including one on the selling of advance readers' copies and how it's not illegal, and another on what errors in the production process make books more valuable as compared to completely worthless.
- Joyce at Bibliophile Bullpen posted a list of terms that (some) booksellers have for their, eh, less than perfect customers. Quite amusing.
- Over at LibraryThing, Tim has kicked the addictiveness level up a notch with a new series of "challenge" contests, in which users try to wend their way from one tag to another using only "related tags" (i.e. "Tarzan" to "Iceland", etc.). It's great, but as I commented to him, introducing it in the middle of a semester ... now that's just cruel!
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Archives-Wiki from AHA
The AHA (American Historical Association) has started a blog (linked added to sidebar), AHA Today. So far, I'm really enjoying the content. Today they've got a few recommended history web sites, but earlier this week they ran a two-part series on a big project they're working on rolling out: Archives-wiki. Part one focuses on the proposal and the reasons behind it, while Part two gets down to the nitty-gritty of how the wiki is envisioned.
I think this idea has terrific merit and great potential. As the first post notes, "this project will serve three important functions - assisting historians in their research, developing a new network of community within the discipline and with related research fields, while also allowing the Association to work with and promote a new type of technology."
The second post focuses on the various technological and practical considerations that are going into this, including the criteria to be included, the need for some safeguards, and the worry that historians won't participate. As is made clear, this is still in the beginning stages, with many kinks still to be ironed out.
Robert Townsend, AHA's Assistant Director for Research and Publications, is their point-person on this project, and has invited interested folks to contact him with thoughts and ideas. This is certainly something I'll be keeping an eye on!
I think this idea has terrific merit and great potential. As the first post notes, "this project will serve three important functions - assisting historians in their research, developing a new network of community within the discipline and with related research fields, while also allowing the Association to work with and promote a new type of technology."
The second post focuses on the various technological and practical considerations that are going into this, including the criteria to be included, the need for some safeguards, and the worry that historians won't participate. As is made clear, this is still in the beginning stages, with many kinks still to be ironed out.
Robert Townsend, AHA's Assistant Director for Research and Publications, is their point-person on this project, and has invited interested folks to contact him with thoughts and ideas. This is certainly something I'll be keeping an eye on!
Friday, October 20, 2006
Book Review: "Dante"
Prominent Dante scholar Barbara Reynolds has penned a revealing new biography of her subject in Dante: The Poet, the Political Thinker, the Man. While some of her conclusions will almost certainly be controversial, Reynolds' close studies of Dante's works taken as a whole as well as her clear grasp of current Dante scholarship form what seems a fairly solid base. I certainly am not nearly expert enough to dispute her.
This was not an easy book to read, largely because it is hardly a conventional biography at all. While some chapters focus on Dante's life and its events, Reynolds is largely concerned with interpreting those events and Dante's works. It is at its best in the center portion, where Reynolds discusses the early poems and essays followed by Dante's magnum opus, the Commedia. In a fascinating tour through the cantos of Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso Reynolds dissects those works, drawing out the various real-world events and people which feature, as well as analyzing the relationship(s) between Dante and his guides along the journey. Reynolds seeks a unifying theme in Dante's works, and finds one in his support for secular authority (in the form of the Holy Roman Emperor) rather than ecclesiastical preeminence (i.e. the Pope).
In the more biographical sections, this book would have benefited from some editorial oversight. Many chapters end with some form of "and we will take up [topic x] in the next chapter", which is rather jarring in a book like this and disrupted the narrative unecessarily. It's not a light read either, and I can't say I recommend it unless you happen to be a very serious Dante aficionado (or aspire to be such, I suppose). It was interesting, but I can't help but think there must be a more standard biography out there that would be more useful for most purposes (including, it should be said, my own).
One important note (and what partly prompted me to get this book): the jacket illustration - which shows Dante as depicted in a Luca Signorelli fresco in Orvieto - is quite lovely, and I happen to have a framed print of it hanging on my wall. I must say, it's pretty weird to be walking through a bookstore and suddenly seeing a picture from your wall on a book jacket!
This was not an easy book to read, largely because it is hardly a conventional biography at all. While some chapters focus on Dante's life and its events, Reynolds is largely concerned with interpreting those events and Dante's works. It is at its best in the center portion, where Reynolds discusses the early poems and essays followed by Dante's magnum opus, the Commedia. In a fascinating tour through the cantos of Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso Reynolds dissects those works, drawing out the various real-world events and people which feature, as well as analyzing the relationship(s) between Dante and his guides along the journey. Reynolds seeks a unifying theme in Dante's works, and finds one in his support for secular authority (in the form of the Holy Roman Emperor) rather than ecclesiastical preeminence (i.e. the Pope).
In the more biographical sections, this book would have benefited from some editorial oversight. Many chapters end with some form of "and we will take up [topic x] in the next chapter", which is rather jarring in a book like this and disrupted the narrative unecessarily. It's not a light read either, and I can't say I recommend it unless you happen to be a very serious Dante aficionado (or aspire to be such, I suppose). It was interesting, but I can't help but think there must be a more standard biography out there that would be more useful for most purposes (including, it should be said, my own).
One important note (and what partly prompted me to get this book): the jacket illustration - which shows Dante as depicted in a Luca Signorelli fresco in Orvieto - is quite lovely, and I happen to have a framed print of it hanging on my wall. I must say, it's pretty weird to be walking through a bookstore and suddenly seeing a picture from your wall on a book jacket!
Audubon Conference Tomorrow
With many apologies for the short notice, I wanted to point out that there will be a one-day conference on John James Audubon tomorrow at the Rensselaerville Institute, near Albany, NY. Events will include a roundtable conference on Audubon's books, as well as the premiere of a new PBS film "John James Audubon: Drawn from Nature."
"A $40 registration fee is required to attend the 1 p.m. conference, hosted by the Edmund Niles Huyck Preserve. If you're just interested in the film, $5 buys you entry to a second screening at 8:30 p.m." The conference was organized by Roswell Eldridge, a local Audubon enthusiast who will be showing off his ten volume set of Audubon "octavos" (seven volumes of the Birds, three of the Quadrupeds).
I'm pretty sorry to miss this event, but I will certainly look forward to the PBS film.
"A $40 registration fee is required to attend the 1 p.m. conference, hosted by the Edmund Niles Huyck Preserve. If you're just interested in the film, $5 buys you entry to a second screening at 8:30 p.m." The conference was organized by Roswell Eldridge, a local Audubon enthusiast who will be showing off his ten volume set of Audubon "octavos" (seven volumes of the Birds, three of the Quadrupeds).
I'm pretty sorry to miss this event, but I will certainly look forward to the PBS film.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Francis Frith Photograph Book Donated
An Oxfam bookshop in Exeter received a "diamond in the rough" in July - a book containing early photographs of the Middle East worth about £4,500. Francis Frith's "Sinai & Palestine," printed in 1862, contains 37 photographic prints: street scenes, panoramic views, and other images.
A volunteer book-pricer recognized the name of the photographer and decided to do a little research on the book, discovering that a similar copy recently sold at auction for £5,000. "Sinai & Palestine" is now for sale at a London shop, with proceeds to go back to Oxfam.
A volunteer book-pricer recognized the name of the photographer and decided to do a little research on the book, discovering that a similar copy recently sold at auction for £5,000. "Sinai & Palestine" is now for sale at a London shop, with proceeds to go back to Oxfam.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Courant Reporter to Speak on Smiley
Kim Martineau of the Hartford Courant, who was responsible for much of her paper's coverage of the E. Forbes Smiley case, will speak at the Washington Map Society on Thursday, November 16 at 7 p.m. on "The Case of E. Forbes Smiley." More information here.
[Via Everett Wilkie]
[Via Everett Wilkie]
New Zealand Book-Thieves Sentenced
In New Zealand, a gang of book thieves who have targeted libraries and museums for more than ten years have been sentenced for their crimes, as part of Operation Pukapuka (Maori for book). The effort "cracked down on the organised theft of at least 2500 books over 10 years, with a retail value of at least $1 million."
While more than half of the books have been recovered, police say many were sold to overseas buyers and cannot be located. "The thieves' modus operandi was almost ridiculously simple. They breached the system of trust by enrolling at libraries using a variety of false identities to borrow books, and once at home, removed any marks identifying them as belonging to a library."
At least five people have been or soon will be sentenced for their roles in the theft ring.
[Update: In another twist to this story, 301 charges against a Christchurch book dealer for receiving stolen property in this case have been tossed."John Arnold Palmer, 77, who runs Arnold's Books in New Regent Street, is in deteriorating health and wishes to sell the business but the huge indictment has stopped that happening." The judge, citing substantial delays, has granted Palmer's request that charges against him be dropped. Via Shelf:Life]
While more than half of the books have been recovered, police say many were sold to overseas buyers and cannot be located. "The thieves' modus operandi was almost ridiculously simple. They breached the system of trust by enrolling at libraries using a variety of false identities to borrow books, and once at home, removed any marks identifying them as belonging to a library."
At least five people have been or soon will be sentenced for their roles in the theft ring.
[Update: In another twist to this story, 301 charges against a Christchurch book dealer for receiving stolen property in this case have been tossed."John Arnold Palmer, 77, who runs Arnold's Books in New Regent Street, is in deteriorating health and wishes to sell the business but the huge indictment has stopped that happening." The judge, citing substantial delays, has granted Palmer's request that charges against him be dropped. Via Shelf:Life]
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Fire at Folger Library, Books Safe
DC's NBC affiliate reports that there was a two-alarm fire at the Folger Shakespeare Library on Saturday morning, caused by a spotlight igniting some stored costumes. "The Folger's collection of rare books and materials-including the world's largest Shakespeare collection and a primary repository for rare materials from the early modern period, ranging from 1500-1750, received no damage. No one was injured. Other damage to the library is estimated at $25,000."
Whew!
Whew!
Rare Books Hidden in Saratoga During WWII
Today's Saratogian contains quite an interesting little piece of Saratoga history: for several years during WWII, a selection of rare books and other items from the New York Public Library were stored in secure vaults under the Hall of Springs, to keep them safe from a possible German attack on New York.
"In the dark of night and under police escort in May 1942, 27,000 rare books, prints and manuscripts were moved from the library in Manhattan" to Saratoga, where they were housed comfortably until October, 1944. Among the items "was the original, handwritten manuscript of George Washington's Farewell Address, a 15th century Gutenberg Bible and an assortment of documents from signers of the Declaration of Independence. There were the private [papers?] of the Gansevoort Family, a rare multi-volume Audubon collection and a letter from Christopher Columbus that was dated 1493, announcing the discovery of the New World. In all, the collection was valued in 1942 at $20 million."
"In the dark of night and under police escort in May 1942, 27,000 rare books, prints and manuscripts were moved from the library in Manhattan" to Saratoga, where they were housed comfortably until October, 1944. Among the items "was the original, handwritten manuscript of George Washington's Farewell Address, a 15th century Gutenberg Bible and an assortment of documents from signers of the Declaration of Independence. There were the private [papers?] of the Gansevoort Family, a rare multi-volume Audubon collection and a letter from Christopher Columbus that was dated 1493, announcing the discovery of the New World. In all, the collection was valued in 1942 at $20 million."
Saturday, October 14, 2006
State Sentence for Smiley "Largely Symbolic"
Convicted map thief E. Forbes Smiley received his sentence on state charges yesterday, and got the maximum five-year prison sentence. However, according to the Hartford Courant's report today, that sentence is "largely symbolic, and unlikely to add time to the 3½-year sentence Smiley has received in federal court. The state and federal sentences will run at the same time, with Smiley eligible for release from federal prison after three years. In state court, he can apply for parole after serving half his time."
For the first time (that I'm aware of, at least), the judge faulted the federal prosecutors for not continuing to investigate the case and searching for the other maps that the victim libraries believe may have been stolen by Smiley. "The problem is they're taking the word of a thief," judge Richard Damiani said in announcing the sentence. Damiani refused a request from Smiley's lawyer that the prison term be four years, noting that he's sentenced convenience store robbers to more time: "The man stole $2 million," the judge said. Of course this misses the point entirely - Smiley did much, much more than steal $2 million, he eviscerated priceless materials for his own personal profit at the expense of our cultural heritage and institutions.
For the first time (that I'm aware of, at least), the judge faulted the federal prosecutors for not continuing to investigate the case and searching for the other maps that the victim libraries believe may have been stolen by Smiley. "The problem is they're taking the word of a thief," judge Richard Damiani said in announcing the sentence. Damiani refused a request from Smiley's lawyer that the prison term be four years, noting that he's sentenced convenience store robbers to more time: "The man stole $2 million," the judge said. Of course this misses the point entirely - Smiley did much, much more than steal $2 million, he eviscerated priceless materials for his own personal profit at the expense of our cultural heritage and institutions.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Book Review: "State of Denial"
Bob Woodward's latest insider account of the Bush Administration at war, State of Denial is by far the most disturbing of the three volumes (the others being Bush at War and Plan of Attack). While some have described this new, extremely critical book as a change of course for Woodward based on public perceptions of the Administration and a judgement of what would sell more books (I have heard him described as a "weathervane"), I think it makes more sense to view State of Denial as a new point on a progressive continuum. As the Bush Administration has proceeded through military operations in Afghanistan and in Iraq, more information about the governing style of the president and his closest advisors has become evident - this book couldn't have been written in 2002 - or in 2004 - but Woodward could not have avoided writing it in 2006.
I worked very hard to avoid all the advance publicity from this book, from the scoops obtained by the New York Times to the excerps in the Washington Post and all the coverage on cable and network news. Of course to have done so completely would have been impossible, and I learned many of Woodward's revelations before I had a chance to read the actual book. Nonetheless, that did nothing to blunt the impact of the narrative, which examines the Administration's decision to go to war in Iraq, the planning for that decision, the fruitless search for weapons of mass destruction, and the acute failure to plan for postwar Iraq in a meaningful or effective way.
The president does not emerge well from this book. Neither does Donald Rumsfeld, who is portrayed as a micromanaging pain-in-the-everything; he comes off (even and perhaps particularly in the moments where Woodward interviews with him on the record) as oblivious to what's really going on around him, selectively remembering details of conversations with other members of the Administration (including the president) and running roughshod over the uniformed military officers when their views did not align precisely with his own.
To be fair, Woodward treats just about every major participant harshly, and deservedly so. What struck me most when reading this book was the high number of "right there" moments ... right there, I would think to myself, what if person X had not given in, what if the argument had continued, what if minds had been changed by five more minutes of discussion? Above all, what if the president of the United States had been willing to ask questions instead of accepting a bunch of sycophantic head-bobbing? What if some of the greatest strategic minds in America today had been consulted rather than ignored? Would America, and Iraq, find themselves in the circumstances which exist today?
Like his earlier volumes, this latest product from Woodward is readable and engaging. It's also eminently depressing, but should be read nonetheless.
I worked very hard to avoid all the advance publicity from this book, from the scoops obtained by the New York Times to the excerps in the Washington Post and all the coverage on cable and network news. Of course to have done so completely would have been impossible, and I learned many of Woodward's revelations before I had a chance to read the actual book. Nonetheless, that did nothing to blunt the impact of the narrative, which examines the Administration's decision to go to war in Iraq, the planning for that decision, the fruitless search for weapons of mass destruction, and the acute failure to plan for postwar Iraq in a meaningful or effective way.
The president does not emerge well from this book. Neither does Donald Rumsfeld, who is portrayed as a micromanaging pain-in-the-everything; he comes off (even and perhaps particularly in the moments where Woodward interviews with him on the record) as oblivious to what's really going on around him, selectively remembering details of conversations with other members of the Administration (including the president) and running roughshod over the uniformed military officers when their views did not align precisely with his own.
To be fair, Woodward treats just about every major participant harshly, and deservedly so. What struck me most when reading this book was the high number of "right there" moments ... right there, I would think to myself, what if person X had not given in, what if the argument had continued, what if minds had been changed by five more minutes of discussion? Above all, what if the president of the United States had been willing to ask questions instead of accepting a bunch of sycophantic head-bobbing? What if some of the greatest strategic minds in America today had been consulted rather than ignored? Would America, and Iraq, find themselves in the circumstances which exist today?
Like his earlier volumes, this latest product from Woodward is readable and engaging. It's also eminently depressing, but should be read nonetheless.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
More Join Google Book Project
The University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Wisconsin Historical Society have joined with Google in the company's book-scanning project. Selections of materials will be made from among the 7.2 million holdings of the institutions, Reuters reports.
"Librarians working to scan the Wisconsin library holdings will focus on collections concerned with the history of medicine, patents and discoveries and engineering, along with the early publications of scientific societies.
It will also target American and Wisconsin history, genealogical materials, decorative arts and sheet music, among other subjects, the University of Wisconsin said."
"Librarians working to scan the Wisconsin library holdings will focus on collections concerned with the history of medicine, patents and discoveries and engineering, along with the early publications of scientific societies.
It will also target American and Wisconsin history, genealogical materials, decorative arts and sheet music, among other subjects, the University of Wisconsin said."
Duke Archivist Profiled
The newest Duke Chronicle includes a short article on University Archivist Tim Wyatt, an alumnus of the university and a person who's clearly committed to the institution and its archival materials.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Atlas Sale Breaks Record
A 1477 edition of Ptolemy's Cosmographia sold today at Sotheby's for £2,136,000, setting a new sale record for an atlas. The BBC reports that bidding on the volume started at £600,000. "It was the latest item to be sold off from the Wardington Manor library, in Banbury, Oxon, to cover restoration costs of the fire-damaged property." The manor burned in 2004, and the rare books were saved by local villagers who "formed a human chain" to retrieve them from the burning building.
The high bidder was dealer Bernard Shapero, who purchased the atlas on behalf of an undisclosed private client.
The high bidder was dealer Bernard Shapero, who purchased the atlas on behalf of an undisclosed private client.
Boston Globe Review of "The Thirteenth Tale"
Clea Simon reviews Diane Setterfield's The Thirteenth Tale in today's Boston Globe. My own review is here.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Book Review: "The Travels of Sir John Mandeville"
I just finished a new edition of The Travels of Sir John Mandeville, edited by E.C. Coleman (Nonsuch Publishing, 2006), so I thought I'd say a few words about it. The equivalent of a "bestseller" in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, this semi-fanciful account of Mandeville's three-plus-decade romp across the Middle East, Africa and Asia not only makes for interesting reading, but also offers some very keen commentary on interaction between people of different faiths and ethnic groups.
The first portion of Mandeville's book is basically a road map to the Holy Land, with descriptions of the various routes that can be taken from Europe, how long each leg of the journey will take, etc. He continues by describing many of the holy sites in and around Jerusalem, Galilee and Bethelehem - descriptions which were very accurate even by today's standards. I visited the region three years ago and was struck by how vividly Mandeville was able to capture some of the holy sites (and how little they've changed in the last seven hundred years).
From Palestine, Mandeville's travels proceed through Egypt and Persia, east to India and the Malaysian islands, and up into what we'd now call China. While things get a little cloudier here in terms of accuracy, many of his descriptions contain at least a grain of truth (while others are just outright amusing). He writes about the people and their customs, manner of dress and dispositions, the means of government and their religion. He describes strange animals and plants which must have fascinated his European readers, and concludes from his astronomical observations that the world absolutely must be round.
Coleman's version of the text, which has been modernized slightly by necessity, is complemented nicely by woodcuts drawn from fourteenth and fifteenth-century editions of the work. This is a well-edited version of Mandeville's great work, and I quite recommend it to anyone who enjoys early travel literature or just a great trip around the medieval world.
The first portion of Mandeville's book is basically a road map to the Holy Land, with descriptions of the various routes that can be taken from Europe, how long each leg of the journey will take, etc. He continues by describing many of the holy sites in and around Jerusalem, Galilee and Bethelehem - descriptions which were very accurate even by today's standards. I visited the region three years ago and was struck by how vividly Mandeville was able to capture some of the holy sites (and how little they've changed in the last seven hundred years).
From Palestine, Mandeville's travels proceed through Egypt and Persia, east to India and the Malaysian islands, and up into what we'd now call China. While things get a little cloudier here in terms of accuracy, many of his descriptions contain at least a grain of truth (while others are just outright amusing). He writes about the people and their customs, manner of dress and dispositions, the means of government and their religion. He describes strange animals and plants which must have fascinated his European readers, and concludes from his astronomical observations that the world absolutely must be round.
Coleman's version of the text, which has been modernized slightly by necessity, is complemented nicely by woodcuts drawn from fourteenth and fifteenth-century editions of the work. This is a well-edited version of Mandeville's great work, and I quite recommend it to anyone who enjoys early travel literature or just a great trip around the medieval world.
RISD Unveils New Library
This weekend marked the official opening of the Fleet Library at Providence's Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). The library is now housed on the first floors of what was once the main hall of the Rhode Island Hospital Trust Building. The beaux-arts style decor of the original building was largely retained, with modern elements worked in as per the design of "Nader Tehrani and partner Monica Ponce de Leon, principals of the Boston-based architecture firm Office dA."
The Providence Journal piece confirms what I have heard from friends who've seen the library: the modern elements don't quite jive with the architecture of the building: "only the circulation desk makes much of a design statement. (With its angular, lattice-like front and flaring top it looks a bit like a futuristic lean-to.) The bleacher/computer area, meanwhile, looks bulky and awkward, although a series of laser-cut panels featuring the names of famous authors is a nice touch. ... Unfortunately, many of these newer elements seem lost in such a large space. In this case, old easily trumps new."
Fleet Library will house RISD's 130,000 volumes of books and periodicals, with a special collections area on the second floor. Above the library, the upper floors of the building have been converted into student housing.
The Providence Journal piece confirms what I have heard from friends who've seen the library: the modern elements don't quite jive with the architecture of the building: "only the circulation desk makes much of a design statement. (With its angular, lattice-like front and flaring top it looks a bit like a futuristic lean-to.) The bleacher/computer area, meanwhile, looks bulky and awkward, although a series of laser-cut panels featuring the names of famous authors is a nice touch. ... Unfortunately, many of these newer elements seem lost in such a large space. In this case, old easily trumps new."
Fleet Library will house RISD's 130,000 volumes of books and periodicals, with a special collections area on the second floor. Above the library, the upper floors of the building have been converted into student housing.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Feinsilber Collection at Sotheby's
Next week, Sotheby's in Paris will auction the collection of Fred Feinsilber, according to the International Herald-Tribune. Retired chemical engineering magnate and Holocaust refugee Feinsilber has been collecting fine editions of 19th and 20th century "avant-garde" literature and their early predecessors (back to the Renaissance), as well as foundational architecture texts and key texts in the history of science.
When asked why he's decided to sell the collection, Feinsilber said "When you collect, you first buy what overwhelms you. Then you learn to rise to its level. When the discovery process is over, collecting turns into a power game. It is time to move on."
When asked why he's decided to sell the collection, Feinsilber said "When you collect, you first buy what overwhelms you. Then you learn to rise to its level. When the discovery process is over, collecting turns into a power game. It is time to move on."
Some Publishers Find Upside to Google Books
Reuters reports that publishers are noticing an upswing in sales figures thanks to the controversial Google Book project. Oxford University Press online sales director Colleen Scollans says that sales increases have been "significant", and that "Google Book Search has helped us turn searchers into consumers." Springer has also reported increases in sales, while Penguin told Reuters they have "found greater success from other partnerships," citing Amazon's "Search Inside" program.
Of course, some publishers are still suing Google for their library digitization project.
Of course, some publishers are still suing Google for their library digitization project.
Book Review: "The Keep"
Jennifer Egan's The Keep is a very strange book. A story-within-a-story motif, with two narratives that find themselves clunkily connecting toward the end (shocking, isn't it?), this tries to be simultaneously a piece of gothic suspense and a prison tale. Neither end up working out very well. Reviews of this book have been incredibly disparate (with the exception of the mainstream reviewers, most of whom seemed quite pleased with it), and it's not hard to see why - some might enjoy this kind of funky-fiction. I do not. The non-use of quotation marks rankles from the outset, and the whole thing just seems like the half-worked product of a creative writing seminar.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Emory to Get Rushdie Papers
Author Salman Rushdie has agreed to join the faculty of Emory University as a writer-in-residence, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports, and as part of the deal, Rushdie's papers will be permanently housed at the University. "Rushdie's appointment and the addition of his works are a huge coup for Emory, which has intensely focused on building and broadening its literary collections in recent years."
"Rushdie's archives include his private journals detailing life under the fatwa - the edict that sentenced him to death - as well as personal correspondence, notebooks, photographs and manuscripts of all of his writings, the university said in a statement. Among the writings are two early unpublished novels."
Emory's president told the media that the Rushdie materials will begin arriving shortly and will be given priority in processing and cataloging to provide speedy public access.
"Rushdie's archives include his private journals detailing life under the fatwa - the edict that sentenced him to death - as well as personal correspondence, notebooks, photographs and manuscripts of all of his writings, the university said in a statement. Among the writings are two early unpublished novels."
Emory's president told the media that the Rushdie materials will begin arriving shortly and will be given priority in processing and cataloging to provide speedy public access.
Audubon Exhibit in Texas
The Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth is currently staging "Audubon's Passion," an exhibit featuring an early set of the Birds of America (that sent by Audubon to Charles Lucien Bonaparte), as well as the library's first American edition of the Birds. The exhibit, which runs through January 7, is free and open to the public. The linked article contains a decent short biography of Audubon.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Book Review: "A Commonwealth of Thieves"
The prolific Thomas Keneally (of Schindler's List and The Great Shame fame) offers as his latest book A Commonwealth of Thieves: The Improbable Birth of Australia, destined to join Robert Hughes' authoritative The Fatal Shore as an excellent account of the first years of the penal settlements in New South Wales.
Keneally's style is readable and interesting, and he does an excellent job of portraying the colonization of Australia by the English in the 1780s. Varying his perspective between the convict-settlers, the British officials, sailors, soldiers and civil officers, and the native Australians who met the boats on the beaches, Keneally has drawn expertly on the available primary sources in weaving this narrative of early Sydney and its environs.
Arthur Phillip, the first governor of New South Wales, comes off well in this treatment: his pragmatic-but-necessarily-authoritarian style and generally unconfrontational approach to provocations from all corners make him seem genuinely unflappable. While as Keneally notes Phillip and his companions suffered from a severely stunted view of native Australian culture and customs, things during the early years could certainly have gotten much worse (as they would in the future, of course).
Keneally delves deeply into the lives of some of the more intriguing convict-settlers, and outlines well how the system functioned under Phillip's steady hand (with the notable exception of ongoing supply shortages). His excellent epilogue is not to be missed, as it extends the narrative a generation or so into the future. Not being particularly well-versed in Australian history going into this work, I learned a great deal, and recommend it without reservation to anyone who enjoys a good romp through a fascinating historical period.
Keneally's style is readable and interesting, and he does an excellent job of portraying the colonization of Australia by the English in the 1780s. Varying his perspective between the convict-settlers, the British officials, sailors, soldiers and civil officers, and the native Australians who met the boats on the beaches, Keneally has drawn expertly on the available primary sources in weaving this narrative of early Sydney and its environs.
Arthur Phillip, the first governor of New South Wales, comes off well in this treatment: his pragmatic-but-necessarily-authoritarian style and generally unconfrontational approach to provocations from all corners make him seem genuinely unflappable. While as Keneally notes Phillip and his companions suffered from a severely stunted view of native Australian culture and customs, things during the early years could certainly have gotten much worse (as they would in the future, of course).
Keneally delves deeply into the lives of some of the more intriguing convict-settlers, and outlines well how the system functioned under Phillip's steady hand (with the notable exception of ongoing supply shortages). His excellent epilogue is not to be missed, as it extends the narrative a generation or so into the future. Not being particularly well-versed in Australian history going into this work, I learned a great deal, and recommend it without reservation to anyone who enjoys a good romp through a fascinating historical period.
The Lost Frost Poem
In a news release, the University of Virginia highlights the colloborative efforts of a university graduate student, the archives, and the in-house Virginia Quarterly Review: "the discovery and its publication highlighted what can happen when forces around the University come together."
Ed has had some great posts on the new Frost poem at Bibliothecary as well.
Ed has had some great posts on the new Frost poem at Bibliothecary as well.
BPL Lacks Conservation Funds
The Boston Globe reports today on the "book hospital" at the Boston Public Library, where candidates for conservation and preservation work wait their turn. Due to a flat conservation budget line and a minimal conservation staff, books which need significant TLC are forced to languish in limbo.
The article includes a quote from historian David McCullough, who headlined a fundraiser for the preservation endowment last month and said of the necessary efforts "These books are a national treasure, which we of the Boston community are duty-bound to preserve. Yes, it will be very expensive to do that, but it's a fraction of what those treasures are worth. If we were the custodians of a great painting or an important building, or of the original text of a great dramatist's masterpiece, we would, of course, save them."
You can find out more about the David McCullough Conservation Fund or make a donation here.
The article includes a quote from historian David McCullough, who headlined a fundraiser for the preservation endowment last month and said of the necessary efforts "These books are a national treasure, which we of the Boston community are duty-bound to preserve. Yes, it will be very expensive to do that, but it's a fraction of what those treasures are worth. If we were the custodians of a great painting or an important building, or of the original text of a great dramatist's masterpiece, we would, of course, save them."
You can find out more about the David McCullough Conservation Fund or make a donation here.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Courant Editorial Bashes Smiley Sentence
The Hartford Courant's editorial board comes out swinging today at the 42-month federal sentence meted out to map thief E. Forbes Smiley last week:
"Let's get this straight: E. Forbes Smiley III was caught stealing nearly 100 rare maps from some of the world's finest libraries and selling them for personal profit, and yet was given a substantial reduction in his jail sentence because he helped recover the loot. Where is the justice in that?
Should a judge forgive a car thief because he returned the vehicle? Should a mass murderer get a lighter sentence because he led police to more bodies? To imply that Mr. Smiley's cooperation is somehow ennobling is an affront to his victims, and they include all who value history and view its irreplaceable artifacts as sacrosanct.
... Judge Arterton, in meting out a lighter sentence at the reported request of the government, used odd logic in giving the thief a break. She justified Mr. Smiley's reduced jail time by noting it is roughly equivalent to the time it took him to commit the thefts. By that rationale, an assassin who kills by gunshot would serve just seconds for the crime."
"Let's get this straight: E. Forbes Smiley III was caught stealing nearly 100 rare maps from some of the world's finest libraries and selling them for personal profit, and yet was given a substantial reduction in his jail sentence because he helped recover the loot. Where is the justice in that?
Should a judge forgive a car thief because he returned the vehicle? Should a mass murderer get a lighter sentence because he led police to more bodies? To imply that Mr. Smiley's cooperation is somehow ennobling is an affront to his victims, and they include all who value history and view its irreplaceable artifacts as sacrosanct.
... Judge Arterton, in meting out a lighter sentence at the reported request of the government, used odd logic in giving the thief a break. She justified Mr. Smiley's reduced jail time by noting it is roughly equivalent to the time it took him to commit the thefts. By that rationale, an assassin who kills by gunshot would serve just seconds for the crime."
New Rare Book Facility at PA State Library
The Pennsylvania State Library has completed a five-year, $6.6 million construction project to create a facility for the library's rare book collections. "The new facility is able to preserve the historic collections through state-of-the-art environmental control systems. Temperature and humidity are regulated specific to vault locations, while the materials are protected from harmful air matter and gases by specially-designed filtration systems. The collection is also protected by special computer-controlled fire detection and suppression systems."
More than ten thousand volumes of books and periodicals make up the State Library's collection; many of the items focus on Pennsylvania history and government.
More than ten thousand volumes of books and periodicals make up the State Library's collection; many of the items focus on Pennsylvania history and government.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Some Good Links
- Ed over at Bibliothecary has been writing a few book reviews, and also has some excellent links to writers writing about writing.
- The Globe's BookBlog notes a report that some 98-99% of all books published are now out of print, including some by such noted authors as Roald Dahl, H.G. Wells and Gore Vidal.
- GalleyCat asks if there are way too many "great books" (by which they apparently mean books that will sell oodles of copies) coming out this fall, noting current or upcoming releases from everyone: Stephen King, Grisham, Steele, Crichton, Atwood, Allende, Frazier, Woodward, Vidal, Gaiman ... their list goes on. The one they mention that I hadn't known about (and will read) is the short-story collection coming from Susanna Clarke, of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell fame.
- "Scoop" News (NZ) runs a review of Donald Jackson Karr's new book, Amassing Treasures for All TImes: Sir George Grey, Colonial Bookman and Collector.
- The Globe's BookBlog notes a report that some 98-99% of all books published are now out of print, including some by such noted authors as Roald Dahl, H.G. Wells and Gore Vidal.
- GalleyCat asks if there are way too many "great books" (by which they apparently mean books that will sell oodles of copies) coming out this fall, noting current or upcoming releases from everyone: Stephen King, Grisham, Steele, Crichton, Atwood, Allende, Frazier, Woodward, Vidal, Gaiman ... their list goes on. The one they mention that I hadn't known about (and will read) is the short-story collection coming from Susanna Clarke, of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell fame.
- "Scoop" News (NZ) runs a review of Donald Jackson Karr's new book, Amassing Treasures for All TImes: Sir George Grey, Colonial Bookman and Collector.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
From the Devil's Dictionary
I picked up a copy of Ambrose Bierce's The Devil's Dictionary a couple weeks ago, and thought I might throw out just a few randomly selected definitions as a good way to wile away a very rainy Sunday afternoon:
- Resolute, adj. Obstinate in a course that we approve.
- Day, n. A period of twenty-four hours, mostly misspent. This period is divided into two parts, the day proper and the night, or day improper - the former devoted to sins of business, the latter consecrated to the other sort. These two kinds of social activity overlap.
- Harangue, n. A speech by an opponent, who is known as an harangue-outang.
- Once, adv. Enough.
- Monday, n. In Christian countries, the day after the baseball game.
- Famous, adj. Conspicuously miserable.
- Resolute, adj. Obstinate in a course that we approve.
- Day, n. A period of twenty-four hours, mostly misspent. This period is divided into two parts, the day proper and the night, or day improper - the former devoted to sins of business, the latter consecrated to the other sort. These two kinds of social activity overlap.
- Harangue, n. A speech by an opponent, who is known as an harangue-outang.
- Once, adv. Enough.
- Monday, n. In Christian countries, the day after the baseball game.
- Famous, adj. Conspicuously miserable.
Book Review: "The Thirteenth Tale"
I'm always suspicious of books like Diane Setterfield's The Thirteenth Tale, which has rocketed to the top of the bestseller lists and is getting significant "buzz" around the BookWorld water cooler. But, Borders sucked me in with a good discount, so I picked up a copy on Friday to see what all the fuss is about. I read the book in a single sitting last night.
First of all, I must warn you not to be fooled by the jacket-synopsis, which makes the novel sound like utter treacle. After reading it I almost didn't buy the book, but I'm glad I did in the end. Setterfield has woven a fascinating tale of intertwined lives and bizarre-yet-believable characters, complemented by a well-paced narrative and some fascinating puzzles.
The Thirteenth Tale is infused with books: the narrator was raised in her father's rare book shop, and her mysterious biographical subject is not only an author but also has a fabulous library of her own. The references to and echoes of Charles Dickens, the Bronte sisters, Wilkie Collins and Henry James are carefully placed and not overcooked as so often happens in writing like this. Anyone who enjoys books and reading them will find something to like here. Admittedly, he narrator and I come down firmly on different sides of the white-gloves controversy, but I suppose I won't hold that against her.
I won't rehash the plot-lines of Setterfield's book, but will just say that I highly recommend it. It doesn't break the mold or change the face of literature forever, but it is a fine read indeed.
First of all, I must warn you not to be fooled by the jacket-synopsis, which makes the novel sound like utter treacle. After reading it I almost didn't buy the book, but I'm glad I did in the end. Setterfield has woven a fascinating tale of intertwined lives and bizarre-yet-believable characters, complemented by a well-paced narrative and some fascinating puzzles.
The Thirteenth Tale is infused with books: the narrator was raised in her father's rare book shop, and her mysterious biographical subject is not only an author but also has a fabulous library of her own. The references to and echoes of Charles Dickens, the Bronte sisters, Wilkie Collins and Henry James are carefully placed and not overcooked as so often happens in writing like this. Anyone who enjoys books and reading them will find something to like here. Admittedly, he narrator and I come down firmly on different sides of the white-gloves controversy, but I suppose I won't hold that against her.
I won't rehash the plot-lines of Setterfield's book, but will just say that I highly recommend it. It doesn't break the mold or change the face of literature forever, but it is a fine read indeed.
New Edition of Ptolemy
A Swiss research team has produced the first modern edition of Ptolemy's Geography, using a copy from Istanbul's Topkapi Museum and other versions of the book from the Vatican, Venice, Florence, and Paris. The new edition is also the first full German translation of the book, which was originally written in the first century CE (and which shows the world to be round).
"The book begins with an introduction to the science of mapmaking, including the problem of how to project a curved surface onto a plane.
It then presents a catalogue of names with the coordinates (longitude and latitude) of some 6,000 places, which Ptolemy drew up using information gathered from sailors, merchants and the Roman military archives. In Switzerland the list includes the names of the important Roman towns now known as Avenches, Nyon and Martigny.
The last section of the book contains a map of the world, drawn according to Ptolemy's instructions, stretching from the Canaries to eastern China, and from just south of the equator to southern Scandinavia. This is supplemented by 26 country maps."
Ptolemy's work made its way to Europe in the 14th century, and it was influential in changing the flat-earth worldview in the pre-Columbus period. This is the first complete Greek text of the Geography printed since 1840, and the researchers have used the oldest known copies in order to remove some of the errors that have found their way into the text over the centuries.
The book, Klaudios Ptolemaios Handbuch der Geographie, is published by Schwabe AG of Basel in two volumes with a CD-ROM (ISBN 3-7965-2148-7; SFr250/€170/$220).
(h/t Bibliophile Bullpen)
"The book begins with an introduction to the science of mapmaking, including the problem of how to project a curved surface onto a plane.
It then presents a catalogue of names with the coordinates (longitude and latitude) of some 6,000 places, which Ptolemy drew up using information gathered from sailors, merchants and the Roman military archives. In Switzerland the list includes the names of the important Roman towns now known as Avenches, Nyon and Martigny.
The last section of the book contains a map of the world, drawn according to Ptolemy's instructions, stretching from the Canaries to eastern China, and from just south of the equator to southern Scandinavia. This is supplemented by 26 country maps."
Ptolemy's work made its way to Europe in the 14th century, and it was influential in changing the flat-earth worldview in the pre-Columbus period. This is the first complete Greek text of the Geography printed since 1840, and the researchers have used the oldest known copies in order to remove some of the errors that have found their way into the text over the centuries.
The book, Klaudios Ptolemaios Handbuch der Geographie, is published by Schwabe AG of Basel in two volumes with a CD-ROM (ISBN 3-7965-2148-7; SFr250/€170/$220).
(h/t Bibliophile Bullpen)
Friday, September 29, 2006
New Issue of "The Avid Collector"
Abebooks just sent out the fall issue of its "Avid Collector" newsletter, which features "the toughest question in the book collecting world", a very interesting interview with dealer Priscilla Juvelis, some more questions and answers from booksellers, and profiles of two LibraryThing/Abebooks users (one of whom happens to be yours truly). And more! So check it out, and if you're not already an Avid Collector subscriber, you can sign up here.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Brits Hopping Mad at Smiley Sentence
The Times reports that British Library officials are displeased with the 42-month/$1.9 million fine sentenced slapped on E. Forbes Smiley. Scholarship and collections director Clive Field told the paper "In the library’s view, a term of imprisonment of 42 months - equivalent to around 12 days for each of the 98 maps Smiley admitted to stealing - and financial restitution of £1 million, do not adequately reflect the seriousness of the offences. Nor do they represent a commensurate punishment of Smiley for his serial thefts, or a serious deterrent to other would-be thieves of cultural property. It will go down in criminal and library history as one of the largest, most prolonged, premeditated and systematic of all thefts from libraries, and with no mitigating circumstances."
Can't help but agree.
Can't help but agree.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Smiley Gets 42 Months in Federal Sentence
In today's federal sentencing hearing, map thief E. Forbes Smiley was handed a prison term of 42 months, according to the Hartford Courant. "U.S. District Judge Janet Arterton said she wanted to send a message to deter other would-be art and book thieves. The judge also ordered Smiley to pay $1.9 million to the map dealers and collectors who unwittingly bought the stolen goods." A report in the Boston Globe suggests that the $1.9 million figure may be subject to change.
Smiley spoke briefly during today's court appearance, saying in part "Your honor, I have hurt many people. I stole very valuable research materials from institutions that made it their business to provide those materials to the public for valuable research. I am deeply ashamed of having done that. I cannot imagine the pain and the anger that I made them suffer."
Federal sentencing guidelines had indicated that Smiley's sentence should have numbered from 57 and 71 months, so the judge's ruling dipped well below the minimum there. That's unfortunate.
Smiley spoke briefly during today's court appearance, saying in part "Your honor, I have hurt many people. I stole very valuable research materials from institutions that made it their business to provide those materials to the public for valuable research. I am deeply ashamed of having done that. I cannot imagine the pain and the anger that I made them suffer."
Federal sentencing guidelines had indicated that Smiley's sentence should have numbered from 57 and 71 months, so the judge's ruling dipped well below the minimum there. That's unfortunate.
Book Review: "Dr. Johnson & Mr. Savage"
Dr. Johnson & Mr. Savage is what might be referred to as a microbiography: author Richard Holmes offers full portraits of neither title character, but rather an examination of the short period when the lives of Samuel Johnson - lexicographer, author, poet, and biographical subject extraordinaire - and Richard Savage - poet, rogue, and murderer - converged for a time. Savage, Johnson's first biographical subject himself, made Johnson's acquaintance soon after that young provincial arrived in London, and their companionship lasted for just about two years, until Savage departed for "retirement" in Wales.
Holmes has little to go on: while it's known that Johnson and Savage knew each other, "there are no authenticated letters between the two men, no mention of each other in private journals, not even a single surviving account from an eyewitness of seeing the two men in each other's company." And yet he's done quite a lot with what few scraps of evidence that do exist, creating an interesting web of narrative around a skeleton of knowable facts. While I am afraid that his speculatory meanderings (particularly in the realm of psychology) get the better of him at times (I felt the same about Greenblatt's recent biography of Shakespeare), Holmes generally at least informs the reader of his upcoming leaps, which is comforting if not exculpatory.
As the author notes, the Johnson we meet cavorting with Savage is not the frumpy but majestic old fellow that Boswell has left us, but a young, desperate man out to make his way in the world, captivated by this strange, conflicted, down-and-out poet. It's another side to Johnson that is interesting to find, even within Holmes' imperfect framework.
Holmes has little to go on: while it's known that Johnson and Savage knew each other, "there are no authenticated letters between the two men, no mention of each other in private journals, not even a single surviving account from an eyewitness of seeing the two men in each other's company." And yet he's done quite a lot with what few scraps of evidence that do exist, creating an interesting web of narrative around a skeleton of knowable facts. While I am afraid that his speculatory meanderings (particularly in the realm of psychology) get the better of him at times (I felt the same about Greenblatt's recent biography of Shakespeare), Holmes generally at least informs the reader of his upcoming leaps, which is comforting if not exculpatory.
As the author notes, the Johnson we meet cavorting with Savage is not the frumpy but majestic old fellow that Boswell has left us, but a young, desperate man out to make his way in the world, captivated by this strange, conflicted, down-and-out poet. It's another side to Johnson that is interesting to find, even within Holmes' imperfect framework.
Banned Books Week
I almost forgot! It's the 25th annual Banned Books Week. The ALA site has lots of goodies, including a history of banned books and challenges, statistics on banned books, and all sorts of kitsch for sale. They note in a press release that the Harry Potter series tops the list of "most-challenged books in the 21st century."
Google has set up an "Explore Banned Books" page, where you can check out forty-two oft-banned titles via GoogleReader.
And over at LibraryThing, they're running a "Banned Books Bookpile" photo contest.
After you've checked out all those links, go celebrate your freedom to read.
Google has set up an "Explore Banned Books" page, where you can check out forty-two oft-banned titles via GoogleReader.
And over at LibraryThing, they're running a "Banned Books Bookpile" photo contest.
After you've checked out all those links, go celebrate your freedom to read.
Smiley's Day in Court (1 of 2)
Map thief E. Forbes Smiley's federal sentencing is scheduled for today, and the Bangor News has a good pre-sentencing wrapup of the case. I'll have information on the sentence up as soon as I get it. His state sentencing date is now October 13.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Book Review: "Patriotic Treason"
John Brown must be a tricky subject for any biographer. In Patriotic Treason: John Brown and the Soul of America, Evan Carton (professor of English and director of the Humanities Institute at the University of Texas at Austin) has created a visionary Brown, whose "'madness' and 'treason' remain necessary" even today. Because Brown's "vision" was rooted in what Carton sees (and Brown saw) as the lessons of Scripture (do unto others as you would have them do unto you) and the Declaration of Independence (all men are created equal), Carton excuses his attack on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry and his calls for a violent slave as the actions of a man ahead of his time, seeking to fulfill American ideals of social justice and equality that remain elusive to this day.
In his afterword, Carton writes that many people with whom he had casual conversations in the course of writing this book believed Brown was black, and that many others thought he was crazy ("mentally unbalanced, a religious fanatic, a violent sociopath, or all three"). He takes previous biographers to task for their judgements of Brown, and adds "The historical misconception of Brown as a madman and the popular misconception of him as a black man, proceed from a common source: the stunted moral imagination and the incomplete embrace of democratic principles of the society that shapes the conventional assumptions of its historians and its ordinary citizens alike."
Well, I can't speak for the people who thought Brown was black, but as for the conclusion that he was more than a little bit off his rocker in one way or the other, that's frankly hard to escape. Brown refused to listen to wise counsel from, well, just about everyone that his foolhardy raid on Harpers Ferry was sure to be a disaster. He drew up a bizarre "Provisional Constitution and Ordinance for the People of the United States", which he intended to promulgate after his show of force. His religious fundamentalism and marytr complex are well known and documented, even by Carton. Sure, with the benefit of hindsight and our twenty-first century ideas, Brown's actions can seem less fanatical (or rather, more justifiable, perhaps) than they were in 1859 ... but I am hard pressed to think that we today would view a similar action in a positive light (in fact, such an action today would almost certainly be considered terrorism, whatever its object).
For its flawed interpretation, Carton's book is still a fairly good outline of Brown's life, particularly for the Bloody Kansas period. I would have liked more on the Harpers Ferry conspiracy, particularly on the involvement of key Northern abolitionist figures, but on the whole the biographical work was well done (aside from Carton's habit of adding dialogue and sketching in unknown details, which I found unnecessary). Of course, the perennial footnote problem was present here; while some quotes were sourced, they were not indicated in the text.
This new account of John Brown's life and activities, while interesting and an intriguing read, was just a bit too admiring for my taste.
In his afterword, Carton writes that many people with whom he had casual conversations in the course of writing this book believed Brown was black, and that many others thought he was crazy ("mentally unbalanced, a religious fanatic, a violent sociopath, or all three"). He takes previous biographers to task for their judgements of Brown, and adds "The historical misconception of Brown as a madman and the popular misconception of him as a black man, proceed from a common source: the stunted moral imagination and the incomplete embrace of democratic principles of the society that shapes the conventional assumptions of its historians and its ordinary citizens alike."
Well, I can't speak for the people who thought Brown was black, but as for the conclusion that he was more than a little bit off his rocker in one way or the other, that's frankly hard to escape. Brown refused to listen to wise counsel from, well, just about everyone that his foolhardy raid on Harpers Ferry was sure to be a disaster. He drew up a bizarre "Provisional Constitution and Ordinance for the People of the United States", which he intended to promulgate after his show of force. His religious fundamentalism and marytr complex are well known and documented, even by Carton. Sure, with the benefit of hindsight and our twenty-first century ideas, Brown's actions can seem less fanatical (or rather, more justifiable, perhaps) than they were in 1859 ... but I am hard pressed to think that we today would view a similar action in a positive light (in fact, such an action today would almost certainly be considered terrorism, whatever its object).
For its flawed interpretation, Carton's book is still a fairly good outline of Brown's life, particularly for the Bloody Kansas period. I would have liked more on the Harpers Ferry conspiracy, particularly on the involvement of key Northern abolitionist figures, but on the whole the biographical work was well done (aside from Carton's habit of adding dialogue and sketching in unknown details, which I found unnecessary). Of course, the perennial footnote problem was present here; while some quotes were sourced, they were not indicated in the text.
This new account of John Brown's life and activities, while interesting and an intriguing read, was just a bit too admiring for my taste.
Making BI Interesting at Williams
Instructing first-year college students on the resources their library offers is one of the toughest jobs college librarians face - tough in that the students think they don't need it, while the librarians know they do. At Williams College this year (as last), the library staff got creative, and it seems to have paid off. Well done!
Monday, September 25, 2006
An Ode to the Secondhand Book
Columnist Karen Turner has some thoughts on the used-book climate in Montpelior, Vermont ... and on one special book she found there. Well worth a read. (h/t Bibliophile Bullpen)
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Early Carolina Documents Discovered
The Scotsman reports that several important documents pertaining to the early history of the Carolina colonies have been found in the archives at Aberdeen University, Scotland. The papers, which include the first known map of Charles Towne (first permanent English settlement in what would become the Carolinas), were among a collection belonging to James Fraser, who tutored one of Charles II's illegitimate sons in the 1660s.
Fraser's cousin Jean Boyd sent along the manuscript description of Charles Towne after a visit there; the document is believed to date from about 1691, twenty years or so after the establishment of the settlement.
"It includes a description of Native Americans, plants, wildlife, the price of goods and the local cuisine. The map shows a handful of streets, two forts and houses scattered in the woods.
Historians spent months translating the French script, which describes the rivers being full of fish, with birds, including pelicans and kingfishers. The creeks, he says, are full of crocodiles, some 22ft long.
He also recounts trade with Native Americans involving swapping skins of bears, racoons, otters and foxes for guns, lead and gunpowder, knives, rum and tobacco."
A fascinating find!
Fraser's cousin Jean Boyd sent along the manuscript description of Charles Towne after a visit there; the document is believed to date from about 1691, twenty years or so after the establishment of the settlement.
"It includes a description of Native Americans, plants, wildlife, the price of goods and the local cuisine. The map shows a handful of streets, two forts and houses scattered in the woods.
Historians spent months translating the French script, which describes the rivers being full of fish, with birds, including pelicans and kingfishers. The creeks, he says, are full of crocodiles, some 22ft long.
He also recounts trade with Native Americans involving swapping skins of bears, racoons, otters and foxes for guns, lead and gunpowder, knives, rum and tobacco."
A fascinating find!
Friday, September 22, 2006
Government Makes Smiley Sentencing Recommendation
In court papers filed this week, federal prosecutors urged Judge Janet Arterton to sentence confessed map thief E. Forbes Smiley based on the standard sentencing guidelines. Smiley's attorney has urged a lighter sentence, while counsel for the victim libraries have called for a longer prison term. Under the guidelines, Smiley should be sentenced to jail for between 57 and 71 months, a pay a fine ranging between $10,000 and $100,000.
U.S. Attorney Kevin O'Connor's sentencing recommendation says in part "The government joins the victim institutions in condemning the defendant's reprehensible conduct in the theft of 98 antique maps, six of which will likely never be recovered and a number of the remaining maps altered from their original condition. The government also calls for punishment on behalf of the victim dealers who Smiley defrauded by selling them stolen maps and who have suffered severe financial and institutional harm."
O'Connor's pleading argues that while Smiley's cooperation should be taken into account, "that cooperation, along with a number of other grounds advanced by Mr. Reeve, was not enough to warrant a sentence more lenient than the guidelines." Like Reeve, however, O'Connor argues against the BL's memorandum in favor of a longer sentence than the guidelines provide.
Smiley's current federal sentencing date is Wednesday, September 27.
U.S. Attorney Kevin O'Connor's sentencing recommendation says in part "The government joins the victim institutions in condemning the defendant's reprehensible conduct in the theft of 98 antique maps, six of which will likely never be recovered and a number of the remaining maps altered from their original condition. The government also calls for punishment on behalf of the victim dealers who Smiley defrauded by selling them stolen maps and who have suffered severe financial and institutional harm."
O'Connor's pleading argues that while Smiley's cooperation should be taken into account, "that cooperation, along with a number of other grounds advanced by Mr. Reeve, was not enough to warrant a sentence more lenient than the guidelines." Like Reeve, however, O'Connor argues against the BL's memorandum in favor of a longer sentence than the guidelines provide.
Smiley's current federal sentencing date is Wednesday, September 27.
More on the Adams Marginalia Exhibit
The Boston Globe today runs a nice profile of the John Adams marginalia exhibit at the BPL, which I posted on earlier this month. I haven't gotten there yet, but I intend to go see the exhibit as soon as I can.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Book Review: "Financial Founding Fathers"
Economics professor Robert E. Wright and independent scholar David J. Cowen have teamed up to produce Financial Founding Fathers: The Men Who Made America Rich (just out from the University of Chicago Press). Loosely modeled on Joseph Ellis' Founding Brothers, Wright and Cowen's book is a collection of short biographical profiles which highlight nine men for their important roles in the formation of the American financial infrastructure during the first decades of the Republic.
Some of the subjects here are household names (Alexander Hamilton, Andrew Jackson); others aren't but probably should be (Albert Gallatin, Robert Morris). All were instrumental at their own times in getting America's economy through the Revolution, out of the post-Revolutionary doldrums and then on a firm footing through the first quarter of the nineteenth century. Wright and Cowen argue, successfully in my view, that Gallatin's decision to utilize Hamilton's system rather than dismantling it was an important (and wise) choice, and make the interesting argument that perhaps Jackson's decision to nix the renewal of the Second Bank is not as repugnant to Hamilton's vision as many have assumed.
I must quibble, as I often do, with the lack of proper references here; while each chapter gets a short bibliographical essay, there are no citations, and only "the most important, most available sources that aided our story" are mentioned at all. This is most unfortunate, particularly with a book like this which offers so many jumping-off points for additional scholarship.
One other thing really bothered me about this book, and that was the way the authors titled their chapters. Hamilton is "The Creator," Tench Coxe "The Judas," Gallatin "The Savior." Stephen Girard is canonised as "The Saint," Robert Morris slapped as the "Fallen Angel." In their introduction (unsurprisingly called "In the Beginning") Wright and Cowen note that they "have linked a 'religious' motif to each of our financial founding fathers. The motifs play homage to the very old notion that there might be a higher power at work guiding the nation and also clarify each character's role in our story." This contrivance is unnecessary and hokey; the book would have been better without it.
Nonetheless, a readable introduction to American economic history and some its greatest founding characters.
Some of the subjects here are household names (Alexander Hamilton, Andrew Jackson); others aren't but probably should be (Albert Gallatin, Robert Morris). All were instrumental at their own times in getting America's economy through the Revolution, out of the post-Revolutionary doldrums and then on a firm footing through the first quarter of the nineteenth century. Wright and Cowen argue, successfully in my view, that Gallatin's decision to utilize Hamilton's system rather than dismantling it was an important (and wise) choice, and make the interesting argument that perhaps Jackson's decision to nix the renewal of the Second Bank is not as repugnant to Hamilton's vision as many have assumed.
I must quibble, as I often do, with the lack of proper references here; while each chapter gets a short bibliographical essay, there are no citations, and only "the most important, most available sources that aided our story" are mentioned at all. This is most unfortunate, particularly with a book like this which offers so many jumping-off points for additional scholarship.
One other thing really bothered me about this book, and that was the way the authors titled their chapters. Hamilton is "The Creator," Tench Coxe "The Judas," Gallatin "The Savior." Stephen Girard is canonised as "The Saint," Robert Morris slapped as the "Fallen Angel." In their introduction (unsurprisingly called "In the Beginning") Wright and Cowen note that they "have linked a 'religious' motif to each of our financial founding fathers. The motifs play homage to the very old notion that there might be a higher power at work guiding the nation and also clarify each character's role in our story." This contrivance is unnecessary and hokey; the book would have been better without it.
Nonetheless, a readable introduction to American economic history and some its greatest founding characters.
Colgate University's Special Collections Profiled
The Oneida Daily Dispatch has an interesting look at Colgate University's Special Collections department, highlighting their Shakespeare First Folio which will go on display next year for the first time in recent memory. The copy was donated to the library by a member of the Colgate family in 1942, and was purchased at auction a few years earlier for $7,500 (remember, the Williams copy sold at Sotheby's in July for nearly $5.2 million).
After discussing the Colgate First Folio, the article recounts some of the most interesting First Folio anecdotes and stories, including the theft of the Bishop Cosin Library (Durham University) copy in 1998 and the loss of the Griswold copy with the sinking of the Arctic in 1854. It also discusses the locations of many of the c. 147 extant copies.
After discussing the Colgate First Folio, the article recounts some of the most interesting First Folio anecdotes and stories, including the theft of the Bishop Cosin Library (Durham University) copy in 1998 and the loss of the Griswold copy with the sinking of the Arctic in 1854. It also discusses the locations of many of the c. 147 extant copies.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
New Tolkien Book in April
You've probably all read about this already, but since I forgot to blog it yesterday, Houghton Mifflin announced this week that they'll be the American publisher for a new JRR Tolkien epic, The Children of Húrin, to be released in April of 2007. The work, which Tolkien never completed, was written on and off from 1918 through the author's death in 1973.
Tolkien's son Christopher has "reconstructed and edited" the manuscripts into a coherent product, saying "It has seemed to me for a long time that there was a good case for presenting my father's long version of the legend of the Children of Hurin as an independent work, between its own covers, with a minimum of editorial presence, and above all in continuous narrative without gaps or interruptions, if this could be done without distortion or invention, despite the unfinished state in which he left some parts of it."
The Children of Húrin "has been referred to and extracted in other Tolkien work," and reportedly has characters and themes similar to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
More from GalleyCat, NYT
Tolkien's son Christopher has "reconstructed and edited" the manuscripts into a coherent product, saying "It has seemed to me for a long time that there was a good case for presenting my father's long version of the legend of the Children of Hurin as an independent work, between its own covers, with a minimum of editorial presence, and above all in continuous narrative without gaps or interruptions, if this could be done without distortion or invention, despite the unfinished state in which he left some parts of it."
The Children of Húrin "has been referred to and extracted in other Tolkien work," and reportedly has characters and themes similar to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
More from GalleyCat, NYT
Smiley Requests Leniency; Sentencing Postponed
The Yale Daily News reports that E. Forbes Smiley's sentencing on state charges in the map thefts case has been postponed until October 13. "Officials from the New Haven Superior Court Clerk's Office said they were not aware of the reason for the delay." His federal sentencing date is currently scheduled for September 27.
In other news, Smiley has requested leniency in sentencing on the heels of a British Library request for a longer prison sentence than prosecutors have agreed to accept. Kim Martineau of the Hartford Courant writes that Smiley's attorney "argued in legal papers Tuesday that the judge should take into account his broad cooperation and years of volunteer work at soup kitchens and homeless shelters. He asked US District Judge Janet Arterton for no more than three years in prison at his sentencing next week."
Meanwhile, Smiley has - within the last few weeks - miraculously "remembered" two more maps that he stole, "throw[ing] fuel on the libraries' fears that he has more secrets to share." I'll say it certainly does that!
Robert Goldman, representing the BL, said of Smiley's argument that his cooperation should be taken into account "It's like asking us to thank the murderer who dismembered the body then returned the body parts."
In other news, Smiley has requested leniency in sentencing on the heels of a British Library request for a longer prison sentence than prosecutors have agreed to accept. Kim Martineau of the Hartford Courant writes that Smiley's attorney "argued in legal papers Tuesday that the judge should take into account his broad cooperation and years of volunteer work at soup kitchens and homeless shelters. He asked US District Judge Janet Arterton for no more than three years in prison at his sentencing next week."
Meanwhile, Smiley has - within the last few weeks - miraculously "remembered" two more maps that he stole, "throw[ing] fuel on the libraries' fears that he has more secrets to share." I'll say it certainly does that!
Robert Goldman, representing the BL, said of Smiley's argument that his cooperation should be taken into account "It's like asking us to thank the murderer who dismembered the body then returned the body parts."
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Another Massive-Scale Library Thief
A 22-year old student library assistant at Texas Tech has been indicted for the theft of more than $75,000 worth of library books which he sold to an online textbook buyer, the AP reports, drawing on an earlier article in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (h/t Vic at Tavistock Books). Johnathan Nunley used a late-night circ desk shift to pilfer more than 1,000 newly-arrived library items and arranged to ship them to McKenzie Books (cash4books.net).
Nunley removed pages from the books which contained library identification marks, and tried to hide other identifiers using magic marker. He had received almost $15,000 for those books that he stole-and-sold.
The indictment, handed down late last month, was on a third degree felony theft charge, which can carry a term of up to ten years in prison.
Texas Tech plans to change its student employment policy in the wake of the Nunley thefts, and may implement video surveillance of the circulation area.
For shame, for shame. I hope he gets the full ten years, and I hope that as with the Smiley thefts and others, libraries realize that they must become both more vigilant and more diligent about training their staff members as to the mission of the library (Miles Harvey's The Island of Lost Maps should be required reading, I think). Also, I must reserve some blame for the bookseller, who ought to have noticed Nunley's obscuring tactics long before a thousand books had come their way.
Nunley removed pages from the books which contained library identification marks, and tried to hide other identifiers using magic marker. He had received almost $15,000 for those books that he stole-and-sold.
The indictment, handed down late last month, was on a third degree felony theft charge, which can carry a term of up to ten years in prison.
Texas Tech plans to change its student employment policy in the wake of the Nunley thefts, and may implement video surveillance of the circulation area.
For shame, for shame. I hope he gets the full ten years, and I hope that as with the Smiley thefts and others, libraries realize that they must become both more vigilant and more diligent about training their staff members as to the mission of the library (Miles Harvey's The Island of Lost Maps should be required reading, I think). Also, I must reserve some blame for the bookseller, who ought to have noticed Nunley's obscuring tactics long before a thousand books had come their way.
Monday, September 18, 2006
Book Review: "Banvard's Folly"
Paul Collins (of Weekend Stubble blog-fame) offers up quite a fantastic cast of forgotten characters in his 2001 book Banvard's Folly: Thirteen Tales of Renowned Obscurity, Famous Anonymity, and Rotten Luck. Collins writes in the preface that he grew curious about all the "other" people that one finds mentioned in historical documents - not the ones we know, but those we've never heard of: "... buried in these footnotes of history are brilliant, fatally flawed thinkers who rose to dizzying heights of intellect and even fame, only to come crashing down into disaster, ridicule, or just the utter silence of oblivion."
From George Psalmanazar, an eighteenth-century Dutch huckster who pretended to be from Formosa and fooled most of London for a few years (and even wrote a lengthy history of the island made up of complete nonsense) to Concord grape developer Ephriam Wales Bull and Civil War veteran A.J. Pleasonton - who was convinced that sitting under blue glass would cure what ails you - and beyond, Collins' subjects never fail to amuse, intrigue, and tickle the curiosity. As a source of short character sketches of these folks, it seems unlikely that Banvard's Folly will be surpassed anytime soon.
While there were a couple of minor errors in the book (Edgar Allan Poe's death was not caused by rabies - even if that theory has come into popularity recently - and Jefferson was not inaugurated in 1806), Collins has done his research well, and it shows. I don't hesitate at all in recommending this book; it's well worth a read.
From George Psalmanazar, an eighteenth-century Dutch huckster who pretended to be from Formosa and fooled most of London for a few years (and even wrote a lengthy history of the island made up of complete nonsense) to Concord grape developer Ephriam Wales Bull and Civil War veteran A.J. Pleasonton - who was convinced that sitting under blue glass would cure what ails you - and beyond, Collins' subjects never fail to amuse, intrigue, and tickle the curiosity. As a source of short character sketches of these folks, it seems unlikely that Banvard's Folly will be surpassed anytime soon.
While there were a couple of minor errors in the book (Edgar Allan Poe's death was not caused by rabies - even if that theory has come into popularity recently - and Jefferson was not inaugurated in 1806), Collins has done his research well, and it shows. I don't hesitate at all in recommending this book; it's well worth a read.
Maryland's "Birds of America" Prints Conserved
As part of a larger preservation project, the Birds of America prints belonging to the Maryland State Law Library have recently undergone conservation treatment, the Baltimore Sun reports. The overall project ran to $854,000, of which $300,000 was used for Audubon's birds. Other aspects included an "overhaul of the rare book room and the addition of a new display case, which are to be unveiled midweek."
The work on the library's prints was done at the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts in Philadelphia, with the last batch of birds due to be returned to the library by the end of the year. This set, according to conservators, had "a hard life" - the prints were glued to fabric, severely trimmed for rebinding in 1921 (which included cutting off the names at the bottom of the prints). "Fingerprints, smudges, wrinkles, blotches, rubbed-off color, tears, even drips from beverages marred the pages." Yikes!
"Conservation efforts began with unbinding the prints from four books. It included cleaning pages with specialized solutions, bleaching the stains, flattening the paper, mending tears, painting the cracks and placing the prints in thick mats. Discolorations and creases remain, but they are less noticeable than before." A new display case will highlight two prints at a time, to be rotated each week.
During the conservation, five of the 435 plates were found to be missing, their fate unknown.
The article adds that the first librarian at the library (which was formed originally as "a repository for official, valuable and reference material for Maryland"), David Ridgely, subscribed to Audubon's work as it was being released. The total cost of the set then would have been around $1,000.
According to the paper, the first two birds to be displayed in the new cases will be of special significance to Maryland: the Baltimore oriole and the raven.
The work on the library's prints was done at the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts in Philadelphia, with the last batch of birds due to be returned to the library by the end of the year. This set, according to conservators, had "a hard life" - the prints were glued to fabric, severely trimmed for rebinding in 1921 (which included cutting off the names at the bottom of the prints). "Fingerprints, smudges, wrinkles, blotches, rubbed-off color, tears, even drips from beverages marred the pages." Yikes!
"Conservation efforts began with unbinding the prints from four books. It included cleaning pages with specialized solutions, bleaching the stains, flattening the paper, mending tears, painting the cracks and placing the prints in thick mats. Discolorations and creases remain, but they are less noticeable than before." A new display case will highlight two prints at a time, to be rotated each week.
During the conservation, five of the 435 plates were found to be missing, their fate unknown.
The article adds that the first librarian at the library (which was formed originally as "a repository for official, valuable and reference material for Maryland"), David Ridgely, subscribed to Audubon's work as it was being released. The total cost of the set then would have been around $1,000.
According to the paper, the first two birds to be displayed in the new cases will be of special significance to Maryland: the Baltimore oriole and the raven.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
To Talk of Many Things
A few short pointers to exciting news and posts from around the book-world:
- The Independent reports that, eh, similarities have been discovered between some lyrics on Bob Dylan's new album and the writings of little-known Confederate poet Henry Timrod. Timrod biographer Walter Cisco says "It's amazing. There is no question that is where it came from. It's too much to be a coincidence. I'm just delighted that Timrod is getting some recognition." Scott Warmuth, a DJ from New Mexico, discovered the connections between Dylan and Timrod ... using the Internet (h/t Shelf Life).
- Joyce at Bibliophile Bullpen points us to some newly-digitized (and free) books on bookbinding, and also has updated the Bibilophile Bullpen Calendar, where she's listing just about every "biblio-ish event" that comes her way. This is a fabulous resource, and many thanks to Joyce for putting it together.
- A thousand-year old manuscript stolen from the Al-AwQaf library in Mosul (Iraq) more than thirty years ago has been returned. It was recovered in 2003 when a man attempted to sell it at a British auction house. The manuscript, which dates back to 1013, is worth at least £250,000. (h/t Shelf Life).
- Paul Collins highlights a few "weird books" this weekend. Incidentally, I'm reading Collin's Banvard's Folly these days and will have some thoughts on that once I finish.
- The Independent reports that, eh, similarities have been discovered between some lyrics on Bob Dylan's new album and the writings of little-known Confederate poet Henry Timrod. Timrod biographer Walter Cisco says "It's amazing. There is no question that is where it came from. It's too much to be a coincidence. I'm just delighted that Timrod is getting some recognition." Scott Warmuth, a DJ from New Mexico, discovered the connections between Dylan and Timrod ... using the Internet (h/t Shelf Life).
- Joyce at Bibliophile Bullpen points us to some newly-digitized (and free) books on bookbinding, and also has updated the Bibilophile Bullpen Calendar, where she's listing just about every "biblio-ish event" that comes her way. This is a fabulous resource, and many thanks to Joyce for putting it together.
- A thousand-year old manuscript stolen from the Al-AwQaf library in Mosul (Iraq) more than thirty years ago has been returned. It was recovered in 2003 when a man attempted to sell it at a British auction house. The manuscript, which dates back to 1013, is worth at least £250,000. (h/t Shelf Life).
- Paul Collins highlights a few "weird books" this weekend. Incidentally, I'm reading Collin's Banvard's Folly these days and will have some thoughts on that once I finish.
Friday, September 15, 2006
ILAB Fair in NY
The International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB) is holding a book fair this weekend at NYC's Javits Center, which has attracted quite a nice selection of exhibitors. Also, Fine Books & Collections will have a booth, where Nicholas Basbanes will be signing books on Saturday prior to the Grolier Club reception for the winners of the Collegiate Book-Collecting Championship. So if you're in New York this weekend and in need of something to do (or just want to look at what I'm sure will be some spectacular books), here's your chance.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Book Review: "All the King's Men"
I'm not entirely sure how it came about that I hadn't ever read Robert Penn Warren's masterpiece novel All the King's Men (1946), which is of course loosely based on the life of Louisiana's "Kingfish," Huey Long. For a long time it was one of those books that I knew I'd get to someday, but that day just had't arrived yet. A nice copy came through the store the other day and I picked it up to read ... and then just that very evening I saw the t.v. ad for the new film adaptation that's coming out shortly with Sean Penn as Willie Stark. I'd like to think that the trailer hadn't slipped into my subconscious and prompted me to grab the book, but I'm not sure that's the case.
Either way, I really enjoyed this book, and can't help but think it is, in fact, one of the best, if not the single best, American political novel. Beautifully written, with a narrative flavor distinctly its own, All the King's Men is a tale of politics at its worst, and of one man's struggle to come to grips with his role in a political arena which at once repulses him and ensnares him. Also, this book is the model for Joe Klein's Primary Colors (1996), which mirrors many of the themes in All the King's Men.
I'm sure that this will be a book I come back to many times, and I recommend it highly.
Either way, I really enjoyed this book, and can't help but think it is, in fact, one of the best, if not the single best, American political novel. Beautifully written, with a narrative flavor distinctly its own, All the King's Men is a tale of politics at its worst, and of one man's struggle to come to grips with his role in a political arena which at once repulses him and ensnares him. Also, this book is the model for Joe Klein's Primary Colors (1996), which mirrors many of the themes in All the King's Men.
I'm sure that this will be a book I come back to many times, and I recommend it highly.
Smiley in the News
Confessed map thief E. Forbes Smiley will be sentenced on September 27, and this week has seen some new calls for a more severe punishment. The New York Times reports today that Robert Goldman, the lawyer for the British Library, has requested that judges impose a sentence of at least 78-97 months jail time on Smiley, rather than the 57-71 months agreed to by Smiley's lawyers and prosecutors.
Goldman's pleading suggests that federal sentencing guidelines "substantially understate the seriousness of the offense," and concludes that "The case of United States v. Smiley has made painfully clear that Smiley created his marketplace and built his inventory through the systematic looting of the world’s great libraries."
Smiley attorney Richard Reeve called the BL's plea "very interesting, but the reality is that map has been recovered. It’s going back to the British Library." He added that Goldman "ignores a central part of this case, which is that the libraries are getting back maps that they would never have gotten were it not for Mr. Smiley’s cooperation." Uh, Mr. Reeve, I think you're ignoring a central part of this case: the maps would never have left the libraries without the nefarious and illegal actions of your sleazeball client.
The Associated Press and Hartford Courant have similar articles. The Courant also has a Smiley timeline.
Goldman's pleading suggests that federal sentencing guidelines "substantially understate the seriousness of the offense," and concludes that "The case of United States v. Smiley has made painfully clear that Smiley created his marketplace and built his inventory through the systematic looting of the world’s great libraries."
Smiley attorney Richard Reeve called the BL's plea "very interesting, but the reality is that map has been recovered. It’s going back to the British Library." He added that Goldman "ignores a central part of this case, which is that the libraries are getting back maps that they would never have gotten were it not for Mr. Smiley’s cooperation." Uh, Mr. Reeve, I think you're ignoring a central part of this case: the maps would never have left the libraries without the nefarious and illegal actions of your sleazeball client.
The Associated Press and Hartford Courant have similar articles. The Courant also has a Smiley timeline.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Bibliothecary's Lists
Using Paul Collins' post about the five books everyone should own as his springboard, Ed at Bibliothecary has been compiling a few lists of his own, which I've been enjoying very much. On Monday he offered "The five books I have yet to tire of that I can pick up and reread at
any time, no matter my mood."
Tuesday brought "Great books that I have started to read more than once, but for some reason or other did not finish, not because I didn't like the book, just because something interrupted and I moved on to other books and have always regretted not finishing the book, but am sure I will one day get back to reading." Wednesday's was "Writers or books that other people have praised to the high heavens, but I have read and not only think that their work is total crap, but I curse the heavens for the time lost in reading their drivel."
While I might have chosen slightly different works for the Monday and Wednesday lists, I think Ed's got most of them just about right. What will he have in store for us today?
any time, no matter my mood."
Tuesday brought "Great books that I have started to read more than once, but for some reason or other did not finish, not because I didn't like the book, just because something interrupted and I moved on to other books and have always regretted not finishing the book, but am sure I will one day get back to reading." Wednesday's was "Writers or books that other people have praised to the high heavens, but I have read and not only think that their work is total crap, but I curse the heavens for the time lost in reading their drivel."
While I might have chosen slightly different works for the Monday and Wednesday lists, I think Ed's got most of them just about right. What will he have in store for us today?
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Brattle's Ken Gloss Profiled
The Worcester Telegram & Gazette today profiles Ken Gloss, the owner of Boston's Brattle Book Shop (one of my regular stops).
Yale Law Receives Book-Loan
The Association of the Bar of the City of New York has deposited nearly 1,300 volumes of Roman and canon law with the Lillian Goldman Law Library at Yale Law School, the Yale Daily News reports. Librarian Mike Widener "said the acquisition of the volumes is important because of the wide-ranging effects Roman and canon law have had on shaping modern law in Europe and elsewhere."
"The idea for the transfer of the books came from Blair Kauffman, a librarian and professor at the Law School, who is also on the board of advisors for the New York City Bar. He said he started developing the idea almost a decade ago, while on a tour of the Library of the Association of the Bar's basement stacks. ... Kauffman said he proposed the idea of moving the books from the bar association's library to the Yale Law Library a few years ago, and while it was well received, it took time to receive official approval."
After the cataloging process is complete, the volumes will be available to the Yale community in about a year, the paper notes.
"The idea for the transfer of the books came from Blair Kauffman, a librarian and professor at the Law School, who is also on the board of advisors for the New York City Bar. He said he started developing the idea almost a decade ago, while on a tour of the Library of the Association of the Bar's basement stacks. ... Kauffman said he proposed the idea of moving the books from the bar association's library to the Yale Law Library a few years ago, and while it was well received, it took time to receive official approval."
After the cataloging process is complete, the volumes will be available to the Yale community in about a year, the paper notes.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Creating a Writers' Archive
The Scotsman reports that the National Library of Scotland has secured a £1.8 million grant for the creation of a "digital repository" consisting of "blogs, journals and e-mails written by leading Scots."
Digital library manager Simon Bains said of the project "We won't be preserving everything - we'll select what appears to be of cultural significance from online journals, websites, blogs and e-mails. We'll be harvesting the work of prominent cultural figures, but also other interesting social history documents." The archive is scheduled to launch in 2008.
Digital library manager Simon Bains said of the project "We won't be preserving everything - we'll select what appears to be of cultural significance from online journals, websites, blogs and e-mails. We'll be harvesting the work of prominent cultural figures, but also other interesting social history documents." The archive is scheduled to launch in 2008.
Five Books Everyone Should Own, and a Tricky Game Show
Paul Collins' latest posts are on the Festivaletteratura, a large literary festival in Montova, Italy where he's been spending some time. Sounds like a fantastic experience, even if, as Paul notes, Italian interviewers really liked to ask him to name five books that he thought everyone should own.
They dragged answers out of him, but he writes "I'm not sure that I can explain my resistance to issuing a personal canon, but I'm even more bewildered by the desire for one. To, the personal search for books is at least half the point: and it is utterly dependent on whatever odd cicrumstances, moods, and places happen to converge on any given day. Moreover, my stock of books constantly shifts every time I move house. I reevaluate what each book means to me, and whether I even want to keep it around. But in retrospect, I suppose the question was really a simpler one, and had little to do with canons at all. At least, I hope so. At its root, it is simply a variation on 'Tell us about yourself.' Strangely, for a memoirist, I really have no idea how to answer that question either."
I agree, I don't understand why anyone would want a list like that. I hope nobody ever gives me one (or asks me for one!). I'm always happy to give out recommendations, but I'd never presume to tell someone that any book is a "must-have."
Paul's second new post is about an old Italian game show which sounds quite hilarious.
They dragged answers out of him, but he writes "I'm not sure that I can explain my resistance to issuing a personal canon, but I'm even more bewildered by the desire for one. To, the personal search for books is at least half the point: and it is utterly dependent on whatever odd cicrumstances, moods, and places happen to converge on any given day. Moreover, my stock of books constantly shifts every time I move house. I reevaluate what each book means to me, and whether I even want to keep it around. But in retrospect, I suppose the question was really a simpler one, and had little to do with canons at all. At least, I hope so. At its root, it is simply a variation on 'Tell us about yourself.' Strangely, for a memoirist, I really have no idea how to answer that question either."
I agree, I don't understand why anyone would want a list like that. I hope nobody ever gives me one (or asks me for one!). I'm always happy to give out recommendations, but I'd never presume to tell someone that any book is a "must-have."
Paul's second new post is about an old Italian game show which sounds quite hilarious.
Friday, September 08, 2006
Some Book-Gems at Upcoming Philly Auction
Next Thursday, September 14, Freeman's Auctioneers in Philadelphia will host a sale of rare books and manuscripts, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Among the highlights:
- One of two known Providence-imprint copies of the "Declaration of the Representatives of the United Colonies of North America, now met in General Congress at Philadelphia, setting forth Causes and Necessity of their taking up Arms", issued in July, 1775 by the Second Continental Congress. The pre-sale estimate on this item is $25,000-$35,000.
- A second edition folio of Thomas Jeffreys' The American Atlas: a Geographical Description of the Whole Continent of America (1778), with thirty maps. Estimated at $40,000-$60,000.
- Several Audubon items, including a first octavo edition of the Birds of America (seven volumes, 1840-1844), a later octavo edition (eight volumes, 1870-1871), a first octavo edition of the Viviparous Quadrupeds (three volumes, 1849-1854) and various lots of prints from the octavo and the elephant folio editions of Birds (the latter including his American Pipit, Brown Lark, and Wood Pewee).
- First editions of Bram Stoker's Dracula, JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit, HG Wells' The Time Machine, Wilkie Collins' The Woman in White, Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, AA Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh (signed by Milne and the illustrator); a second edition of Boswell's Life of Johnson ...
- Many early American newspapers, containing contemporary accounts of such events as the Battle of Bunker Hill, Benedict Arnold's treason, Washington's death, and the Burr/Hamilton duel.
Quite an interesting selection; were I to be in Philadelphia next week I'd be very tempted to go watch the bidding and see how things fare.
- One of two known Providence-imprint copies of the "Declaration of the Representatives of the United Colonies of North America, now met in General Congress at Philadelphia, setting forth Causes and Necessity of their taking up Arms", issued in July, 1775 by the Second Continental Congress. The pre-sale estimate on this item is $25,000-$35,000.
- A second edition folio of Thomas Jeffreys' The American Atlas: a Geographical Description of the Whole Continent of America (1778), with thirty maps. Estimated at $40,000-$60,000.
- Several Audubon items, including a first octavo edition of the Birds of America (seven volumes, 1840-1844), a later octavo edition (eight volumes, 1870-1871), a first octavo edition of the Viviparous Quadrupeds (three volumes, 1849-1854) and various lots of prints from the octavo and the elephant folio editions of Birds (the latter including his American Pipit, Brown Lark, and Wood Pewee).
- First editions of Bram Stoker's Dracula, JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit, HG Wells' The Time Machine, Wilkie Collins' The Woman in White, Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, AA Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh (signed by Milne and the illustrator); a second edition of Boswell's Life of Johnson ...
- Many early American newspapers, containing contemporary accounts of such events as the Battle of Bunker Hill, Benedict Arnold's treason, Washington's death, and the Burr/Hamilton duel.
Quite an interesting selection; were I to be in Philadelphia next week I'd be very tempted to go watch the bidding and see how things fare.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Sobel-Gingerich Interview
Harvard Bookstore has posted a very interesting interview between authors Dava Sobel (Galileo's Daughter, Planets) and Owen Gingerich (The Book Nobody Read, God's Universe), which makes for fascinating reading. It focuses mainly on the intersections of science and religion. Gingerich will be speaking at Harvard Bookstore on Friday, October 20 about his new book, as well.
Book Review: "The Affected Provincial's Companion"
Lord Breaulove Swells Whimsy's The Affected Provincial's Companion, Volume One: A Bounteous Selection of Essays, Philosophical Diagrams, Poetry, and Other Such Arcadian Follies Concerning the Art of Curious Living and the Reintroduction of Ancient Charm into This Vale of Mud and Tears Known Heretofore as the Modern Life is an bizarre little collection of essays, fashion tips, mediocre poetry, ribaldry, etc., in the tradition of McSweeneys. Beautifully designed by Bloomsbury (check out the website, which is also great), this is a nice little bedside book, good for a chuckle (or an eye-roll) now and then.
Take the Gloves Off!
An article in Monday's Guardian has prompted much discussion in book circles about the long-present "white gloves question." The piece stems from a new paper written by consultant Cathleen Baker and Randy Silverman, a preservation librarian at the University of Utah. In their paper, "Misperceptions about White Gloves" [PDF], Baker and Silverman argue that gloves often do more harm than good to paper materials by "blunting the sense of touch," and impairing sensory perception. They suggest that clean, dry hands are much better suited to handle books and manuscripts than fumbly gloved fingers.
In the Guardian, reporter Jackie Dent examines some differing white-glove use policies (yes at Trinity College in Dublin, no at the British Library). BL preservation coordinator Sarah Jane Jenner demonstrated the impact of gloves for Dent, having her try to turn brittled pages with white gloves on: "It is practically impossible to turn the pages properly, and I clumsily reach for large chunks at a time. Parts of brittle Paul's Epistles crumble; my hand slides all over the page. Gloveless, however, I can effortlessly turn the pages."
After reviewing the literature, Silverman and Baker conclude that widespread white-glove use only has come about within the last twenty years, "probably driven by the good intentions of some curators with ready access to archival supply catalogues in which vendors have increasingly represented glove-use as a standard component of library and archival practice."
There has been no defense of the white glove (at least none that I've seen) in the wake of these articles, and I think it's safe to say that its use for books and manuscripts is on the wane (for photographs, negatives, and some three-dimensional objects the question is still open and the jury still very much out). But, old (or even relatively new, in this case) habits die hard, and some in the field will likely continue to make use of gloves in the near-term ... even if they dare not say so publicly.
(h/t to Everett Wilkie for the link to Silverman's paper)
In the Guardian, reporter Jackie Dent examines some differing white-glove use policies (yes at Trinity College in Dublin, no at the British Library). BL preservation coordinator Sarah Jane Jenner demonstrated the impact of gloves for Dent, having her try to turn brittled pages with white gloves on: "It is practically impossible to turn the pages properly, and I clumsily reach for large chunks at a time. Parts of brittle Paul's Epistles crumble; my hand slides all over the page. Gloveless, however, I can effortlessly turn the pages."
After reviewing the literature, Silverman and Baker conclude that widespread white-glove use only has come about within the last twenty years, "probably driven by the good intentions of some curators with ready access to archival supply catalogues in which vendors have increasingly represented glove-use as a standard component of library and archival practice."
There has been no defense of the white glove (at least none that I've seen) in the wake of these articles, and I think it's safe to say that its use for books and manuscripts is on the wane (for photographs, negatives, and some three-dimensional objects the question is still open and the jury still very much out). But, old (or even relatively new, in this case) habits die hard, and some in the field will likely continue to make use of gloves in the near-term ... even if they dare not say so publicly.
(h/t to Everett Wilkie for the link to Silverman's paper)
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Civil War Records Stolen
American Libraries Direct reports that two Civil War documents on display at the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, North Carolina were stolen over the weekend. The items removed were a "handwritten furlough for a Confederate soldier and a certificate of medical examination for a slave." Motive and culprit are unclear.
Update on Apianus Theft
Author Owen Gingerich has raised questions about the AP account of the theft of a sixteenth-century astronomy book by Petrus Apianus (which I commented on yesterday).
Gingerich writes "Note that there is something very fishy about this AP story. The Astronomicum Caesareum was published in 1540 and is worth about £200,000. Apianus' Cosmographia of 1533 is worth £20,000 by a stretch. I made a special trip to Kremsmunster hoping to see a Copernicus once reported there, but got a very chilly reception. Had I suspected there was an Astronomicum Caesareum there, I would have collated it and thus had a detailed description of the volume, if that is really what they had and had loaned to the Peuerbach exhibition."
Exactly what volume was stolen from Peuerbach seems to be up in the air; I wondered about the date (and commented as I did only because there was an OCLC record for a 1532 edition as reported), but I'll leave it to the experts to figure this one out. Hopefully it will resolve itself soon, and I'll update this as I can.
Gingerich writes "Note that there is something very fishy about this AP story. The Astronomicum Caesareum was published in 1540 and is worth about £200,000. Apianus' Cosmographia of 1533 is worth £20,000 by a stretch. I made a special trip to Kremsmunster hoping to see a Copernicus once reported there, but got a very chilly reception. Had I suspected there was an Astronomicum Caesareum there, I would have collated it and thus had a detailed description of the volume, if that is really what they had and had loaned to the Peuerbach exhibition."
Exactly what volume was stolen from Peuerbach seems to be up in the air; I wondered about the date (and commented as I did only because there was an OCLC record for a 1532 edition as reported), but I'll leave it to the experts to figure this one out. Hopefully it will resolve itself soon, and I'll update this as I can.
Rare Shakespeare Books on Display
If you'll be in Stratford this weekend, you might want to stop by the Shakespeare Centre on Henley Street, which will be offering open tours of its facilities and displaying rare books, manuscripts and other items from its collections which are not normally displayed. According to the Coventry Evening Telegraph, the Shakespeare centre "is one of thousands of historic buildings across England throwing its doors open as part of Heritage Open Days 2006."
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Secrets Out
- "Project X" is now revealed: it's former Diana butler Paul Burrell's latest tell-all, The Way We Were. According to a statement from publisher William M. Morrow, the book "takes the reader into the lively day-to-day life at Kensington Palace and includes, for the first time ever, a uniquely personal record of that time." GalleyCat adds more, with contributor Sarah noting "That very loud sound you're hearing right now? That's me rolling my eyes and groaning at the same time." Yup, me too.
- Another mystery was de-mystified over the weekend, as the "AN Wilson is a sh*t" perpetrator came clean: as guessed by many, it was in fact rival Betjeman biographer Bevis Hillier.
- Another mystery was de-mystified over the weekend, as the "AN Wilson is a sh*t" perpetrator came clean: as guessed by many, it was in fact rival Betjeman biographer Bevis Hillier.
Book Review: "Horace Greeley"
Historian Robert C. Williams has penned the first full-length biography of 19th-century editor and presidential contender Horace Greeley in decades. Horace Greeley: Champion of American Freedom is a fair, readable account of Greeley's life and career, based around Williams' central thesis that Greeley worked tirelessly to promote the cause of "freedom" (defined here as "the opportunity to improve oneself and society through social and economic labor and reform").
An interesting character (comparisons could be drawn with that other famous 19th-century American whose biography I reviewed last month, Henry Ward Beecher), Greeley's opinions reached the kitchen tables and parlors of millions of Americans through his editorials and other writings in the New York Tribune, as well as his several books and speeches. A reformer, sometimes pragmatic and sometimes decidedly otherwise, Greeley believed (against all evidence) that if left alone, men would function for the good of themselves and of society.
Greeley's long-standing and petty grudge against William H. Seward and Thurlow Weed (for not paying enough attention to him and then refusing to offer him Seward's seat in the Senate in 1861) has always left a bitter taste in my mouth about Greeley, as have his inexplicable political contortions during the 1864 presidential campaign and his decision to accept the Democratic nomination for president in 1872 (he had already been nominated by the breakaway Liberal Republicans) even in the face of his strong opposition to Democratic policies. It is not to be regretted (Grant's second term notwithstanding) that Greeley failed to win the election that fall. As an editor, his words mattered - as a politician, his actions indicated that ambition overrode principle.
Williams' prose is at times clunky and repetitive (I maintain it is rarely necessary to say the same thing more than once or maybe twice), and it is impossible to get away from the near-constant reminders of his thesis. However, for anyone interested in the life of Mr. Greeley, this book will serve well.
An interesting character (comparisons could be drawn with that other famous 19th-century American whose biography I reviewed last month, Henry Ward Beecher), Greeley's opinions reached the kitchen tables and parlors of millions of Americans through his editorials and other writings in the New York Tribune, as well as his several books and speeches. A reformer, sometimes pragmatic and sometimes decidedly otherwise, Greeley believed (against all evidence) that if left alone, men would function for the good of themselves and of society.
Greeley's long-standing and petty grudge against William H. Seward and Thurlow Weed (for not paying enough attention to him and then refusing to offer him Seward's seat in the Senate in 1861) has always left a bitter taste in my mouth about Greeley, as have his inexplicable political contortions during the 1864 presidential campaign and his decision to accept the Democratic nomination for president in 1872 (he had already been nominated by the breakaway Liberal Republicans) even in the face of his strong opposition to Democratic policies. It is not to be regretted (Grant's second term notwithstanding) that Greeley failed to win the election that fall. As an editor, his words mattered - as a politician, his actions indicated that ambition overrode principle.
Williams' prose is at times clunky and repetitive (I maintain it is rarely necessary to say the same thing more than once or maybe twice), and it is impossible to get away from the near-constant reminders of his thesis. However, for anyone interested in the life of Mr. Greeley, this book will serve well.
Going to Any Lengths
A sixteenth-century copy of Petrus Apianus' Astronomicum Caesareum was stolen from an exhibit at Peuerbach Castle in Upper Austria, and the theft went unnoticed for days after the culprits substituted a dummy book in its place, the IHT reports.
The book, which has been described as the "most sumptuous of all Renaissance instructive manuals," is designed to show the motions of the earth-centered (i.e. pre-Copernican) universe. Each copy contained many volvelles, "rotating paper wheels which demonstrate planetary motion and movements of the stars." The IHT article says the stolen edition dates from 1532; the more well-known edition of the book was published eight years later).
Police said the book, worth nearly $40,000, was on display "in an exhibition case under an unsecured glass panel."
(h/t Bibliophile Bullpen, Rare Book News)
The book, which has been described as the "most sumptuous of all Renaissance instructive manuals," is designed to show the motions of the earth-centered (i.e. pre-Copernican) universe. Each copy contained many volvelles, "rotating paper wheels which demonstrate planetary motion and movements of the stars." The IHT article says the stolen edition dates from 1532; the more well-known edition of the book was published eight years later).
Police said the book, worth nearly $40,000, was on display "in an exhibition case under an unsecured glass panel."
(h/t Bibliophile Bullpen, Rare Book News)
Book Review: "Chasing Shakespeares"
Sarah Smith's novel Chasing Shakespeares reminded me strongly of The Rule of Four, but with slightly better writing, and to a lesser extent Matthew Pearl's newest, The Poe Shadow (with its mix of history, research and fictional storyline).
In Shakespeares I liked the premise a bit more than the product, but Smith's book is certainly an interesting read and a good basic introduction to some of the many questions that continue to surround Shakespeare's life, most importantly of course the issue of whether he actually wrote the plays that have been attributed to him. It made me want to go out and read more, which I suppose is what any good book (fictional or otherwise) should do. A good starting point is the book's website, which happily for me, footnote junkie that I am, contains complete references and a full bibliography. Oh joy!
In Shakespeares I liked the premise a bit more than the product, but Smith's book is certainly an interesting read and a good basic introduction to some of the many questions that continue to surround Shakespeare's life, most importantly of course the issue of whether he actually wrote the plays that have been attributed to him. It made me want to go out and read more, which I suppose is what any good book (fictional or otherwise) should do. A good starting point is the book's website, which happily for me, footnote junkie that I am, contains complete references and a full bibliography. Oh joy!
Sunday, September 03, 2006
1896 Bradford Facsimile on eBay
One of 150 copies of an 1896 facsimile manuscript edition of William Bradford's History of Plimouth Plantation is for sale on eBay. Bradford's original manuscript was lost during the Revolution, only resurfacing in the Bishop of London's library in 1855. It was returned to Boston years later, and now resides at the State House. This photographic facsimile was published by Ward & Downey (London) and Houghton Mifflin (Boston), and if the seller's pictures are any indication, is quite lovely.
The reserve on the eBay auction is $5,000, but at the midpoint of the sale on Sunday the bidding was, shall we say, tepid (the high bid was $26). The Plymouth Patriot Ledger has a short piece on the auction, titled "Hawking Plymouth's History," and Rare Book News also pointed out the auction.
[Update: As of Tuesday a.m., with a day and a half left to go, bidding's still at $26, well below the reserve].
The reserve on the eBay auction is $5,000, but at the midpoint of the sale on Sunday the bidding was, shall we say, tepid (the high bid was $26). The Plymouth Patriot Ledger has a short piece on the auction, titled "Hawking Plymouth's History," and Rare Book News also pointed out the auction.
[Update: As of Tuesday a.m., with a day and a half left to go, bidding's still at $26, well below the reserve].
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Book Review: "The Perfect Storm"
Sebastian Junger's The Perfect Storm has long been one of those books that I see all the time but just had never picked up to read. After a friend recommended it earlier this week I grabbed a copy to start on the T-ride home that afternoon, and I just finished it while listening to the remnant winds of once-Hurricane Ernesto barrelling over Boston. Junger's account of the 1991 Halloween Gale is a riveting and chilling look at the events of those days in October and their impact on the men and women of the Gloucester swordfishing fleet who faced the storm down, some of them giving their lives in the battle against the elements.
Junger has done as decent a job as possible, I think, in creating a narrative around a central event which contains many unanswered questions; just when and how the ship Andrea Gail foundered during the storm is unclear, as is why the ship's emergency signalling device failed to deploy. By relying on the narratives of other sailors who found themselves in similar situations but survived, Junger creates a plausible scenario for the events on the Andrea Gail while not lapsing into the trap of fictionalizing the narrative.
This is a not a pleasant book, but it does provide a fascinating glimpse into the depths.
Junger has done as decent a job as possible, I think, in creating a narrative around a central event which contains many unanswered questions; just when and how the ship Andrea Gail foundered during the storm is unclear, as is why the ship's emergency signalling device failed to deploy. By relying on the narratives of other sailors who found themselves in similar situations but survived, Junger creates a plausible scenario for the events on the Andrea Gail while not lapsing into the trap of fictionalizing the narrative.
This is a not a pleasant book, but it does provide a fascinating glimpse into the depths.
Marginalia on Display
What did John Adams think of Mary Wollstonecraft's ideas about the status of women in political society? Or the theory that lightning rods increased the severity of earthquakes? Rick Brookhiser has a piece in the New York Times book review for this weekend called "John Adams Talks to His Books," in which he highlights some of the most interesting examples of Adams marginalia.
The essay almost coincides with an exhibit set to open on September 22 at the Boston Public Library, "John Adams Unbound". According to the library, "This event is the culmination of a three-year project to catalog, preserve, digitize and provide access to the extraordinary personal library of the second president, which has been held by the Boston Public Library since 1894." Some 3,700 volumes will be on display, and eventually the entire collection will be available online at www.johnadamslibrary.org.
I will certainly look forward to this exhibit and all the associated events (Adams is one of my favorite figures of the Revolutionary era), and I expect the new digital library will be most interesting and useful (as, I should note, is the ongoing digitization of the Adams Family Papers at the Mass Historical Society).
The essay almost coincides with an exhibit set to open on September 22 at the Boston Public Library, "John Adams Unbound". According to the library, "This event is the culmination of a three-year project to catalog, preserve, digitize and provide access to the extraordinary personal library of the second president, which has been held by the Boston Public Library since 1894." Some 3,700 volumes will be on display, and eventually the entire collection will be available online at www.johnadamslibrary.org.
I will certainly look forward to this exhibit and all the associated events (Adams is one of my favorite figures of the Revolutionary era), and I expect the new digital library will be most interesting and useful (as, I should note, is the ongoing digitization of the Adams Family Papers at the Mass Historical Society).
Friday, September 01, 2006
Book Review: "Lost in a Good Book," "The Well of Lost Plots," "Something Rotten"
I decided to hold off on a review of the three final Thursday Next books (Lost in a Good Book, The Well of Lost Plots, and Something Rotten) until I'd gotten through them all. I finished Something Rotten last night ... and now will have to go hunting for Fforde's "Nursery Crimes" series. I enjoyed each of these books immensely, and recommend them highly. You may, however, want to pace yourself a bit more than I did so that you don't run out so quickly.
Chinese to Repair Historic Koran Manuscript
According to the People's Daily Online, China's State Administration of Cultural Heritage has provided 440,000 yuan (about $55,000) to the Cultural Relics Bureau of Qinghai Province to fund conservation and restoration of the country's oldest known manuscript of the Koran. The work, in thirty volumes, is believed to date from the 14th century, "however, poor management and the absence of conservation practices have placed the book in danger of being stolen and of rotting."
(h/t Shelf:Life)
(h/t Shelf:Life)
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