Miscellany

I figure this would be a fun topic just to chat about non-FS things if people would like.

To UK people, I found this article today and found it extremely interesting and would be interested in hearing your comments
http://www.city-journal.org/2008/18_4_otbie-british_character.html

I would be far too self restrained to comment

Haha I love the irony. I only ask because I have only made a brief stint or two in the UK, so I have little experience to comment on. I was just wondering if people in the UK saw this as an accurate view of what he perceives as the British temperment changing.

Another off-topic question: Could please someone with knowledge in English grammar dissect for me the expression "Thanks very much!" which I've heard quite often during my stay in England (or rather in Wales) last week? I can't seem to get the gist of it just quite.

If you were to enter a Welsh tavern and inadvertently spill a merry gentleman's pint of Brains - then the response would almost invariably be "Thanks very much!". On replacing the said libation the response would probably be "Thanks very much".

Thank you , a lot , for reading

Yours sincerely Kestrel

Kestrel, thanks very much! :)

I rather meant the grammatical side of the problem - 'Thanks' (as far as I understand) is a noun. 'Very much' is an... adverb? *scratches head* My grammar is rustier than I thought. In any case, they don't agree (grammatically). It's like saying 'Houses very much!'

Unless it means '(An unknown He/She) thanks very much' (In German it does - Danke is a short form of 'Ich danke' - I thank. That's why you can say 'Danke schön' - literally meaning 'I thank nicely' - or 'Danke sehr' - meaning 'I thank very much')

My personal opinion is that it's a mix of 'Thank you very much' (where 'thank you' is a verb) with 'Many thanks' (where thanks is a noun), without the native speakers noticing the discrepancy.

You have the gist of it. It is an oddly abbreviated version of "Thank you very much".

I believe that thank you is a shortened version of I/we thank you and that thanks is a, less cordial, abbreviation of thank you. So that 'I thank you very much' has become 'Thanks very much'

Exactly that Kestrel.

Thanks guys.

Surely you mean 'Thank's very much guys!' ? ;)

Me? I? To pollute the English language with such nonsensical contractions?? Surely you can't mean that!

But thanks very much for the suggestion. :

Do any of you have personalized book plates? Do you put them in books? Would you be willing to show them to the group ?

Re #14: Don't have them, chase, and would never use them.

I'm not sure why I have such an aversion--I don't mind handwritten inscriptions in used books I've purchased, but there is something about a bookplate with the owner's name on it that sets my teeth on edge.

My wife commissioned some woodblock artists in the UK to make me some, and although I fear I may give Robert nightmares by disclosing this, I have been putting them into my Limited Editions Club books over the last couple of days, including my valuable editions of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman signed by the author, Borges' Ficcioned signed by a famous modern artist, Marquez' Solitude, Canterbury Tales signed by Szyk, and Machiavelli's Prince. How do you place a photo in the forum? I would like to show you the bookplate my wife had made for me.

I have always dreamed of having my own personal bookplates but have never actually taken the plunge, and I don't like to see labels stuck onto endpapers, so there's really no point in getting them. One of the second-hand FS books I bought has a bookplate and I am trying to remove it without causing any damage (it has the owner's name scribbled out in blue ballpoint, ugh).

Re #16: Chase, you can either you Flickr or Picasa to upload photos to the 'net, and then link to them in the forum. I'm not sure how to post photos in the forum itself

Re #17: overthemoon, would you have kept the bookplate had the name been written in a nice India black with a Mont Blanc?

:-)

It isn't a particularly attractive bookplate, just a plain border, and This Book Belongs To with signature on the dotted line. If it had been more artistic and personal, with a legible name, I would have kept it (especially if written with a nice India black with a Mont Blanc in Killigraphy script or something similar) ;-)

I put the bookplate image as my picture in my profile. The old joke about me from people that know me is that I am wound up like a squirrel, and hence the bookplate.

you look very warm and comfy squirreled away in your library, Chase.

The bookplate is great!

Re #21: What a wonderful gift, Chase. It's a great design with a lot of detail and appears to contain all of your requirements for your "ideal" library. Is this an indication of your wife becoming more tolerant of your librophilia?

Absolutely not. In her mind I think it was sort of a compromise: she has never given me a book as a gift because she doesn't want to "feed my habit," and I think this was her way of trying to kind of validating my hobby without necessarily supporting it. It was a nice gesture though and I really liked and appreciated them.

Found this artist who does some odd book photography. Some is a little racy in a 1920s sort of way but kind of fun and figured a few people might enjoy it

http://paintalicious.org/2008/11/20/thomas-allens-book-art-photography

Re #26: Don't know what to say about this stuff, Chase--he's no Matisse or Romare Bearden....

Something about the out-of-focus sections really bothers me.

Definitely not for everyone, but thought I'd pass it along

I love them.

Interesting and slightly disturbing ...

I like the idea of these wacked-out, over-the-top pulp images somehow living in their own alternative universe. Sort of like a Douglas Sirk movie, but darker and weirder. Thanks for passing it on.

More book-art.

http://www.coolhunting.com/archives/2009/04/brian_dettmer.php

This has little to do with the above mentions of book plates and book art, but I was wondering whether anyone else has faced the issue of adhesive stickers that just refuse to come off and whether they had discovered solutions to this issue (which I hope exist).

I have a horror story of sorts about an adhesive sticker. The book was Nikolai Gogol by Vladimir Nabokov, the sticker was white, and the adhesive, blackish grey. It would not come off. I scratched it, rubbed it, sanded it, but to no avail. In the end, I regretted trying in the first place, but it really hadn't looked any different from stickers that were removed with ease.

Oh, the horror...

Take a look at the "Stickers!" topic in the Book Care and Repair group at http://www.librarything.com/topic/9726

Thanks, appaloosaman!

For those of you who care, the trailer for the new Sherlock Holmes movie starring Jude Law and Robert Downy Jr. is up and it looks like they are going for a victorian James Bond thing. From the trailer there is very little of the dark, rigid, mechanical materialism that embodies Holmes' character in the books.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOr4i-wbH-M&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fhotair%2Ecom%2F...

>26
What happens on your bookshelves while you sleep?!

Os.

I was unsure as to whether this group had a personal message thread, and couldn't seem to find one, so I figured this was as good a place as any. I'm sorry if this is the wrong spot.

Previously posted in another group:
A night in late December, I wrote a poem for a high school contest on a whim, and edited it the next day. Then I sent it in since there was no more time. I thought it was good poetry practice since I've never really written any before, plus it was quite fun. Didn't honestly think anything would come of it. I didn't get any of the scholarship prizes, but my poem will be published in an anthology. Not bad for less than two days' effort.

38 I would read this as "not perfect yet but without any doubt, worthy enough to be remembered/compiled in an anthology" ;-)
Luv

36 I'm curious also about the film, chase, though I believe it quite pointless: like giving a CSI lab to Chuck Norris, he gets info info he needs with a round house kick :-). but sometimes artists are gifted enough to re-create characters...Then, Django is the cinematographer and could ellaborate on subject..

edited as i hadn't read full thread

I am curious as to what people use as bookmarks for their Folio volumes. My designated ones always seem to get misplaced and my husband thinks it's hilarious because despite good intentions, my bookmark usually winds up being an old ice cream stick.

Well it's true, ice cream and the contemplation of a good Folio volume do go together...

This talk on BBC Radio 4, broadcast this morning, may be of interest. It's on the familiar topic of real books vs. electronic books:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/views/a_point_of_view/#

40. I have a length of narrow satin ribbon, from which I cut a six to seven inch strip whenever required. It's cheap and there is no chance of it causing any damage to the book. The only thing I have to take care about is that it doesn't protrude enough to engage the interest of my namesake. I saw him eying up my LE Moby Dick the other night as I hadn't tucked the sewn-in marker between the pages - I just caught him in time, otherwise I may have had to change my name to "TheLateHuxleyTheCat".

If I don't simply remember what page I'm on, I use whatever is handy for a bookmark, to my everlasting shame. Random pieces of paper and business cards, mostly.

> 42

otherwise I may have had to change my name to "TheLateHuxleyTheCat".

Or just... The Rug

Ha, it would be a particularly small rug; he'd make a very fine lining for a pair of slippers though. He has been warned...

My daughter was given a sewing machine for Christmas and her first project was making me a new bookmark. Actually the first thing she did was to test the machine out on my index finger by mistake but I now have a lovely homemade bookmark (and a sore finger.).

A black-and-white picture of a very grey situation. Certainly there are plenty of funny and self-deprecating English people left. I'm sure that there were plenty of drunken thugs in the past, too - peopel are only too ready to view it though rose-coloured glasses. I should like to see some evidence for the author's assertion that indictable crime has increased more than 900% since 1950. I've lived in England for the past 61 years, and feel no less (or more) safe on the street than I ever have.

>40 re:bookmarks
1st, whatever bookmark you use, try your best to remember to remove it before it goes back into the stack or onto the shelves, as long term, it may do damage either by deforming or discoloring the pages, or damage them due to acid in the paper/cardboard of the bookmark. Since you will forget to remove a bookmark eventually:

2nd, it should be thin or it will deform the pages of the book

3rd, it should be of material that will not discolor the book: acid free and color fast. For this reason, I don't use plastic or cloth or colorful printed commercial bookmarks, as I never know what chemicals will be transferred from the plastic to the paper, nor how colorfast the cloth is. Never use newspaper: terrible acid damage over time, as many old used books I've picked up will testify.

Regarding cuttin ribbons, I have at least one Easton Press book (they always come with ribbon markers bound in) where you can see the slightly discolored place on the pages where the ribbon marker was while the book was shelved for several years. So, I'm even suspicious of ribbon made for bookmarking.

As a result of all of the above, I just bought a pack of acid neutral card stock and I cut my own bookmarks from that. If I forget to take it out when I finish (or give up on) a book, no harm done. Since I'm cutting out my own bookmarks, I designed my own which saves my place even while reading (without blocking any of the text) so I don't lose my place if the book is accidentally closed, and it also helps keep the pages open when reading with the book lying on a table or stand.

Bottom line - acid free, color-fast paper/card stock only is my recommendation for books you love and expect to keep for awhile.

Os.

Re bookmarks, I use the beautifuly designed free card bookmarks which I pick up in one of my favourite bookshops, Kinokunia in Bangkok.

Kinokunia is a Japanese chain. In Bangkok they have three stores specialising in English Language books from the major UK and US publishers (for those who know Bangkok the best ones are in Siam Paragon and Emporium in Sukhumvit). My fiance is Thai so we are in Bangkok at least twice a year, and I never fail to visit Kinokunia to pick up another batch of free bookmarks (and a few books on the way!).

Kinokunia is a wonderful bookshop - the Bangkok Emporium and Siam Paragon branches are probably my favourite bookshops. One great service in Thai bookshops is that at your request they will cover your book (hardback or paperback) in a protective plastic sleeve, which they will cut down to size and fit for you. They also stock every magazine under the sun and have a great section of graphic novels.

Quicksilver 66 - My son works at the UN headquarters In Bangkok and shares my love of books. I'll be sure and pass along your recommendation of Kinokunia.

Osbaldistone - I've never heard of ribbon bookmarks discoloring pages, but it makes sense. I own several older Easton Press and Franklin Press books, and after reading your post, I feel compelled to check them all this afternoon for ribbon residue.

> 50 That's great. He's bound to love it.

Incidentally, has anyone used the Folio brass bookmark? I don't like it as it seperates the pages too much and leaves a slight mark where the pages have been seperated.

>51 I used it in Gogol but what I don't like about it is that you can't put the book completely into its slipcase with it in.

> 52

Overthemoon - Did you find that it damaged the pages at all or left a mark ?

no damage, and I didn't slide it in deep enough for it to separate the pages too much; I left it sticking way out of the top.

> 48

Excellent advice, Os. I use acid free cards from Crane & Co. inserted in collectable books from time to time. I feel safe writing notes in pencil on them regarding if the volume is a first edition, signed by author, etc. My husband and I both collect books and it is easy to lose track of which ones are valuable as they can get mixed in with all the others. No ice cream sticks in these books!

Thanks also for the caution note about ribbon book marks. I wonder if this is one reason Folio does not provide them?

>50 and 55
I've only found the discoloration from ribbon markers on one EP book. However, I've only read about one fourth (perhaps 30 or so) of my EP books, so I can't say if that was a one off or if it's likely to happen again. I guess an informal investigation based on my data indicates a 1 in 30 chance of it happening again, but I suspect it depends upon the ribbon color (it was a medium blue, as I recall) and the specific edition. Curiously, the only other issue I've had with EP books (besides some fading of the moire silk end-papers) had to do with the color blue as well - blue-dyed leather binding. On this one book, the leather tends to stick to other books or to a table top if left very long, so I never place it on the shelf with other books. Don't know if it has anything to do with the color or just poorly tanned leather.

>51
I've used the FS brass bookmark (carefully, and not fully inserted) on books I keep next to my reading chair and expect to finish in a few days. I wouldn't leave it in a book long term if it's going to have other books on top of it or if it's shelved, and, as mentioned, you can't return the book to the slipcase with this bookmark in it. Of course, that's a good thing if it keeps you from leaving it in the book long enough to deform the page block. This brass bookmark does look lovely in a book, though.

Os.

>55. Ah, but FS does provide them in LEs. With apologies to any fans, and I know there are several here, my (very) limited experience of EP is that the materials are generally of inferior quality to the FS. I certainly won't be purchasing any more.

>51. I won't use the FS bookmark as my experience is exactly that of Quicksilver.

> 57 Thanks for letting me know about the Folio LEs. For some strange reason, I have never ordered any?!

I do appreciate the comments you and Os made regarding the EP books. I have quite a collection of these books, as I only discovered the FS late. Perhaps this is not unusual, being American? I received ads from the FS for many years but did not appreciate at all what they have to offer until I joined on a whim. Actually, I don't know anyone else who has ever heard of FS books, and I certainly never saw one until I received my own through the mail.

The Folio bookmark is so weird, because they could have made the flat part go higher up, letting us push it farther down without screwing up the pages.

I have no idea why they didn't.

36 .Update on Sherlock Holmes: not bad at all. Lotsa "kaboom!"I would have done without but the box office wouldn't...Cannot speak for hardcore fans but the essence is still there. Plus some ambiguity, courtesy of producer Joel Silver, I guess.

Faute de mieux, I'm posing a question here to the mixed bag of bibliophile scholars on this group. I am participating (at extremely short notice) in an event in London on 2 March (see http://www.amicus-alj.org/events.htm) where our contributions will later be published in more scholarly form. I need an earliest possible source for the famous quotation attributed to Simon de Montfort at the siege of Beziers. When ordered to kill all the heretics (he was busy suppressing the Albigensian heresy), his troops asked how they would recognize them. The famous reply was "Tuez les tous. Dieu reconnaitra les siens" - Kill them all. God will recognise his own.

An earliest possible source for this anyone or is it apocryphal?

French Wikipedia cites a German monk as the source:

"Le seul auteur par lequel on connaisse ce mot (en latin : « Cædite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius. ») est le moine cistercien allemand Césaire d'Heisterbach, qui le prête au légat dans son livre Dialogus miraculorum (Des miracles), écrit entre 1219 et 1223. Césaire reste assez proche de l'évènement dans le temps (une dizaine d'années), mais il est étrange qu'à propos d'un fait survenu à Béziers, un Allemand soit seul à savoir ce que les sources locales semblent toutes ignorer."

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnaud_Amaury

Thanks for such a quick response! That certainly looks like a very early source - enough for me to quote a provenance rather than attribute it as apocryphal.

... and to think that I spend a lot of time telling students not to rely on Wikipedia...

You can cross-check it on other Wikipedias. ;)

What seems certain is that someone (Cesaire d'Heisterbach) reported fairly early (within a dozen years or so of the event) that Amaury uttered this, but note that at least this French author of the Wiki entry is skeptical about it's veracity ("...it is odd that only a single German knows about the event in Bezieres something that all the local sources seem to ignore.")

Personally I can imagine other reasons why only this one person reports the utterance, but, basically, that's where speculation enters the scene.

Cool item from the Kent Moby Dick

http://cgi.ebay.com/6-Galley-Pages-Woodcuts-MOBY-DICK-Rockwell-KENT-1930_W0QQite...

Thanks Chase that's really interesting and not something that I would have picked up on from this side of the pond. I love all the detail in the LE Moby Dick - the harpoons around the page numbers etc and it is clear now that it is not merely an edition of Moby Dick with Rockwell Kent illustrations, but rather a recreation of the 1930 edition. Not quite a facsimile but close.

63. A quote from an historic discussion in google books(.A step further in respectability from the wikipedia :-)

http://books.google.es/books?id=JVeswY78GDsC&pg=PA61&lpg=PA61&dq=Ces...

I have been most fortunate to acquire, at a 'Remainders' bookshop, a copy of 'Fine Printing and Private Presses' (2001) by Roderick Cave, and published, interestingly enough, by The British Library, London. For those of our ilk, it was designed by John Trevitt, typeset by Norman Tilley Graphics, Northampton and printed by St. Edmundsbury Press, Bury St. Edmunds. But perhaps this is already a widely known work among admirers of Book Arts and Crafts.
This book is my first exposure to the world of those who appreciate Fine books, and those who produce them. Most of the book consists of reviews of the great private Presses and their founders and crafters in England, Scotland, France, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, USA and Italy. Is Canada too commonsensical to contribute to this list?
The final chapter is devoted to none other than the Folio Society. Since I have not reached that chapter yet, I can not reveal his appraisal of said Society. Perhaps I shall return and reveal the ending.

http://blogs.forbes.com/booked/2010/04/22/a-meaningful-publisher/

Above is an article about the publishing company that is associated with the New York Review of Books. Interesting, and I think that one area I would like the FS do more of is including critical essays of the books like this company is doing. Will this detract from the "everyman" aspect of the FS that they are trying to portray? Perhaps, but I like to think of every well made FS book as a monument in and of itself, and worthy of further critical thinking on the books published between the covers to better expound on the book. Just my thoughts

It's an interesting idea. I've sometimes found the introductions a weak point in Folio editions: having someone I've never heard of 'introducing' a work I know well puts my teeth on edge.

A little tidbit I thought this group would find interesting...

Book Expo America just wrapped up yesterday in NY and on Tuesday, there was an interesting panel of CEO's discussing "The Value of the Book". The following article is a summary of what was said and the last paragraph features an interesting exchange about the quality of printed books.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bea/article/43317-book....

(Cross posted from the typewriter thread)

Good grief. Having just read The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, it has just come to my attention that I am indeed at this very time, 42 years of age.

What can this possibly mean?

I mean it wouldn't necessarily mean anything if I was anticipating the moment and awaited my 43rd year to read HHGG. But, and here is the crux of the matter: I was not aware that I was going to read HHGG when I was 42, but found suddenly that I had read it when I was 42! The improbability!

>72
Not quite infinite improbability, but...

Perhaps you should pour yourself a nice hot cup of something almost but not entirely unlike tea and go have a lie down. :-)

Os.

> 73.....

...and put the national grid at risk?

:-)

Not sure where to post this. My husband and I were talking about the article referencing the $75,000 book. My husband said to me "There are two types of book collectors - one type is already rich and can collect books and the other type will never get rich because they collect books."

As this is an enabling message board - food for thought. I know I'm in the latter category. But how happy will I be in my house made of books. :)

I like that :)

> 75 My husband said to me "There are two types of book collectors - one type is already rich and can collect books and the other type will never get rich because they collect books."

The difference being though, the latter have had time to read all of their books, whilst the former has only time left to dust them :-)

LesMis: Actually, the former would have "their people" dust the books! ;-)

Somewhere in this group some folks expressed an interest in Lynd Ward illustrations. This Library of America special item might be of interest - "Lynd Ward, Six Novels in Woodcuts" boxed set. - (http://www.loa.org/volume.jsp?RequestID=337)

I'm fortunate enough to have a first edition of God's Man (though not in great shape), but hope to acquire this set if I can save up my pennies.

Os.

>80
Yes, these are wonderful designs. I was very disappointed by the Folio Fitzgerald.

Thanks, Osbaldistone. I've been waiting for this set ever since it was announced. Although I am a subscriber, I'm electing to purchase the boxed set from a thrid-party retailer, as I prefer the illustrated slipcase design of the trade edition. I see that Amazon has the set for USD $44.10 - a favorable price given the heft and beauty of this achievement.

I'm searching for this set on Amazon with no luck. Can you post a link?

Those are great Fitzgeralds. But I think the design is basically on the dustcover. These would be a no-brainer for me if the designs were printed on cloth sides and/or on slipcases. I've had the FS Fitzgeralds in my shopping cart a bunch of times and taken them out. Still searching for the right ones. These are close but I'll have to see them in person.

Not only buying FS books is addictive, reading all the posts of the devotees has become for me a daily task. One of the first things I do every morning. Should I worry? Is it sinful?

Probably, but you can confess and get absolution in the same place that you sin. Convenient, no?

Yes, very convenient, justjim. One of the few advantages that is not saddled by markups or price discrimination.

I wonder when FS will correct the title on the webpage thus:

Reflection on The Revloution of France

Pretty rebellious

>87, 88

Your not the only one, the only thing I look forward in the mornings is checking the messages here. I don't frequent other sites besides news sites so yes it can be addictive and worrying.

>80

The designer for the Fitzgeralds is the same lady who has been designing the recent Penguin Classics Hardcovers series; you can see all of her work here:

http://www.cb-smith.com/

I would love to buy all of her things; they're so beautiful!

>80

I love the cloth cover designs too. I have the yellow Pride and Prejudice, which is just the right size for comfortable commute reading. It's a pity they're perfect-bound and not in sewn signatures.

> 84

Sorry for the delay, mboudreau. Here is the link:

http://amzn.com/1598530828

>94

Thanks, LaCamera. As it happens, I've been considering that as a Christmas gift for a relative who's an illustrator. But I also got my messages crossed, because I was hoping the set of Fitzgeralds with the spiffy new covers were on Amazon as well.

>95

According to Penguin's UK page, the Fitzgeralds won't be available until November 4th; they will probably go on sale around the same time for the US market. (don't want to paste the link; it's far too long)

Amazon does have pages for them, but you have to search by ISBN to bring them up. ISBN's can be found here:

http://www.cb-smith.com/index.php?/faq/

You can add them to your Amazon wishlist to easily keep an eye on them.

>95

Here are links to the Bickford Fitzgeralds on book depository - if you order quickly they are still 50% off on preorder (with free shipping anywhere in the world - I *love* BD!), i.e. AUD$12.53 / £7.24 / US$11.24 each. They look lovely!

Great Gatsby, http://bit.ly/cMLGAdgatsby
Tender is the Night, http://bit.ly/c8VGlGtender
This Side of Paradise, http://bit.ly/bDMy1aparadise
Beautiful and the Damned, http://bit.ly/aJ4CK4beautiful
Last Tycoon, http://bit.ly/9323WOtycoon
Flappers and Philosophers, http://bit.ly/a4af8Lflappers

Edited to fix wonky link.

And talking about the lovely Bickford Fitzgeralds from Penguin, have you seen the upcoming special limited edition Puffin Designer Classics? That Secret Garden one looks amaaaaaazing (although perhaps more as an objet d'art rather than a curl up by the fireplace volume). Apparently they even come in their own special perspex display case...

The Secret Garden designed by Lauren Child, http://bit.ly/bQbQZpsecret
Around the World in 80 Days designed by architect David Adjaye, http://bit.ly/9EHtHu80days
Treasure Island designed by architect Frank Gehry, http://bit.ly/acaUxHtreasure
James and the Giant Peach designed by sculptor Antony Gormley, http://bit.ly/drvJfVjames
Little Women designed by fashion designer Orla Kiely, http://bit.ly/cmO0qXlittle
Oliver Twist designed by pop artist Sir Peter Blake, http://bit.ly/d8xqhioliver

>97 well at half price I could not resist, and have ordered them all. My birthday present!

If only Book Depository delivered to Denmark. Now that is something I don't understand

! I thought they delivered worldwide.

They have free delivery worldwide, but they don't deliver to every country in the world.

From the (UK) website:

"The Book Depository is an international bookseller shipping our books free of charge, worldwide, to nearly 90 countries. By working with various world postal authorities and other carriers, we are always looking to add more countries to this list and will work to do so in the future."

(bolding mine)

FWIW, the last time I looked, the country lists weren't exactly the same for both the UK and the US sites, but neither seems to include Denmark (based on a quick look just now).

I think it has to do with customs and probably some taxes. I know many non Danes having voiced rants against this incl. the high taxation here, so maybe that is the reason. Oh well, I can always buy from Amazon at an inflated price.

I have sent them an Email. It is odd though considering they have excluded the one country in the EU but deliver to the rest

>99 Happy birthday!
>100 It's such a shame BD won't deliver to Denmark - living in Australia the free delivery thing seems like a small miracle... (I'd happily order and ship them over to you, but you reaaally don't want to be hit with Australia Post prices...)

95 >

Mea culpa, mboudreau. The thread indeed is a little discursive.

I'm also pining after the Fitzgerald set. Love the deco covers; gotta have it.

Are those new Penguin Designer Classics in a limited edition of 1000 like the previous ones like the 2 Dostoevskys and the Fitzgerald?

>106 Yes, the Designer Puffin Classics titles are numbered and limited to 1000 (they are being released for Puffin's 70th anniversary, I think the earlier set were for Penguin's 65th).

>104 thanks! but it's not till late November ;-)

>104 Thanks for your generous offer alas I think the price of shipping would be too much. Anyway, I could always bite the bullet and buy them from Amazon and around £20 including Danish VAT and P&P delivered to me. I think it is only luck to be offered a volume at €8 on pre-order when the retail price is £18. As the saying goes in Denmark being an expensive country as it is "It costs what it costs"

If anyone is interested and has access to the BBC iPlayer, there was a programme earlier today on BBC Radio 4 about Ford Madox Ford. Part 2 is next week with a discussion on The Good Soldier.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00tjd3t

92,97.110 thanks for the info, the links to book depository, and BBC radio program..( waiting for my FS The Good soldier ).. Priceless group, I love you all

http://chronicle.com/article/Will-the-Book-Survive/124115/
An interesting article about the frightening tendency of universities to not assign whole books to students, but rather just selections. Certainly of interest to the enemies of abridgement here on the forum. He starts out slow and gets a little sidetracked at first, but he comes back with an interesting discussion.

That was really annoying even back in the 80's when we would have to buy multiple engineering textbooks (at >$100/each) and only use a chapter...

But University is the place when one should have the time to read a complete book. I am specifically thinking of works of literature an history books. When it comes to texts in the sciences perhaps selected pieces of texts might be better rationalised.

``even back in the 80`s` Now this is annoying...

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/09/19/lost_libraries/?page...

An article about the fate of famous authors' libraries

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11288225

Photos of the newly renovated Vatican library. Absolutely gorgeous!

Thanks chase.donaldson and beatlemoon for the links--very interesting.

Below is a fanciful argument for how to define a book, and its utilitty in the face of the digital age

http://chronicle.com/article/What-Are-Books-Good-For-/124563

Re post 80, 81 and for the sake of thread readability I post again link at creative review.. and caustic cover critic

Something happened d-oh!

If anyone is interested or knows someone interested, a project is now underway for up to about 2200 readers to participate in the online reading of the full text in Spanish of Don Quijote. I've done my bit and have read fragment 14 from Chapter II.

More details (in Spanish):

http://www.youtube.com/elquijote

Drasvola that video gave me goosebumps and I don't even speak Spanish; but what a magnificent idea!!! I wonder if anything similar to this is being done with other novels...Moby Dick for example!!!

Thank you Texaco. It is a fantastic idea and other great books should be read online also, certainly Moby Dick as you suggest!

In Pasadena, CA, we have a program called One City, One Story sponsored by the public library system, wherein one book a year is selected to be featured and as many Pasadenans as possible will read the yearly nominee. During the last week of the year there is a reading in the main library from opening to closing each day wherein volunteers will read a chapter aloud. The books featured have been Easter Island by Jennifer Vanderbes, Distant Land of My Father by Bo Caldwell, Kindred by Octavia Butler, and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.

I would like to see the series extended to include one classic work of literature as well.

I agree. I hope the idea spreads.

>124
We have a similar program in Houston called Books on the Bayou. Selection this year was Percepilus.

http://www.slate.com/id/2268000/pagenum/all/

Confessions of a Used Book Seller

127. Methinks the only reason he can be on business is because libraries are a bit tecnophobic...As they don't check on-line prices he acts as an Amazon agent..... the only way an individual can have a "broad" and undiscriminating strategy..

But I'd like to know where he gets his wonderful "third party database" .. My own book collection takes %#### ages to update

http://www.slate.com/id/2270953/pagenum/all/

An interesting article on Lynd Ward specifically, but also discussing Kent as well

Thanks for posting the link chase! I like the idea to call Lynd’s Gods’ Man a Moby Dick without the text. It was the LE Moby Dick with the Kent illustrations that made me join FS and I have to get the Lynd Ward set published by LOA.

This is really off topic but I need to know something I can't otherwise check . My wife has been working in NYC this week. John Sexton, President of NYU, accommodated her in the Princeton Club. My wife liked it and declared this residential club to be the perfect setting for a film location for P G Wodehouse's Drones Club.

Are any on this list familiar with it? Can it be so? She was specially taken with its overall masculinity (inter alia she had to ask for a hair dryer as none was provided in her room) and for such outre decorations as a boat suspended from the ceiling.

I went once, several years ago, with a business associate who was a member by dint of being on the faculty of Columbia. As the name implies, it is for alumni, students and faculty of Princeton University and a few other select institutions-Columbia, for example. As such, it would have a very male-centric feeling as Princeton was until fairly recently, an institution for male students only. Don't remember a boat, though a rowing shell would be quite appropriate given Princeton's association with that sport, though I do remember getting a smashing Daiquiri with a very expensive plate of appetizers.

For those who still enjoy the lighter side of these threads, I offer the following article by Simon Heffer. Having read it, my wife insists I AM Simon Heffer:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/simonheffer/8082354/To-me-books-ar...

What do the ladies here think of his observation near the end that obsessive collecting is primarily a male affliction?

He's clearly never heard of shoes and handbags...

or Imelda Marcos

>134, 135

Thank you, ladies. :)

shoes and handbags...

Good point! :)

But Simon's got nothing on me. Did HE transport his collection across two ocean-seas four times? Does HE calculate food, travel, lodging and clothing expenses in terms of books? Does he risk alienating his dear and near by professing more interest in old print than freshly minted babies? How many books does he carry on his person at all times? Fewer than four won't cut it.

I can't remember where I read it, but I did read about the male/female book collecting differences before (meaning, media-sez-there's-a-story-here).

But I wonder how reasonable comparisons can be made when there are so many factors involved--the continuing relative poverty of women, the role they are cast in by society (caregivers, self-sacrificing, self-effacing), the different expectations on the marriage market for men and women etc.

"Men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses."

Still, LT's probably the best place for finding counter-examples. Actually--didn't we discuss this at least once before? And looked at the biggest libraries with identifiable users, with the conclusion that it's almost exactly fifty-fifty? Yes, yes we did.

Not knowing where to post this I will post this here. My revered Society has lost my order for this coming year and indeed misplaced parts of my order from the past year! Ugh! The frustration is quite undescribeable.

>138

Perhaps you should have posted in the 'Direction of the Folio Society' thread. Direction appears to have been a major issue in despatching your books. :-)

I guess the FS shared my mailing details (and yours..)not only with the LRB but also with The Museum Selection . So I got a catalogue including some kitschy stuff to make you feel smart and cultured with your Christmas gifts.. but on the other hand..:-D ..

if I had a tie lifestyle I'd like to show off about this habit..

FS seem to have shared mailing details with Postscript Books as well http://www.psbooks.co.uk/ a catalogue with my FS membership number as reference recently arrived. Has anyone ever ordered from PS ? Doesn't look anywhere near the same quality as FS but a few intersting remaindered items.
Pepe_Prats surely you could develop a tie lifestyle for a temptation like this ;)

Thanks for the link to Postscript Books! I don't seem to be getting any of this 3rd party bumpf so had no idea they existed. A few of their archaeology books are cheaper than either Amazon or Oxbow Books (the archaeologists' standby) so that's quite a useful link for me.

>141
I hadn't heard of PS Books and decided to check it out. I tried searching for a few books and found that the fields on the search form won't let you enter more than 20 characters. A rookie mistake, which doesn't tempt me to explore further.

Here's a link to a bookseller (Kenny's http://www.kennys.ie>) I just learned about who advertises 'over 5 million books' and 'free delivery worldwide'. This includes used books (look on the left of the home page, under "Specials") including about 29 FS publications at the moment. I've not ordered from them, so can't say anything about service or speed. They do appear to be set up to charge in EUR, GBP, and $US at a fair conversion rate, and apparently everyone pays based on the same Euro price, even Australians!

Os.

#141
Mweb, I've ordered quite a few books from Postscript over the years and have always found their service good. I find it easier to choose the books from the paper catalogue than from the website, though nowadays I'd actually order online. Their postage charges to other countries are quite reasonable. Their academic titles can be amazingly obscure, but sometimes I've been lucky and found something that exactly matched my own interests.

>141, of course of course..,
enter this group's unofficial motto


(click to enlarge...)

>142

We're lucky in the UK - the Data Protection Act prevents FS selling our details to other retailers without our explicit consent.

Just to balance out the collecting/hoarding gene and support the comments of Lolawalser above, I have nearly 6000 books catalogued (not including children's, cookery, medical, sporting and gardening books). These are accommodated in all rooms of the house except the bathrooms. I am also a female!

I can never understand the mentality of disposing with books - although an agro. hubbie has to be occasionally pacified with a token 3-4 books, ceremoniously and with great outward performance, being sent off to the second hand store or a library sale. (4 out, 400 in!)

If I had to choose between a pair of shoes or a coveted book - it would always be the latter, although a good smart outfit would be more of a dilemma.

It is going to be a problem if I live to 70!

>147 Same rules in place in most western nations.. Trick is in the default option is sharing your details. I remember vaguely something in the line of. "We may inform members about selected offers from our busines partners Tick this box if you don't wish to receive this information"

WTH who cares enough for ticking box? ( I don't )..

kiwidoc, I think it's clear the female contingent of LT handily knocks down misogynistic 19th century memes! In fact, even some (male) contemporary collectors felt they were unfair.

I picked up a lovely book today, The amenities of book-collecting and kindred affections by Edward Newton (Little, Brown 1929) and here's the dedication:

If, as Eugene Field suggest, womenfolk are few in that part of paradise especially reserved for book-lovers I do not care. One woman will be there, for I shall insist that eight and twenty years probation entitles her to share my biblio-bliss above as she has shared it here below. That woman is my wife.

Sweet, eh? I started reading it on the streetcar and almost missed my stop. The author was particularly mad about Dr. Johnson, and collected not just books (preferably those with interesting provenance, inscribed, signed etc.) but also manuscripts, authors' letters and the like. His descriptions of book hunts in London's and New York's bookshops are to weep over, in these worldwidewebby days...

Another quote from Newton, since FS has offered both titles mentioned (although both somewhat reduced in size, I think):

"I am not partial to the 'books which no gentleman's library should be without', fashionable a generation of two ago. The works of Thomas Frognall Dibdin do not greatly interest me, and where will one find room to-day for Audubon's 'Birds' or Robert's 'Holy Land' except on a billiard-table or under the bed?"

(written in 1918)

Poor Frognall. Where are the fashions of yestercentury?

> 151

Excellent suggestion! Must now search out a billiard table for the storage of books. I only wish I had thought of it sooner.

Thanks for the info about PS Books EveleenM

Lola - that collecting book looks delicious.

Whatever works - a billiard table could be a two-tiered storage unit, but books look great whereever. The best form of decoration.

Came across this scroll produced in 2009 by a prominent comic book artist of Milton's Paradise Lost. Perhaps a FS LE reprint is in order?
https://sites.google.com/site/terrancelindallsparadiselost/the-gold-illuminated-scroll

Lola's comments make me wonder if this group is a male-dominated one - I know that we have geography stats, but I wonder what the ratio of XX/XY is here? Are we indeed in the minority or do Folio books appeal to the female species as well?

This group? Mostly gents I think, at least the ones who post. But who knows about our silent majority... :)

`>157
"Mostly gents I think" Male perhaps........... but gentlemen?

Ladies reveal thy selves!!!!! (Lolawalser, Caroline and me are three. I do wonder why this is such a male-dominated interest if you consider that most other groups are female majorities.

I am here sisters, but I thought you knew already!

> 159

....and I wonder why these books are not female dominated as you allude to given that they have traditionally been an escape for the gentler sex.

#158

Naughty!

#159

beatlemoon, overthemoon, HuxleytheCat... SusanKH... Eveleen perhaps? Sorry, head 'n' brain cold. Witchlady!

another female here

Count me in as female. Really! :)

Another female here. And a confirmed book lover/collector. The only thing that keeps my collection in check is a lack of funds. Had I the money I would probably have at least twice as many books as I do now.

We have enough here for a Macbeth adaptation!

I dont think Im to silent, at least I squeak every now and then and Im am a female to boot.

Female! But Lola already got me in her head count. :)

Another female here!

Female, as well, and I chime in once in a while.

Hearken Lads, it appears we have been overun by fiery Queen Boudica's daughters. Make haste to Boldface's shed. There to make our final stand, yet ultimately succomb to their many charms as will always be our destiny. ;)

>158...>171

Seizing on discretion as the better part of valour, let me state here and now that I aspire to be a gentleman in touch with his feminine side. However, if that strategy fails, I'm as ready to surrender to the feminine onslaught as the next man.

Girls, I do believe "they" are flirting with us. Cunning devils. Thus were we ever enslaved! Remember what Homer said--don't trust 'em, even if they come bearing Folios!

There clearly needs to be a new census category:

Population (broken down by sex and bibliophagy)

I am mostly a lurker, an occasional poster. I am all woman, and bibliophagy is not a part of the Weight Watchers program, so I do not indulge!

(If I did, I think my tastes would run toward RL Stevenson, as he is delicious, yum)

> In a completely asexual way, I agree with you!

I just got my first order from PostScript books. Very nicely packaged and in perfect condition - I'm quite pleased with the prices as well. Picked up a few early Christmas presents and The Annotated Christmas Carol for myself.

Please, Mr Dickens, when I'm sent to the poorhouse - let me keep my books!

Another female here (as Lola thought!)

Yet another female here (which I think would be apparent from my user name). I guess I need to post more!:)

There's an interesting article in the Boston Review on Amazon and the Kindle at http://www.bostonreview.net/BR35.6/roychoudhuri.php.

I don't think FS will be quaking in its boots.

Hmm, that's an interesting article but also one that I have some problems with.

"Publishers who once met directly with Amazon representatives find they can no longer reach anyone at the company, even by phone."

I find this particularly hard to believe. The company I work for publishes a measly 5 books a year and I personally have never had a problem getting in contact with Amazon.

If you read the Amazon e-book forums, you'll find thousands of customers who are upset with the publishers who have pushed for agency pricing. They feel that Amazon is offering market-led prices, while the publishers are forcing higher prices on the customer - Penguin, for example, often lists ebooks at prices above those for new paperbacks. (I've personally stopped buying Penguin books for that reason - much as it pains me - and have written to them about the issue.) While I personally don't agree with this perception, many ebook customers see the company as being on their side and the publishers as greedy. Take the example of The Fry Chronicles on Amazon.co.uk: the Kindle price is set by the publisher and is more expensive than the paperback edition, the hardback edition, and even the audiobook read by the author himself. That is a completely asinine move on the part of Stephen Fry's publisher, and it means that Fry's older and more sensibly priced book Moab is my Washpot is in the Top 10 ebook sales, while The Fry Chronicles are nowhere to be found.

I really do understand the slim margins that publishers are working with (many of my friends work for larger commercial publishing companies). I also know how expensive and how much work it is to get a book formatted for ereaders. But they're also failing to learn from the experience of the music industry. People have an idea in their heads of what something is worth, and if the price is set above that preconceived worth, they won't buy it. They might go without it, or they might buy a secondhand copy, or they might pirate the digital file, but they won't put the money in the hands of the content providers. They're just shooting themselves in the foot.

Oh, and I get frustrated by any article that sets out an opposition between people who love books as artefacts and those who love accessing their content on ebook readers. I love my Kindle and have been reading much more often since I bought it, but I also love my beautifully bound books. There's no war between philistines and Luddites here! We're all just people who love books.

>181 "I really do understand the slim margins that publishers are working with "

Hmmm! Not all publishers - I have just bought a copy of Habeas Corpus Checklists 2011 from West this morning at a cost of $773!

>181

"...understand the slim margins that publishers are working with...People have an idea in their heads of what something is worth, and if the price is set above that preconceived worth, they won't buy it."

I work in the book industry, too, and this is where I get stuck when thinking about book prices. How does one reconcile the sustained cost of development to the great decrease in perceived value of the item to the consumer?

A business must turn a profit to continue operation; if the price point that the consumer is most amenable to is below the cost of production, then the business operates in the red, eventually having to cease operation. Unlike the music industry, profit losses on e-books cannot be offset with profits from touring or ancillary merchandise.

So what's the answer? I wish I knew! I'm sure the "big six" would be willing to pay handsomely for the magic solution that would put an end to this conundrum :)

>182 Ouch! That sounds like some enjoyable light reading.

>183 I don't know the answer either! It's a problem I face constantly at work. I go to conferences and sell books directly on occasion, and the two most frequent comments we get are that our books look lovely and that they're too expensive. We're an extremely niche publisher, so we get (barely) enough people buying our books so that things work out financially, but you're right - we can't afford to go into the red in order to give people what they're asking for (lower prices).

I do think it's pretty clear that people aren't happy paying more than Amazon's paperback price to buy ebooks. Either the publishers will have to accept that or ebook buyers will have to change their perceptions - I think either one will be a tough proposition!

>183, 184

For me, the scary aspect to all this talk about the "the book as endangered species" is the disturbing trend on the part of libraries to go more and more to electronic formats, and let their collections dwindle. I suppose there are plenty of books around for most of us who prefer paper and ink as media, but if the industry really does decide to cut losses and go to electronic distribution, how long before the libraries follow suit, as that one college library mentioned on another thread did, and eliminate books altogether?

With all the books I have--including many I haven't read as yet, and others that I will reread--I still find myself at the library every Saturday, and quite often I come home with a new book to read. I'd hate to think libraries would one day dump their collections, but it does start to seem inevitable.

I definitely understand that fear. That trend is already pretty noticeable in university libraries; my local university (a very large, very old UK institution) is moving nearly all of its books out of town for storage and students will have to request books to view/borrow at a central location. Lots of national and copyright libraries do that, and to an extent it makes sense in an area where property values are extremely high. But it also means that researchers miss out on many serendipitous discoveries, and finding those sorts of connections in the library stacks is one of the great things about research. And it's all usually coupled with an assumption that old books are useless, which in many disciplines is completely ridiculous. I'd hate to see these kind of attitudes spilling over into public libraries as well.

Django me too!!! I use to practically live at the LA Central Library (Downtown Los Angeles).

This reminds me of a lecture I recently attended (via the web I mean-please see below) whereby the speaker (Angela Davis) said that California libraries were soon to be privatized with all manner of programs reduced or eliminated.

The other speaker (Toni Morrison) said that the United States was first to provide its citizens public libraries everywhere (meaning even in rural environs). Of course Ms. Davis was quick to remind her that she as a child could only attend separate and unequal (segregated) libraries in the state of Alabama where she is from.

http://www.nypl.org/audiovideo/angela-davis-and-toni-morrison-literacy-libraries...

Revised to clean-up to many mistakes to mention...

For those interested in fine books and visual culture and, among other fascinating areas, book design, typography, and Bibles, the following link might be worth a visit:

http://hyphenpress.co.uk

I knew nothing about Otto Neurath. Now his ideas on graphic communication have strongly grabbed my attention.

Interactive video on Don Quijote, in Spanish with music and other extras, from the Biblioteca Nacional in Madrid. Read and turn the pages of the first (1605) edition:

http://quijote.bne.es/libro.html

lovely link...a really interesting site really well done!

Thanks N11284. Glad you liked it. Some of the extras are very helpful for a better understanding of the time and of the chivalry genre. It's also helpful to see Don Quijote's route on a map.

75: I, too, am of the latter category... but those of us who have had time to read our books are rich in ways other than financial. I would far rather belong to this latter group... and yes, I will be very happy in my house made of books. :)

>75
There's another category - those that were rich until they started collecting books.

Os.

On the subject of "English character" that opened this thread, the Bagehot column in "The Economist" ,December 9th, includes some useful background references .(( Unfortunately without links to the documents: I hadn't heard about Gorer, before).

http://www.economist.com/node/17673947?story_id=17673947&fsrc=rss&utm_so...(The+Economist%3A+Full+print+edition)

No Light against Dark , manichean tale, many shades of grey. Curiously consistent with some observations from foreign visitors as
-Sebastian Haffner : he considered Churchill as an undomesticated 'pre-victorian' character who survived to his education untamed etc)-

The Penguin Mini Cooper is now for sale:

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=p&car_id=291093821&dealer_id=65...

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-ultimate-ride-for-the-ultimate-liter...

I saw it at Book Expo last spring; a very cool ride for a literary lover. I now know what to ask Santa for this year! :)

I can see it now: "Buy any 30 LEs over $1000 and receive your Folio Mini Cooper absolutely free."

Folio ain't a swinging Mini-cooper.. I fear, they would opt for 'a poor man's fine edition' as a Freelander.. or a Jaguar XF.. Even a small Volvo sedan... (Not that i want to see this ...)

But a Rover P5 !, FS that would have been "it" :-)

Mmm Mini Moke the mass market paperback of the automobile world. And yet very attractive to collectors!

198 cooler than any average Toyota Prius "Kindle Edition" :-)

>68

I missed this post.

A bonus with this book is that it can be picked up quite cheaply on the second-hand market.

The chapter about The Folio Society is the last in the book in a section called 'Other Fine Printing'.

The chapter is titled 'Folio: a Cockerel's Fledgling'.

It is an article that was originally published in 'Matrix 17, 1997', which in turn was expanded from an article commissioned for 'Folio 50'.

The chapter is 5 pages long and is followed by two appendices.

It is about the FS in general and about it's beginnings and the relationship between Charles Ede (Founder) and Christopher Sandford (The Golden Cockerel Press) in particular.

It is an interesting and complimentary little article.

A couple of excerpts:

"That possible future was never realised (Ede joining the Golden Cockerel); but if it had come about, Golden Cockerel might still be flourishing, for Ede's energy and vision was what the Press sorely needed in the postwar years."
---

"Charles Ede was a man who knew what he wanted, and had the determination to get it. With hindsight, it is scarcely surprising that instead of Ede joining Golden Cockerel as a junior partner, Sanford became one of the original partners in the Folio Society when it started under Ede's direction in the summer of 1947."
---

"Above all, Ede's course at the LCC Central School of Arts & Crafts had taught him one very important lesson. John Buckland Wright (one of the artists commissioned early for Folio work) complained bitterly to his friend Sandford about the delayed payments, but admitted 'I like Ede, and get on well with him. He deserves to succeed and has enthusiasms which I like'. Later, in January 1949, he paid Ede a great compliment in another letter to Sandford:

'This morning I got Charles Ede's paste-up for Shelley. He's made a good job of it and has given me ample room to exercise my discretion. I took it to Camberwell today and gave my class & a few others a lecture on book production from the artist's point of view - and showed them what a good & conscientious publisher gives his artist to work on'.
---

"Yet another relatively late Cockerel influence appeared in Folio's forty-fifth book, 'Memoirs of Prince Alexey Haimatoff' by Thomas Jefferson Hogg (1952). Of all the early Folio volumes this perhaps looked most like a private press book. In fact it had originally been a title Golden Cockerel intended to publish, but Sandford's inability to get his books out quickly in the post-war years prevented that."
---

"In this case, Sanford had commissioned engravings for a Golden Cockerel title from Joan Hassall, who had failed after many months to engrave a single block for it; instead giving precedence to working on a volume for The Folio Society. The story told was that the energetic and forthright Ede frightened her, whereas Sanford was far too charming. And so he was fobbed off with excuses, though she felt guilty about him."
---

"Charles Ede, and his successors did do well, as reference to the bibliography celebrating Folio's golden jubilee 'Folio 50' shows very clearly. I still regret some of the 'exciting things' that the narrowness of my own purse prevented me from buying at the time they were first published."
---

The two appendices are:

'Popular Text Types in Folio Books' and 'Popular Display Types in Folio Books'.

If you have not seen it yet. those of you in the book industry may be happy to know that in the last film by Clint Eastwood ," Hereafter" there is something of a climax at the London Book Fair...

>200

Great stuff about The Private Press by Roderick Cave, celtic. I looked at Oak Knoll which have several editions, including an inscribed copy rebound by Sangorski and Sutcliffe. I also see there that R Cave contributed several articles to Matrix, a publication for bibliophiles about which I have read often but have never seen. The prices seem a bit steep, but the volumes, in a choice of bindings, supposedly are loaded with essays and tipped-in samples of illustrations, paper, typography, etc. Produced at the Whittington Press.

I had forgotten that, while Folio 50 entries are the same as Folio 60, Folio 50 has several essays on books that are not in Folio 60, will make sure it's on the wish list.

>202

'Matrix' is pricey Olepuppy, but you are right - I have seen copies and they are books, rather than magazines, come in 'standard' or de-luxe (leather) versions annually and are printed letterpress at The Whittington Press with all sorts of illustrative and typographical examples amongst the articles and reviews. The standard of production is the same as the Whittington Press books (and that is very high). The prices of the out-of-print copies can get quite ludicrous!

One of the things that struck me about the FS essay by Roderick Cave are the links to (and inspiration from) the Private Press movement were greater than I imagined.

If anyone has a copy of the book mentioned in the article (Memoirs of Prince Alexey Haimatoff - 1952), it would be interesting to hear their opinion of it.

Type and typography is a book of highlight articles from the first 20 years of Matrix. It's very nicely produced. The dustwrapper promises a second selection, to be published in February 2004, focusing on book illustration. This latter book is something of a mystery - it has an ISBN, a description (but no image), a number of google hits in the usual places, but no evidence of a physical book ever having been produced. I emailed the publisher, Mark Batty of New York, trying to track it down and was assured it didn't exist. There was a hint of evasiveness about the exchange, as I recall, and I inferred a late hitch in the publishing schedule. If anyone has come across the book, I'd be very glad to hear about it.

>204

I wasn't even aware of 'type and typography' - which I've now ordered, thank you.

I will drop a note to Whittington and see if they know anything about the book you mention. I will report back.

http://falseeconomy.org.uk/blog/save-oxfordshire-libraries-speech-philip-pullman

Philip Pullman makes a very public and passionate statement defending public libraries, which are in great danger of being closed down in counties all throughout the UK.

The librarian in me both cheers and weeps at this. Cheers for the love expressed; weeps for wondering where are the American literary greats making such pleas for our own at-risk library systems?

#206

I'm always amazed at the "logic" of our city council who have no problem cutting library services (or closing them altogether) and cutting recreational services (or closing them altogether) and then are complete mystified when youth crime soars. They just can't seem to understand that if a child has safe places to go like libraries and rec centres they're not as likely to get into trouble. And then years from now we won't be in the position we are today which is contemplating building bigger jails to house all the criminals who got their start as children who didn't have anything else to do. The concept of an ounce of prevention is totally beyond them.

Some of the FS books I own have "Folio Society" on the spine, others have "Folio" and some have "FS". Is there any logic in their use of their name or logo? and I see that some LE's have nothing at all on the spine except the book name.

Any ideas?

> 208

No idea. It's an interesting observation. Perhaps it depends on the whim of the person responsible for the cover and spine design in the same way that colour, style, illustration, typeface, binding change. FS apparently has no editorial policy for it.

>208/209

Some of the 'normal' FS books do not have any kind of publishers logo on them as well as the LE's.

I would agree with drasvola's thoughts. It also seems to me that the logo is part of the remit to the book's designer. Good recent examples are Dracula, Beowulf , The History of the Kings of Britain and the 'Smiley' books - when the 'standard' FS logo isn't used, the one that is on the book is nearly always in the same style and font as the rest of the cover.

I've received the spring catalogue from a good remainder book warehouse from which I've purchased many clean and undamaged books, Daedalus Books(salebooks.com) out of Columbia Maryland. A Mark Batty publication is listed, The Well-Made Book, filled with the ideas of Daniel Berkeley Updike, $55/7.98. So I went to the website and advance searched Mark Batty under publisher and found Type and Typography as well for 14.98. Along with 2 nature books and the one price shipping of 5.95 no matter the number of selections that's 4 nice books for

There's an article in today's Guardian on illustrations for the Arabian Nights. There's a mention of the 1958 FS edition.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/mar/12/arabian-nights-illustration?INTCMP=S...

>212 Thanks for posting the article. That's the set I have although it's four volumes.

>212

A couple of things bothered me about the article--the dismissal of the the text for the Folio edition as "flamboyant but essentially fradulent" when the article is supposed to be about the illustrations and illustrators, and secondly, how could you write about the illustrators for the Arabian Nights and never mention Arthur Szyk?

I too have the 1958 set (actually, the 1959 second impression) - volumes I and III are illustrated with drawings by Eric Fraser, and II and IV with woodcuts by Frank Martin (who, unlike Fraser, wasn't mentioned in the Guardian article). I'm pleased with the books. Their binding of quarter white parchment with gold-patterned red boards has held up remarkably well over 52 years. A bargain at under £30 the set on eBay!
According to the article Edmond Dulac, who as a 25 year-old in 1907 illustrated one of the most enduring editions of the Arabian Nights, died of a heart attack at the age of 71 "while demonstrating the flamenco". Not sure if this was in the course of supplementing his income or trying to impress a lady friend, but sadly it apparently happened halfway through his work on an illustrated edition of Milton's Comus. I've always been relieved that William Blake followed Jane Austen's advice to stay off the morris dancing and cheeseburgers for the duration of his Night Thoughts commission.

New York Public Library 100 Year Anniversary Exhibition:

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2011/05/17/arts/design/Library.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/18/arts/celebrating-100-years-at-the-new-york-pub...

The original post about the older version of the British character is something that struck home to me in my adolescence. I read books about this which were several decades old when I read them. The model of British stoicism played into the military training Iwas undergoing in my local militia regiment and the in my regular force trtaing. As well my history courses were British history both late mediaeval pereiod aznd later British imperial history. By the time I spent by year at Oxford I was ready to blok anything which was not fitting into my view og Britain. In contrast my brother who does a fair amount of business in London is struck about the amount of public drunkeness and the resultant public vomiting, releaving themselves on the street and the amopunt of violence on the street. No more public stoicism.

>217

Where exactly in London was your brother doing business? Hyde Park in the middle of a festival? I don't see London like that at all, not to mention the fact that over 50% of people in a lot of parts of London aren't even British. I think that refelects more on large cities than the country?

For British stoicism I'd head up North, there are plenty of people up there who haven't read anythign that isn't 20 years out of date too ;)

(before I offend anyone I'm a Yorkshire raised lad)

'public drunkeness and the resultant public vomiting, releaving themselves on the street and the amount of violence on the street. No more public stoicism.'
For much, perhaps most, of British history this would surely have been pretty much the common state of affairs in towns and cities? The only stoicism on display would have been from those who resolutely tried to ignore the circumfluent mayhem as they waded through it!