David R. Farmer

I must preface this review by saying this was one of the best biographies I have read in a long time. I felt like I knew Jack Rittenhouse intimately by the time I was finished. An excellent if dense (said under breath), read!
Jack Rittenhouse's childhood molded his fascination with books at an early age. He worked in a library as a teenager and helped print materials for the Boy Scouts. He wrote poems, plays, and essays in his spare time. As an adult he became a bookseller, started a private show more press and owned over 9,000 books. He seemed destined to always be surrounded by the written word. When he started to write his own books he concentrated on writing books on topics that fascinated him on a personal level. His first foray into authorship was a guidebook for the old Route 66. As a devotee to the desert, he romanticized the original 5,000 mile journey from Chicago to Los Angeles. His second was a niche subject about American horse-drawn vehicles. Always exemplary with his work ethic, Rittenhouse went on to display indefatigable ambition and a passion for researching a variety of topics. I found his commitment to attending meetings of the Western Historical Association impressive. For twenty-eight years he didn't miss a one. There is so much more to Mr. Rittenhouse that you will just have to read for yourself. show less

I did really like how in depth the book was, it just may have been too in depth for the average reader. The Rittenhouse name is pretty common in my professional circles but to the average person, but just some framing as to what Jack Rittenhouse actually did for publishing would provide much needed context. I have no doubt the author can write and cares very deeply about his topic, but it just needs a little remediation on what it all means.

This is enjoyable biography of a bookman who worked at printing, publishing, writing, and selling books. I had no idea who he was until I read this well researched volume but now know he is someone worth knowing about. There are plenty of details, perhaps too many for some readers, but it is often the details that make a life story more interesting. The book may be of most interest to those working and writing in the western genre or those who have a desire to establish small volume printing show more business. show less

ARC review: This was an interesting book about an interesting man, who I hadn't known anything about. It was mostly well-written, though it had a bit of odd repetition between chapters in a few places. My main issue with it was that it seemed to be written about a saint who did not wrong, and thus, seemed less than fully human. I would have liked to have known more about his relationships with his children, for example, which I imagine must have had some difficulties, particularly with show more regards to his son, though likely also with his daughters, as in all families. show less