America 250

Hi all,

So this 4 July, the USA celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, and I wanted to know what fine books, ephemera, etc you've come across that you are eyeing to purchase.

What comes to mind is the Thornwillow Dispatch's Picture Democracy by Wolf Burchard. I'm still thinking on whether to get this or not, but if so it will be the Classic Edition, as the Patrons' Edition including shipping to the UK is over my budget.

America 250

- Bill of Rights
- The Declaration of Independence
- The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton
- Declare: A Civic Gospel (Fine Press Edition) - Arion Press - US$3,000.00 - link
- Alastair Cooke’s America - £500 - link
- You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train: A Personal History of Our Times by Howard Zinn
- Artists in Times of War and Other Essays by Howard Zinn
Poetry as Insurgent Art by Lawrence Ferlinghetti
- Thomas Paine in his own words - Foolscap Press - link

Someone else already shared this on LT, so just parroting their guidance with the Arion Press link below. Not my jam but I suspect it will sell.

https://www.arionpress.store/product/declare-a-civic-gospel-fine-press-edition-/...

As a non-American my suggestion might be nonsense to true patriots, however Alastair Cooke’s America is something that makes you fall in love with the country. There were a number of copies of the book that were bound by Sangorski & Sutcliffe (my copy is one of these), but as I can’t see any currently on the market this isn’t particularly useful of me

ETA: I have found a copy online however I don’t like the condition of the spine, but I figure it shows what the book looks like:

https://www.peterharrington.co.uk/alistair-cookes-america-172178.html

I would love to see a fine press edition of You Can't be Neutral on a Moving Train or Artists in a Time of War or Poetry as Insurgent Art for that anniversary...Just sayin'. The last I think No Reply could handle easily.

Unfortunately, I'm too backlogged to get The Communist Manifesto out by July 4th--I'll be combining it in the same volume with the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence. A book for real patriots. Has there been a fine press edition of The Communist Manifesto yet?

>1 ironjaw: Great topic! I'm curious what presses such as Suntup, Easton, Folio, will release for America's 250th anniversary? Hopefully something epic :)
One work that immediately comes to mind that is Americana --
Thomas Paine in his own words
https://www.foolscappress.com/product/thomas-paine-in-his-own-words/

>2 LBShoreBook: Declare invites a chorus of American authors, artists, and artisans to reflect on our country’s inaugural words in a handcrafted, printed testament to the American experiment.
Sounds interesting, although I'd like to know more of course. I will say the price, $3k, is beyond most people's wallet. If you subscribe you do get a 20% discount. I'm pretty sure it used to be a 30% discount.

>5 SuttonHooPress: Not that I'm aware of, but it's a good choice. Your whole project sounds interesting!

>3 DMulvee: Thanks. That's quite interesting. I think I might have a Folio Society copy. They are wonderful and insightful reads.

>2 LBShoreBook: Most likely out of my budget but I am a big fan of the author Walter Isaacson so would love to know what he's got to say. But what an interesting thought on these essays.

>4 jveezer: Ooh that's interesting.

>5 SuttonHooPress: I am not familiar with your press. Will check it out.

>6 astropi: You're welcome. Yes, Thomas Paine. An absolute must. I do have the Folio Society edition.

So added a list in my original post above.

>6 astropi: I’d also be pretty wary of spending $2,400+ on a book whose contents are a mystery until release. Arion is pretty bold.

>9 Izdubar: Indeed they are! Arion obviously produces amazing works, but not always for me. As an example their illustrations for Winnie-the-Pooh absolutely ruined any interest I might have had in the book. Still, no denying the quality.

>10 astropi: Oh I had the same experience. I remember seeing the front cover and wondering what other “Pooh” was being referred to.

>11 Izdubar:
>10 astropi:

I was surprised by the Pooh illustrations. I love them and the work as a whole.

>12 SDB2012: I'm glad to hear that! It's a lovely production. For me, I need the iconic Shepard illustrations, and this modern take did not speak to me. I fully note that's just my opinion of course.

>5 SuttonHooPress: Is this a real project?

>5 SuttonHooPress: Manifest der Kommunistischen Partei: Mit 11 Holzschnitt Illustrationen von Frans Masereel, Berlin : Dietz Verlag, 1975. Designed by Volkmar Brandt. Printed by Offizin Andersen Nexö, Leipzig.

>15 Transfixed: Very cool! and that's a great size!

>14 SDB2012: in time. . . .

>17 SuttonHooPress: Intriguing!

>15 Transfixed: Very cool. going to set up a search alert for this one and hope one shows up in America at some point

I think this fits the theme: Freedom of Religion & Separation of Church and State by A. Colish.

Contains 16 broadsides on the topic from Paine, Jefferson, Madison, Washington, JFK, Grant and others.

I posted some pics in the 2026 acquisition thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/377112#9171365

>20 greenwald1: Enabled. Thanks!

The Declaration of Independence
Printed by a woman: Mary Katharine Goddard (January 1777) & Mindy Belloff (2008-2010)
https://intimapress.com/declaration-of-independence/

on Exhibit:

Peabody Essex Museum · Pressing Importance
May 2, 2026 – July 25, 2027, MA
https://www.pem.org/exhibitions/pressing-importance-salem-and-the-declaration-of...

Washington University, Olin Library
Unalienable Rights: 250 Years of the Declaration of Independence
February – July 19, 2026
https://library.washu.edu/exhibitions/unalienable-rights/

New York Public Library · Art as Declaration
June 15, 2026 – January 10, 2027, NYC
https://www.nypl.org/events/exhibitions/declaring-america-1776-beyond-preview

John Peter Zenger & Freedom of the Press by A. Colish (1984)

I had never heard of this trial that set a precedent for the 1st amendment. Nice book and really cheap at $25 on abebooks. 12x8.25, quarter leather binding, 71pp, lots of facsimiles of news articles/rulings from the time of the trial tipped in.

Here’s a summary of the case from google AI:

John Peter Zenger was a colonial New York printer whose 1735 acquittal on seditious libel charges, argued by Andrew Hamilton, established that truth is a defense against libel and that juries, not judges, should decide libel cases. This landmark case against Governor William Cosby’s corruption spurred the American press's right to criticize government authority, influencing the First Amendment.

>23 greenwald1: This a tremendous piece of information--thank you!

>23 greenwald1: I learned about this in school back in the '60s, American History class.

>23 greenwald1: My 2 cents: it's crazy how cheap you can get this book. It's really nicely done.

https://ebay.us/m/1pYZeZ

Bookplate and announcement pasted in at the bacl but still a good deal on the LEC Federalist papers.

A250: Massachusetts & New Jersey - upcoming presentations:

Curator Talk: The Revolutionary Work of Women Printers
at the Peabody Essex Museum
June 20th, with Dan Lipcan, Mindy Belloff, and Jessica Linker
Women have always been actively engaged in printing. They continue to disseminate challenging texts, educate the next generation, create beautiful work and run printing businesses. Join artist and master printer Mindy Belloff, and historian of early America and digital scholar Jessica C. Linker for a discussion of their own work, the role of women printers in the American Colonies and the Declaration of Independence. Director of PEM’s Phillips Library Dan Lipcan will moderate the discussion.
https://www.pem.org/events/the-revolutionary-work-of-women-printers

Princeton University Library
Declaring Independence: Mary Katharine Goddard and the Baltimore Broadside, Presentation with Mindy Belloff and Martha King, June 26, 2026
While there are many versions of the printed Declaration of Independence, including the Dunlap Broadside on display in the “Nursery of Rebellion” exhibition at Princeton University Library, the first bearing the names of the signers was printed in Baltimore in January 1777, by a woman named Mary Katharine Goddard.Martha King, historian of early America with a special interest in women’s history and print culture, will kick off our program discussing how and why Goddard’s Unanimous Declaration of Independence came to be.
Artist Mindy Belloff will continue the program with a discussion of her re-creation of the Unanimous Declaration of Independence (2009), as originally designed and printed by Goddard. This meticulous year-long project involved research and commissioning of the typeface and paper, hand setting each individual letter in metal type, and letterpress printing an edition of 100 copies, as a tribute to Goddard, a remarkable Colonial American woman.

Happy 4th!
Mindy Belloff
Intima Press Editions

Over at the FS thread they're discussing the newly sold out edition of Moby Dick. It was $750 (sans shipping, the same number as the limitation) and not letterpress. I'm sure a letterpress Moby would cost more than $750, but again, I think it would be worth it. The illustrations looked great, but the lack of letterpress is just so discernible. Here's a picture that was posted in this thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/384009#9219405 -- I know not everyone feels as I do, but wow, that just looks "dull" (for lack of a better word) compared to letterpress. I want bite and those dark saturated colors you only get with letterpress ink!



Meanwhile at Arion Press they've released what I would call, at least at first glance, a somewhat tacky publication at $3000 --
https://www.arionpress.store/product/declare-a-civic-gospel-fine-press-edition-/...

Nice list of writers:
Maggie Blackhawk
Geraldine Brooks
Andrew Davenport
Rita Dove
Forrest Gander
Coleman Hughes
Walter Isaacson
Major Jackson
David Lehman
Jill Lepore
General James N. Mattis, US Marine Corps (Ret.)
George Packer
Tim Seibles
Diane Seuss
Arthur Sze
Orlando White

It may be much more impressive in person. Or at the very least, AP should provide us with more pictures of the actual book! Limited to 250 --

The Printing Office of Edes and Gill has several different letterpress type facsimiles of the Declaration of Independence available.

I got my copy of the Boston issue back in 2012. This was hand printed on a wooden common press.

>30 Glacierman: Thank you! I ordered a copy :)