The Cold War and the Space Race

In 1962, America remained locked in the Cold War with Communist countries, most importantly Russia. With Russia’s successful launch of Sputnik in October, 1957, a new kind of competition began. President John F Kennedy officially made the space race a national priority in 1961, when he vowed that the US would send a man to the Moon by the end of the decade. Yet the US lagged behind Russia, managing only a few short suborbital flights—while Russia sent a dog, and then a man, into space.

John Glenn Makes History

Enter the man whom Tom Wolfe once called “the last true national hero America has ever had.” That man was John Glenn, a Marine corps fighter pilot from New Concord, Ohio. Glenn had dropped out of college after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and enlisted in the Army. When he wasn’t called to duty, Glenn entered the Navy. During advanced training he was transferred to the Marines, where he would later serve alongside Ted Williams, legendary Hall of Fame baseball player for the Boston Red Sox.

In 1959 Glenn was selected as one of the original seven astronauts for Project Mercury. Three years later, Glenn assured his place in history as the first person to orbit Earth.

• Glenn orbited the earth three times, and the flight lasted only 4 hours, 55 minutes, and 23 seconds. He would later go on to be part of the first mission to the Moon.
• The entire city of Perth, Australia turned on houselights and streetlights as Glenn passed overhead, earning it the nickname “City of Lights.”
• Upon his return, Glenn received a ticker-tape parade in his honor. His accomplishment also won the admiration of the Kennedy family, and he became a friend of the Kennedy clan.
• Though Glenn testified to Congress in 1962 to support excluding women from going into space, he eventually  reversed his view. He supported Judith Resnik in her career.
• Glenn resigned from NASA six weeks after President Kennedy was assassinated. He returned to Ohio to run for political office.
• When Glenn retired from the Marines in 1965, he sought a new role as an executive at Royal Crown Cola.

Now 90 years old, Glenn is still married to his high school sweetheart, Anne. Today he’ll be honored again at the Cape Canaveral reunion of the Mercury team. Meanwhile, the promise and mystery of space travel continue to enthrall us.

Umberto Eco could use a few of these tips in his personal library!

Building Your Library from the Ground Up
Serious collectors know not to let their rare books come into contact with just any old paper, as  paper can contain harmful chemicals and acids. But what about the shelves themselves? We often assume that any bookshelf is fine for our books, but choosing the right shelving materials will help you preserve your books even more effectively:

• Institutional libraries don’t use metal shelves because they’re less expensive. The ideal material for shelves themselves is actually metal, coated with a baked enamel finish.
• If metal shelves aren’t an option, coat your wooden shelves with a proper sealant to prevent acids from seeping into your books from the wood. The best options are a water-based aliphatic urethane or a clear two-coat epoxy finish.
• Wood dries out as it ages, and the chemicals often used to treat wood also dissipate over time. If your books are housed in an extremely old wooden bookcase, they’re likely safe from damage.
• In locations with high humidity, consider ventilated shelving. The additional air circulation can help prevent the growth of mold and mildew.

Storing Rare Books Properly
It’s important to store rare books with care; rubbing, pulling, and pushing can all cause unnecessary damage and decrease the value of rare books and manuscripts. It’s easy to simply place books on the shelves straight up and down, but that isn’t always the best position for your books.

• Avoid letting books slouch on the shelf. Any book with a spine wider than three inches, or taller than 18 inches, should be laid flat. The bindings of these books sometimes cannot support the spine, weakening the spine, warping the covers, and damaging the pages.
• Do not stack these books more than three volumes high. Too much weight can warp the covers of the lower books.
• Give your books a little space to breathe on the shelf. They should be close enough to support each other, but not packed so tightly that the bindings are abraded when you remove a book.
• If you use bookends, make sure they are tall enough that your books don’t lean over the top of the bookends. The weight of the book against the bookend can cause damage to the cover.
• Tall books that are shelved next to short books tend to get warped and deformed over time.  Shelve books by size whenever possible.

Using the right materials and shelving techniques can make all the difference in maintaining the value of your rare book collection.

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Presidents as Authors

Presidents are famously men of letters: educated, erudite, and charismatic. John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and other founding fathers established their reputation by contributing to beautifully written documents like the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Modern presidents have followed that literary tradition, writing books that capture not only their own experiences, but also the evolution of a nation.

• Jimmy Carter has proven a rather prolific author, with Why Not the Best?, Sharing Good Times, Beyond the White House, and several other titles to his name.

• Herbert Hoover completely eschewed writing about his life as president, opting instead to write about his favorite pastime in Fishing for Fun and to Wash Your Soul.
• Gerald Ford is the author of the most diverse works; he not only wrote the autobiography A Time to Heal, but also the much lighter fare, Humor and the Presidency.
• Ronald Reagan contributed two autobiographies: An American Life and Speaking My Mind.
• Rather than writing the typical autobiography, George H W Bush published All the Best, a collection of his presidential correspondence,  and Speaking of Freedom, a selection of his speeches.  His son  George W Bush also took up the authorial mantle and wrote Decision Points.
• Bill Clinton took up the pen to write My Life and Giving¸ both of which have remained popular.
• President Barack Obama has already joined the ranks of presidential authors with The Audacity of Hope and Of Thee I Sing.

Numerous other luminaries, including first ladies and world leaders, have contributed to our understanding of US presidents and our country. These books make exceptional additions to the personal library.

Classic Tales of Love

Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to embrace classic tales of romance and love.

• Love in the Time of Cholera and Of Love and Other Demons, by Nobel laureate Gabriel García Márquez, tell the tale of unlikely love in the face of incredible obstacles.
• Coleen McCollough’s The Thorn Birds traces more than a family’s struggles on the Australian outback. The novel chronicles the unlikely love between a young woman and her family’s priest.
• Laura Esquivel’s The Law of Love, Like Water for Chocolate, and Malinche are all moving modern love stories.
• More modern novels by Nicholas Sparks embody the sentiment and passion of modern romance. Favorites include Message in a Bottle, Dear John, and The Notebook.
• True romance isn’t all fiction! Share the romantic inspiration of the right biography with your Valentine this year.  I Love You, Ronnie documents the extraordinary relationship of Nancy and Ronald Reagan. In My Delicious Life with Paula Deen, Michael “Captain” Groover shares stories of his life with wife and celebrity chef Paula Deen.

Everyone Loves a Little Fine Press

Fine press books are exceptionally beautiful and created in small numbers, making them an original and special gift.

• The works of Charles van Sandwyk, such as Affairs of the Heart, are impeccably illustrated.
• Samuel M Johnson’s “Two Lovers on a Bench,” an excerpt from the opera Einstein on the Beach, is available in limited editions from the renowned Heavenly Monkey press.
• Lovers of John Updike will appreciate the fine press edition of “Couples,” by the Halty Ferguson press, of which only 250 copies were printed.

Already an Award-Winning Story

“Hugo” is based on the 2007 book The Invention of Hugo Cabret, which won the Caldecott Medal in 2008. Written and illustrated by Brian Selznick, it was the first novel to earn the honor. The book has 533 page, which include 284 illustrations. Selznick  says The Invention of Hugo Cabret is “not exactly a novel, not quite a picture book, not really a graphic novel, or a flip book or a movie, but a combination of all these things.”

Selznick drew inspiration from the life of French filmmaker Georges Méliès. Méliès had an extensive collection of automata, or wind-up figures, though these have long since been lost or sold. The filmmaker died without having made his fortune, even though his films were exceptionally popular in the United States. Selznick also chose to set the book in a Paris railway station because Méliès actually had a booth there—his door is one of the illustrations in the novel.

In the book, Méliès is godfather to Isabelle, who accompanies the orphaned Hugo on most of his adventures. The 12-year-old Hugo works in a busy Paris rail station as a clock keeper. The beauty of the illustrations and the ingenuity of the story made the novel an easy choice for a movie adaptation, and there’s even talk of a French television series based on the novel.

As the movie has garnered so much attention, the book has once again found a well deserved place in the spotlight. Signed first editions will make exceptional additions for collectors who focus on movie tie-ins, Caldecott winners, or children’s books. What’s your favorite book that has found its way to the big screen? And what are your predictions for the Academy Awards?

Today would be the 306^th birthday of Benjamin Franklin, whose contributions stretched far beyond his role as Founding Father. The polymath inventor was a significant figure in the American Enlightenment, paving the way for the evolution of politics, science, and even the country’s infrastructure.

Humble Beginnings

Franklin’s father, Josiah Franklin, was a soap and candle maker who emigrated to Boston with his first wife, Anne Child, in 1683. The two had seven children together before Anne passed away. Josiah remarried Abiah Folger in 1689; Benjamin was their eighth child—and Josiah’s fifteenth.

Franklin’s parents had little money, so Franklin received only a few years of formal education. He continued on his own, reading everything he could get his hands on.  When Franklin was 12, he began an apprenticeship with his older brother James, learning the printing industry.

Launching a New Career

Five years later he ran away to Philadelphia, effectively making him a fugitive!  Franklin soon established himself as a leader in Philadelphia’s intellectual community. He was made Grand Master of the local Masonic lodge by 1734, a title that illustrates his esteem in the community. Here’s a look at other, lesser known milestones in Franklin’s life and career:

• In 1730 Franklin entered a common-law marriage with Deborah Read after her husband ran off with her dowry. Franklin had proposed to Deborah years before, when she was fifteen, but her mother objected to their match.
• Deborah allowed Franklin’s illegitimate son, William, to become a part of their family. William grew up to be the last Loyalist governor in the colonies, for which his father could never forgive him. The two were estranged, and William eventually settled in England.
• Franklin was a prolific inventor. He is credited with creating the lightning rod, bifocal glasses, and the Franklin stove, among many others. He never sought patents for his inventions, noting that they should be used for bettering society.
• Always interested in expediting news delivery, Franklin began to explore ocean currents and their effect on the duration of ocean voyages. With the help of his cousin, he identified and named the Gulf Stream, which had a significant impact on nautical exploration and seafaring.
• Franklin and his contemporary Leonhard Euler were the only major scientists of the time to support the wave theory of light. A major underpinning of modern physics, this theory is the basic basis for the work of countless modern scientists, including Stephen Hawking.
• Though the field of economics would not be recognized until Adam Smith published Wealth of Nations in 1775, Franklin lent an economist’s eye to issues affecting farmers, such as price controls and subsidies for the poor. He also strongly advocated the use of paper money over metal-based currency.
• Franklin was the first chess player recognized by name in the American colonies. An avid player, he was also one of the earliest authors to address the game.  Franklin was even inducted into the US Chess Players’ Hall of Fame in 1999.

All the while, Franklin built an extraordinary reputation as a statesman and diplomat. Though Franklin would never serve as President, his revolutionary spirit and academic achievements have earned him a place as a truly beloved figure in American history. Franklin’s legacy of excellence remains an inspiration every day.

from John Muir's travels

Fascinating Natural Obstacles

For ages mountain climbing had fascinated us. The physical challenges and natural splendor of the world’s highest peaks continues to inspire amateurs and experts alike.  Early mountaineering expeditions included the frontiers of the Americas. Colonial expansion exposed us to natural challenges around the world.

These dangerous explorations were initially the responsibility and (perhaps) privilege of government officials, but in the last fifty years private citizens have been able to follow suit. Mountaineering has inspired an entire cadre of explorer-authors to recount their experiences.

• Though John Muir occupies history as a naturalist, his occupation required extensive exploration, most notably into Alaska. His travelogue, Travels in Alaska is so beautifully written that it has entered the canon of literature.
• Captain James Fisk led numerous exploratory expeditions throughout the Rocky Mountains during the American Gold Rush and reported his findings to the Secretary of War, who in turn presented them to Congress. Fisk took an unconventional approach, allowing civilians to accompany him.
• George Mallory took part in the very first British expedition to Mount Everest in 1922, when he discovered a glacial pass that allowed ascent of the peak’s north side. He made two more trips up the mountain, the second of which led to his demise (1924).
• In 1950 Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal successfully reached the peak of Annapuria, the tenth highest mountain in the world. Herzog extensively documented the climb in his book, Annapurna: The First 8,000 Metre Peak.
• Following in Mallory’s footsteps was Sir Edmund Hillary. Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay were the first to reach Mount Everest’s summit in 1953. Hillary has written extensively about his experiences, and many authors have found him a fascinating subject for their biographies.
• The 1950’s proved an era of exploration. Austrian explorer, geographer, and author Heinrich Harrer was on the climbing team that first ascended the north face of the Eiger in Switzerland. He later earned acclaim as author of Seven Years in Tibet, which tells of his years exploring the Himalayas.
• Not all adventures are planned. Nando Parrado wrote Miracle in the Andes after surviving the crash of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571. The entire Uruguayan rugby team was on board when the plane crashed in the Andes Mountains. Parrado and his fellow survivors were trapped on a mountain for two months before attempting the ten-day climb to safety.
• Journalist and author Jon Krakauer made a name for himself after making several journeys to Mount Everest. The author of Into the Wild (1996) and Into Thin Air (1997) has also written numerous magazine articles chronicling his adventures.

The works and adventures of these figures can inspire us to our own greatness. What adventures do you have planned for 2012?

The Newbery Medal

In 1921, Frederic G. Melcher proposed to the ALA that an award be established to recognize outstanding works of children’s literature. He suggested naming the award after John Newbery, an 18^th-century bookseller. The goal of the award: “To encourage original creative work in the field of books for children. To emphasize to the public that contributions to the literature for children deserve similar recognition to poetry, plays, or novels.” The Newbery Award thus became the first honor in the world designated explicitly for children’s books. Prior winners include many favorites in contemporary juvenile literature:

• Holes (1999)
• Bud, not Buddy (2000)
• A Year Down Yonder (2001)
• Crispin: The Cross of Lead (2003)
• The Tale of Despereaux (2004)
• Kira-Kira (2005)
• The Higher Power of Lucky (2007)
• Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village (2008)
• The Graveyard Book (2009)
• When You Reach Me (2010)
• Moon over Manifest (2011)

The Randolph Caldecott Medal

Randolph Caldecott stood out as one of the preeminent children’s illustrators in 19^th-century England. He brought a special humor, movement, and vitality to illustrations. When in 1937, a member of the Newbery Committee suggested a second award for illustration, it seemed natural to name it after Caldecott.

Each year, the Newbery Medal Committee also selects a winner for the Caldecott Medal. American picture books published in the previous year are eligible. Past winners include the following exceptional children’s books:

• Animals of the Bible (1938)
• A Tree Is Nice (1957)
• The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship: A Russian Tale (1969)
• Shadow (1983)
• Hey, Al (1987)
• Smoky Night (1995)
• So You Want to Be President? (2001)
• The Hello, Goodbye Window (2006)
• The House in the Night (2009)
• The Lion and the Mouse (2010)
• A Sick Day for Amos McGee (2011)

The Coretta Scott King Award

The purpose of the Coretta Scott King Award is to recognize exceptional African American authors and illustrators. Greer named the award for Coretta Scott King to commemorate her continued efforts to promote the vision of peace that her husband, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. introduced during a period of great turmoil in US history.

The Coretta Scott King Award was the idea of Glyndon Greer, who organized the award in 1969 with the help of other New Jersey Library Association members. The first award was presented the following year. It was not until 1974 that illustrators were also recognized; now an author and illustrator win the prize each year. In 1979, the award was officially recognized and adopted by the ALA.

• Elijah of Buxton (2008)
• Bad News for Outlaws (2010)
• One Crazy Summer (2011)

These award-winning books for children offer excellent inspiration for collectors young and old. They provide a means of introducing kids to books of lasting value and remind adults of the beauty and simplicity of youth. Many of them became rare books in exceptional condition, especially in first edition or signed by the author. Which award-winning children’s books are in your personal library?

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

That got us thinking about other book-to-movie adaptations. Here’s a look at past favorites, in no particular order. What would you add to the list?

1. Lord of the Rings: he Lord of the Rings series has been one of the most successful adaptations to date, finding a strong following among a wide variety of audiences while preserving the integrity of Tolkien’s exceptional literature.
2. Silence of the Lambs: Thomas Harris’ psychological thriller captivated readers, and it found new life on the big screen. The award-winning film starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins was only the first of Harris’ novels made into movies.
3. Atonement: The Oscar-winning adaptation of Ian McEwan’s masterpiece starred Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, and Saoirse Ronan. The film opened the 64^th Venice International Film Festival, making then 35-year-old Joe Wright the youngest director to open the festival.
4. Jurassic Park: Though other Michael Crichton novels have found their way to the theater, Jurassic Park set a new standard for suspense movies. And…we love dinosaurs.
5. Chocolat: This tale of romance and drama brought together an outstanding cast and reminded us why we have such a love affair with chocolate. Adapted from a novel by Joanne Harris, the movie won five Oscars.
6. Harry Potter: We can’t pick just one of the movies! These adaptations of JK Rowling’s whimsical and charming novels  truly inspired people of all ages to discover a love for reading.
7. The Thief Lord: Cornelia Funke consistently thrills readers with tales of magic and adventure. The 2006 adaptation of The Thief Lord delightfully brought all that to the big screen.
8. Casino Royale: But really any James Bond movie will do! Seven different actors have played the world’s favorite British spy, and Ian Fleming’s books contain all the elements for awesome adventure stories: intrigue, danger, gadgets, and even a little romance.
9. The Notebook: Perhaps we’re partial to Nicholas Sparks because he comes from our neck of the woods. But The Notebook stole our hearts. Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams delivered stellar performances in the film version.
10. The da Vinci Code: Dan Brown was runaway success with this book, and the movie certainly didn’t disappoint anyone. Tom Hanks, ancient conspiracy theories, and plenty of action really made this adaptation a hit.

Inspiration in Action

Fleming got his start as a journalist, but later entered the British Royal Navy as an intelligence officer. It was here that he gained experience in the world of espionage. Fleming’s first appointment was as a personal assistant to Rear Admiral John Godfrey, who was the Director of Naval Intelligence. Though Fleming had no real qualifications for the position, it proved an excellent fit, and he quickly grew into the role.

Fleming later worked with Godfrey, Colonel “Wild Bill” Donovan, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt to coordinate information among various intelligence agencies, including the US agency that eventually evolved into the CIA. That experience prepared Fleming for Operation Golden Eye, an endeavor to secure an intelligence framework in Spain if the country were taken over by Germany.

Transition to Authorship

Before Fleming ever had aspirations of authorship, he was an unabashed bibliophile who began building an extensive personal library in 1929. Fleming concentrated heavily on books about science and technology, though he also collected other “books that made things happen.” His wide reading is often evident in his own work.

In 1942, Fleming visited Jamaica and determined that he’d build a home there after World War II ended.  Three years later, Fleming named his estate Goldeneye, not only after his own eponymous military operation, but also after Carson McCullers’ Reflections in a Golden Eye. He didn’t set about writing his own novel until 1952.

• The manuscript for Fleming’s first novel, Casino Royale, took Fleming only a few months to write. He was reluctant to share the novel because, as he told close friend William Plomer, “the element suspense is completely absent.”
• Fleming himself designed the original cover art for Casino Royale, and the book sold out in the UK in less than a month. Subsequent printings remained equally popular.
• The real James Bond was a British ornithologist who authored Birds of the West Indies.  The book attained world fame as Fleming, a birdwatcher himself, chose the name of its author for the spy hero of Casino Royale, as he was looking for a name as “ordinary as possible.” A reference to this connection pops up in the 2002 adaptation of “Die Another Day,” which stars Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry (watcha clip here).
• Fleming’s brother Peter provided significant inspiration for James Bond’s character. Peter served as an intelligence officer behind the lines in Norway and Greece.
• From 1953 to 1964, Fleming wrote a new Bond novel every year during his annual holiday in Jamaica. By 1966, twelve novels and two short-story collections had been published. The last two (Man with the Golden Gun and Octopussy and the Living Daylights) were published after Fleming’s death.
• Only Bond’s first five novels received positive reviews from critics. The tides began to turn with Dr. No, which received extremely harsh criticism from a number of prominent reviewers.  Despite the reviews, Fleming’s work remained wildly popular among readers.
• Numerous authors have been inspired to take up the mantle and continue the James Bond legacy. Kingsley Amis, John Gardner, Raymond Benson, Sebastian Faulks, and Charlie Higson are the most famous of these. Kate Westbrook took a fresh approach, telling the story from Ms. Moneypenny’s perspective.

To date, Ian Fleming’s Bond books are some of the most popular fiction books of all time; they have sold over 100 million copies worldwide. Seven different actors have played James Bond, and the character still continues to capture our imagination.