Archive for April, 2011
Mother’s Day is just around the corner in the US, and it’s time to start thinking about that perfect gift. That also got us thinking about our favorite literary moms, and what they’d love to read.
Which of these famous mothers from literature is most like your own mother? Figure it out to find a gift that’s perfectly matched!
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Marmee (Little Women): Devoted, placid, and kind, Marmee embodies the grace and selflessness of motherhood. Moms like Marmee love gifts that help them nurture their families—they may not have Paula Deen’s sass, but they love to whip up a great pie. Cookbooks or crafting books are a great fit for these mothers.
Mrs. Bennett (Pride and Prejudice): Who could forget Mrs. Bennett’s passionate desire to find suitable husbands for all her daughters? Behind Mrs. Bennett’s quirky matchmaking is her devotion to love and romance. Think a first-edition Nicholas Sparks novel or Chocolat by Joanne Harris.
Molly Weasley (Harry Potter): Molly is undoubtedly a devoted mother. But she’s also a powerful witch, and therefore an unconventional career woman. Consider a book that ties into a favorite hobby, or a memoir by a powerful woman who is also a mother, such as Laura Bush.
Mary Poppins: Even though Mary Poppins isn’t the biological mother of her young charges, she steps in as a strong maternal presence. Her whimsy and playfulness set her apart from other more traditional moms. If your mother shares that spark and ingenuity, consider a favorite children’s book that will bring back fond memories.
Which famously wonderful literary mothers are missing from our list? List your favorite moms from literature here in a comment.
April 27th, 2011
Today the winners of the 2011 Pulitzer Prizes were announced at Columbia University. These prizes recognize excellence in newspaper journalism, literature, and musical composition. They are awarded to American writers and artists.
The 2011Â Winners
This year the following works earned Pulitzer Prizes in Letters, Drama, and Music:
- Novel: A Visit from the Goon Squad (Jennifer Egan)
- Drama: Clybourne Park (Bruce Norris)
- History: The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery (Eric Foner)
- Biography: Washington: A Life (Ron Chernow)
- Poetry: The Best of It: New and Selected Poems (Kay Ryan)
- General Non-Fiction: The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer (Siddhartha Mukherjee)
- Music: Madame White Snake (Zhou Long)
For a complete list of 2011’s winners, visit the Pulitzer Prizes online.
A Brief History of the Pulitzer
Named for Hungarian-American publisher Joseph Pulitzer, the awards were first awarded in 1917. Since then, categories have been added or changed to reflect the evolution of journalism, literature, and music. For example the “Novel” category was changed to “Fiction” in 1948 and now includes short stories.
The list of Pulitzer Prize winners for literature includes several legendary authors, including John Updike, Toni Morrison, and Arthur Miller. Saul Bellow, John Steinbeck, and Ernest Hemingway also earned the award.
Not every eligible literary work is automatically considered for the Pulitzer. The work must be submitted along with an application in order to be judged by the independent panel that chooses winners.
What’s your favorite Pulitzer winning work of literature? And what works of literature have been overlooked for the award?
April 18th, 2011
The short answer not only is yes, you can. It is, yes you should.
Of course you’ve also heard that “condition is everything,” so how can you maintain your book’s condition and still enjoy reading it? Both should be achievable objectives.
As you’ve invested time and money in rare books, first editions, or signed books, you’ll want to do everything you can to protect their value. At the same time, passionate, “true” collectors are most knowledgeable about the content of the books, the bindings, dust-wrappers, etc. in their collection.
So how do we go about handling the books in our collection:
- Remove the shrink wrap: If you have obtained a (leather-bound or other) book in shrink-wrap, either by the publisher or seller, the recommendation is to remove the shrink wrap. Depending on the type of shrink wrap (archival quality), the shrink-wrap might actually be harmful to book and binding. In either case though, the lack of oxygen can have deteriorating effects on binding and books, especially leather.
- Take off the shelf with care: Protect the book binding. To retrieve a rare book from the shelf, push the neighboring books in and grab the book you’d like in the center of the spine. Do not pull it out at the top of the spine.
- Be gentle: Open a collectible book only as far as it wants to go.  Don’t “crack open” the binding.
- Get a bookmark: Of course, no “dog ears” (fold down) to pages of the book.   A thin and soft bookmark won’t impact pages or binding. Better yet, write down your page number on a separate sheet.
- Protect the dust jacket: Dust wrappers are meant to protect your book, but as such, they are often the first to experience damage. See the earlier blog on protecting dust-jackets.
- Avoid sunning: We’ve seen more than one example where exposure to direct sunlight has virtually destroyed the financial value of a library by fading and bleaching out books’ dust-jackets and bindings. In short, books and documents should not be exposed to direct sunlight.  A proper reading room or library is equipped with the appropriate shutters and/or UV light protection.
As even slight wear and tear can drastically impact a book’s value, you do want to play it safe and maximize your precautions when handling and studying your book.  After all, a collection of substantial publications is a significant contribution to safeguarding human heritage and preserving it for future generations.
Further Reading:
National Library of Scotland
Related Posts:
Book Collecting Basics: Ditch the Dust Jacket?
April 13th, 2011
Today marks the beginning of the Masters Tournament, a golf tournament with over 75 years of history. Played each year at the Augusta National Golf Club, the tournament embodies the rigor, athleticism, and beauty of golf.
The Masters began in 1934. Legendary amateur golfer Buddy Jones and investment golfer Clifford Roberts launched the tournament only a year after the Augusta National course opened. Golfers were drawn to the tournament thanks to Jones’ outstanding reputation.
Designed by Alister Mackenzie, Augusta itself gained an exceptional reputation. Indeed panoramas of the course, such as Amen Corner, have become legendary images.
A Literary Legacy
The Masters Tournament quickly grew into an annual—and beloved—tradition in golf. The event has also given way to a fine literary tradition. The Augusta National Golf Course itself has garnered attention, while books like The World of Golf Collectibles illustrate the immense popularity of the sport.
The titans of golf have left their mark off the course, as well. From Byron Nelson to Nick Faldo, Masters Tournament winners offer insights and inspiration to amateur golfers around the world. These biographical and autobiographical books grant us an insider’s look into the tournament and the game of golf.
Improving Your Game with the Masters
For the player who wants to improve his game, Masters laureates have plenty of advice. Tom Watson helps golfers get back to basics. Jack Nicklaus shares 55 ways to lower your golf score.
Even the “armchair golfer” can appreciate fine editions of collectible golf books. Collectors and golfers will find a wide variety of scarce first editions, , signed and limited editions to add to their personal libraries.
Further Reading:
Interactive Timeline (Masters Tournament)
Related Posts:
The Pleasure of the Pursuit
April 7th, 2011
Here at Books Tell You Why, we love a good limerick and think sonnets are splendid. That’s why we’re happy to celebrate National Poetry Month. If you’d like to join in the festivities, here are a few ways to join in:
- Follow the Academy of American Poets on Twitter via @POETSorg. Each day in April, a different poet will compose the organization’s tweets. Today’s poet is Joshua Clover.
- Put a poem in your pocket on April 14. It’s easier than ever, now that the Academy has a mobile poetry archive—from Maya Angelou to Charles Van Sandwyk, you’ll find all your favorites right on your phone.
- Write a poem—or two. If you’re feeling really brave, post one here in the comments!
- Follow us on Facebook or Twitter. Throughout the month we’ll share tidbits about poets and favorite volumes from our extensive poetry collection.
- And yes, you can of course also browse and deplete our poetry offering.
How will you be celebrating National Poetry Month? And which poets would you like to see featured?
Further Reading:
Academy of American Poets
April 6th, 2011
