March has arrived, and with it some seriously chilly weather; the "snowquester" looms on the mid-Atlantic, and Northern states are still digging their way out of the latest storms. Thus March has truly lived up to the adage "In like a lion, out like a lamb"! A few rare books that would be perfect for this month...
Today is the birthday of both John Irving and Tom Wolfe. These two legendary authors have made incredible contributions to American literature. They also launched one of the best known feuds of modern times.
Today we celebrate the birthday of Daniel Handler, who is perhaps better known by his pseudonym, Lemony Snicket. The American author became an international sensation thanks to his 13-book Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events.Handler was born on February 28, 1970 in San Francisco, California.
Tonight marks the 85th Annual Academy Awards, lovingly known as the Oscars. The awards recognize the year's best in film, acting, and production. This year's nominees for the honor of best film include Life of Pi, the charming and innovative novel by Yann Martel. Movie adaptations of books are frequent contenders at the Oscars, and if Life of Pi wins Best Picture, the movie will join an illustrious list of films that started as books. Find it and many other first editions in our Movie Tie-Ins category.
Today we celebrate the birthday of extraordinary author Anaïs Nin. Born and raised in France, Nin was of Cuban descent.
She spent time in Spain and Cuba before settling in the United States and building her reputation as a writer. Nin faithfully kept a journal and also wrote numerous novels, essays, short stories, and erotica.
Randolph Caldecott, the namesake of the Caldecott Medal, started his career as a banker. Yet he was always sketching the buildings and landscapes that surrounded him. In 1861, Caldecott had his first drawing published in the Illustrated London News. After more of his work appeared in both local and London publications, Caldecott finally took the plunge and moved to London to make a life for himself as an artist.
Today we celebrate the birthday of Charles Dickens, a beloved author whose works defined the Victorian era. It's the perfect time to introduce our colleague and friend, the inimitable Vic Zoschak. Vic is the proprietor of Tavistock Books in Alameda, CA.
Candace Jordan has made an incredible name for herself in Chicago society. A former actress and model, Candace now authors a Chicago Tribune column, hosts an online show called "Candid Candace Chicago," maintains her own blog, and regularly contributes to A Perfect Event and STATUS magazines.
Last week we traced the history of the book up through the Middle Ages, exploring the evolution of books from stone tablets to codices. This week we'll finish our historical journey with a look at some of the key developments in the book's history.
