We know Nathaniel Hawthorne best as the author of The Scarlet Letter, The Marble Faun, and other classics in American literature. What you probably didn't know was that "Hawthorne" wasn't the author's real surname. Born on July 4, 1804 as Nathaniel Hathorne, he added the "W" to his name so he wouldn't be associated with his ancestor John Hathorne, who was the only judge involved in the Salem witch trials.
Wislawa Szymborska won the Nobel Prize in 1996 "for poetry that with ironic precision uncovers the laws of biology and historical mechanisms in fragments of human reality." Indeed, irony is a point of distinction in her work. Her poems are at once simple and yet complex. They are told engagingly from diverse perspectives, and are consistently endowed with her distinguished wit and cleverness.
“You don't write because someone sets assignments! You write because you need to write, or because you hope someone will listen or because writing will mend something broken inside you or bring something back to life.”
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.
Even if you're brand new to the world of antiquarian books, you've undoubtedly noticed that first editions are the trade's gold standard. Indeed, first editions often fetch much higher prices than later editions, even if the books seem exactly the same to the untrained collector. But as you build your rare book collection, you can't afford not to collect first editions.
On June 10, 1936, Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind was published. The novel vaunted Mitchell to celebrity status, especially after it was adapted for the silver screen in 1939. Mitchell is now one of the most famous authors of Southern literature, a popular focus for collectors fascinated with the history and culture of the region. Though Mitchell was hardly a prolific author, she's in the company of many illustrious figures who often figure into Southern literature collections or are the focus of single-author collections.
Although Brooklyn rarely receives the same attention as Manhattan, its population exceeds that of San Francisco, Washington DC, Boston, and Miami combined. Considering its size, location, and (relatively) low cost of living, it is no surprise that Brooklyn has fostered a wealth of talented writers. Here are ten of the most collectible authors with ties to Brooklyn.
On June 27, 1922, Henrik Willem van Loon won the inaugural Newbery Award for The Story of Mankind. A prolific author, van Loon was also a historian and journalist with a keen interest in American history and politics. Van Loon's activity in politics earned him attention from Franklin Delano Roosevelt--and Nazi leaders. A few facts you may not know about van Loon and The Story of Mankind:
American writer and novelist Pearl Sydenstricker Buck, was born June 26, 1892 in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were both Presbyterian missionaries and subsequently, she spent most of her early life living in China. Buck learned English and Chinese, as well as the local Chinese dialect, and her parents encouraged her to embrace the culture as if it were her own. Buck returned to the States to attend university. Following graduation, she married John Buck and together they moved back to China. She worked at several private colleges, teaching English Literature, but did not consider writing seriously until 1927.
When it comes to literature, there are only a few honors that rank higher than the Booker Prize: an award that seeks to name the best of the best in original novels. The prize guarantees international recognition and prestige for the winning author, but it also has a history of controversy. Does the hint of a scandal ignite your curiosity? Read on to discover the shady stories behind some of these shining stars.
