If you collect modern first editions, you're certainly familiar with some of the great stories of our time. Novels like Harry Potter, White Teeth, and Gods and Generals have become cultural guideposts in their own right. But our rare books always tell another story, one that isn't written on their pages; they tell the story of the authors who wrote them. These five authors, popular among collectors of modern firsts, also made fascinating debuts in the literary world.
Tomorrow we celebrate Independence Day in the United States. We usually associate the holiday with the Founding Fathers: George Washington, Aaron Burr, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin. And while these great men certainly played pivotal roles in the birth of a new nation, they were supported by strong leaders whose contributions often go uncelebrated. One such man was John Rutledge, who hailed from none other than Charleston, South Carolina.
Today marks Canada Day, a holiday commemorating the unification of three colonies into the single country of Canada under British rule under the British North America Act enacted on July 1, 1867. Originally called Dominion Day, the holiday's name was changed in 1982. Today, Canadians all over the world celebrate Canada Day, and it's the perfect time to recognize Canadian authors' tremendous contributions to the art of the printed word.
HIS golden locks Time hath to silver turnd;
O Time too swift, O swiftness never ceasing!
His youth gainst time and age hath ever spurnd,
But spurnd in vain; youth waneth by increasing:
Beauty, strength, youth, are flowers but fading seen;
Duty, faith, love, are roots, and ever green.
Today, June 22nd, is renowned author Dan Browns birthday. He has much to celebrate considering Inferno, his latest book released last month, is the number-one hardcover novel on The New York Times Bestseller List. Since publishing The Da Vinci Code in 2003, he has been one of the worlds most popular (and controversial) authors, forever ingrained into the landscape of contemporary fiction. While it seems every book he releases becomes an overnight blockbuster, it may surprise you that Dan Brown wasnt always the King Midas of the modern thriller novel.
Since its inception in 1838, G.P. Putnam's Sons grown into one of the most respected--and controversial--publishing houses in the United States. In 1996, the publishing house became an imprint of the Penguin Group and continues to publish the works of outstanding authors of both fiction and non-fiction.
"With some venial exceptions on the score of egotism and indiscriminate admiration, his work exhibits the most copious, interesting, and finished picture of the life and opinions of an eminent man, that was ever executed; and is justly esteemed one of the most instructive and entertaining books in the English language"
-Robert Anderson, of Life of Samuel Johnson in Works of the British Poets (1795)
Summers the season of beaches, swimming, and leisurely drives. Whether youre headed out on an adventure of your own, or traveling through the pages of a book from the comfort of your armchair, youll love these classic books that capture the spirit of the Road Trip.
With the London International Antiquarian Book Fair this weekend, book lovers will descend on the illustrious city in record numbers! If you'll be among the visitors, you'll want to check out these literary hotspots!
Containing over 150 million items from around the world, the British Library is one of the world's great repositories of knowledge.Currently on exhibition is "Propaganda: Power and Persuasion," "the first exhibition to explore international state propaganda from the 20th and 21st centuries." The exhibition has earned rave reviews. Friday's screening of Eisenstein's Strike (USSR, 1925) is the perfect complement to the exhibit.
Charles Dickens began writing Great Expectations in 1860. According to his friend and biographer John Forster, Dickens indicated in a letter around October 12, 1860, that he intended the new novel to be "humorous and droll."*
Clearly the book took a different turn--including a final one after Dickens had already submitted the final chapters to the printer in June 1861. At the advice of a trusted friend, Dickens changed the ending to Great Expectations, a decision that has intrigued critics and collectors ever since.
