blogis librorum. A blog about books. Rare books.

New York is the next stop on our literary journey throughout the fifty states. Richly diverse in people and landscape, New York is a wealth of culture, activity, and beautiful scenery. From the hectic buzz of New York City to the beautiful forests and farms of upstate New York, which is full of amazing things to do and see. Today's novels span decades of American literature, showcasing both the city and rural areas throughout the history of the state. From the earliest days of America to modern city living, these books represent some of the best books set in New York. Join us as we take a closer look at The Empire State in this edition of our Top Books by State Series:

Today, we continue our literary road trip through the United States by taking a closer look at some books set in the great state of Vermont. This New England state, home to hot, humid summers and long, frigid winters, possesses a landscape of great natural beauty. Known for agriculture and forestry, Vermont's landscape has served as an inspiration to writers and artists for years. Join us today as we take a closer look at Vermont in our Top Books by State series: 

The John Newbery Medal is awarded annually to a children's book that represents the height of achievement in that field of literature. 1924's winner is particularly notable because he passed away before receiving the award. Today in our Newbery Medal Winning Authors series, we look at the 1924 winner, Charles Boardman Hawes, who, in his short life, earned the most prestigious award for children's book writers in America.

Among book collectors, fine press editions are some of the most sought-after books on the primary and secondary market. Painstakingly crafted and existing only in limited quantities, these books are as beautiful as one might expect for something so lovingly created. Today, we take a look at the roots of the fine press movement as well as how organizations today are dedicating themselves to seeing this time-intensive labor of literary love going in an era where mass printing is easier than ever before and when more and more people are turning to electronic versions of books rather than physical copies.

English writer and humorist Douglas Adams was born in Cambridge in 1952. He became interested in writing at an early age, becoming well-known at his prep school, Brentwood, and publishing many of his first projects in their paper, The Brentwoodian, and their magazine, Broadsheet.

He went on to study English at St. Johns College, where he started his comedy group and was eventually invited to participate in the school’s official comedy group, Footlights. His work with Footlights drew the interest of Monty Python’s Graham Chapman, and for a short time, the two entered into a writing partnership that should have given him the writing credits to launch his career. However, his style wasn't popular then, so he did not succeed immediately.

He eventually found work as a script editor for the classic science fiction show Doctor Who, even writing three serials for the program himself. In 1978, his best-known work, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, began its run as a BBC radio program. He went on to adapt the radio show into five beloved novels—his efforts to see them adapted into film led to the production of a well-received BBC miniseries. However, Adams passed away in 2001 and never saw the 2005 film adaptation.

The following passages represent the best, funniest, most touching aspects of Adams' unique voice and perspective:

The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually to the children’s book illustrator who’s recently published book represents the best art the industry. Celebrated illustrator Chris Raschka has the distinguished of winning this award twice, as well as illustrating a Caldecott Honor Book, which are just some of his many accolades, including a nomination for the prestigious Hans Christen Anderson Medal. Join us today as we take a look at Raschka’s career in our Caldecott Winning Illustrators Series:

What's a hero without a villain? It's a question asked in both literature and film, but with the immense popularity of villainous characters, it's no surprise. Villains provide entertainment and conflict and serve as foils from which we can see our favorite heroes from a new angle and against whom heroes can pit themselves to show what makes them special and heroic.

Each year, the Caldecott Medal is awarded to an illustrator who best exemplifies the highest quality of children's book illustrations published the previous year. Today's illustrator has released picture books for readers from the youngest up to middle grade. Though Kevin Henkes often utilizes colorful illustrations for his books and a lyrical style, his 2004 Caldecott Winning book, Kitten and the Full Moon, breaks from his typical style and utilizes black and white illustrations and straightforward writing style for young readers. Join us today as we take a look at Henkes' career in our Caldecott Winning Illustrators Series:

Octavia Butler was born in 1947 in Pasadena, California. From a young age, her mother encouraged her love of stories and writing, from buying her a typewriter in her childhood to using money for surgery to support her writing. Inspired by racial segregation and the prevalence of the white male protagonist in science fiction, Butler turned her attention to speculative fiction. She studied writing at UCLA and the Clarion Science Fiction Workshop. She sold short stories to anthologies and eventually released a novel that would become the first in her legendary Patternmaster series. Butler published throughout the entirety of her life, even throughout a battle with depression and writer's block. Her impressive body of work earned her both the Hugo and Nebula awards. She is also the first speculative fiction writer to receive a MacArthur Fellowship. She passed away in 2006 at the age of fifty-eight. Her work continues to impress and inspire. Join us today as we look at some of her most important works.

For most people, the biggest names in mysteries are Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. While those beloved masters are well known worldwide, for many young readers, their first introduction into the genre is through another author: Gertrude Chandler Warner, author of the classic children's series The Boxcar Children. Join us today as we take a look at her life and work.