The rare book community is gearing up for the 53rd annual New York Antiquarian Book Fair, the biggest book fair in the world. The fair is one of the many reasons that New York has become an epicenter of literary culture. Here's a look at what famous authors have thought of New York City.
Next week we'll be taking a field trip (of sorts) to the Big Apple. The occasion? Only the biggest and best book fair in the world! If you'll be in the area, be sure to come and visit. You can also check out several other literary hotspots nearby.
Born February 27, 1902 in Salinas, California, John Steinbeck truly made a mark on America as a writer. He won the Pulitzer Prize for The Grapes of Wrath (1939), a novel that captured the daily struggles and strife of the Great Depression. Steinbeck wrote novels, travelogues, short story collections, and non-fiction, and his exceptional contributions to literature earned him the 1962 Nobel Prize. Steinbeck and his work have long fascinated collectors.
This year Alan Noel Latimer "Tim" Munby would be 100 years old and the ABAA recently blogged about an upcoming conference at King's College to mark Munby's centenary year. Bibliophiles and rare book collectors around the world are anticipating the event, and it's the perfect time to explore Munby's contributions to bibliography, collecting, and authorship.
If you collect rare books, identifying first editions is an important skill. Each publisher has developed its own own conventions for denoting first editions/first printings. Alfred A Knopf, Inc is an excellent example of a publishing house whose style of indicating first editions has stayed relatively consistent over the years, which isn't always the case.
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...
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.
