Finding Poetry in Unlikely Places

By Kristin Masters. Apr 17, 2013. 4:04 PM.

Topics: Legendary Authors, Umberto Eco, Poetry

April is National Poetry Month, and beautiful verses are popping up everywhere. Many noted authors have also written poems, which are often much lesser known--and therefore more scarce. These volumes are lovely additions to an author-specific or poetry collection.

     
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Sixty Years of Ian Fleming's James Bond

By Kristin Masters. Apr 13, 2013. 11:46 AM.

Topics: Legendary Authors, James Bond, Book News

Today marks the 60th anniversary of the publication of Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel, Casino Royale. The book would be the first of twelve Bond novels and two short-story collections that Fleming wrote himself, and the first in a long line of Bond novels by multiple other authors like John Gardner and Raymond Benson. 

     
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Collecting John Steinbeck Books

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.

     
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Philip Roth in Photos

Born in Newark, New Jersey on March 19, 1933, Philip Roth began publishing short stories in 1956. His first book, Goodbye, Columbus (1959) won the National Book Award, and since then he has published more than 22 books. In the 1990s, Roth won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Patrimony (1991), the PEN/Faulkner Award for Operation Shylock (1993), and the National Book Award for Sabbath's Theater (1995). American Pastoral (1997) and I Married a Communist (1998), the first two volumes of Roth's trilogy, received the Pulitzer Prize and many others.

     
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Of John Updike and Vladimir Nabokov

By Kristin Masters. Mar 18, 2013. 2:24 PM.

Topics: Legendary Authors, American Literature

Today we celebrate the birthday of John Updike, whose uncanny ability to write beauty into the mundane earned him numerous literary accolades and a position as one of America's legendary authors. Updike drew influence from a wide variety of authors, but it is perhaps Vladimir Nabokov who most profoundly impacted Updike's work. Though the two authors never met, they openly admired one another's work.

     
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Star Crossed in American Literature: Tom Wolfe and John Irving

By Kristin Masters. Mar 2, 2013. 12:53 PM.

Topics: Legendary Authors, American Literature

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. 

     
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Meet Vic Zoschak, Charles Dickens Expert

By Kristin Masters. Feb 7, 2013. 5:27 AM.

Topics: Legendary Authors, Rare Books, Book Collecting

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.

     
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Q & A with Pieter Collier, JRR Tolkien Expert

Today is the birthday of legendary author JRR Tolkien. To celebrate the day, we sat down to talk with Pieter Collier, leading Tolkien collector and scholar. Since 2002, Collier has maintained The Tolkien Library, a website dedicated to all things JRR Tolkien. Collier has been fascinated with Tolkien since childhood, and he's built an incredibly impressive collection around the author.

     
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Who's Who: Rare Book Collecting Edition

So Thomas Jefferson, Johnny Depp, and Yoko Ono walk into a book fair...

Have a punchline? Suggest it in the "Comments" section below. But what do all these people have in common? They're all noted rare book collectors. That's right: this pastime isn't just for bookworms and librarians! Here's a look at some of the most famous collectors of rare books.      
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Collecting Authors' First Books

By Kristin Masters. Dec 13, 2012. 5:05 AM.

Topics: Legendary Authors, Book Collecting, Literature

In the world of rare books, we talk frequently about firsts. Indeed, the novice collector very quickly learns the terms “first edition” and “first printing.” These descriptors often significantly increase the value of a book. But another important, and quite interesting, concept of firsts is that of authors' first works.Often exceedingly rare, an author's first work may cost much more than the later works that actually catapulted the author to greatness.
     
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About this blog

How can I identify a first edition? Where do I learn about caring for books? How should I start collecting? Hear from librarians about amazing collections, learn about historic bindings or printing techniques, get to know other collectors. Whether you are just starting or looking for expert advice, chances are, you'll find something of interest on blogis librorum.

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