by Jas Faulkner S., a college friend, asked me if I would like to pick up a few boxes of her discards to donate to the Samaritan Center and/or use for Bookcrossing drops. Packed in one box was a row of Kurt Vonnegut novels and essay collections. This little section of mass market paperbacks included … Read more
I wasn’t looking *at* anything, I was looking *for* a book. A children’s book that I had vague, but warm memories from owning back in my ancient youth. Weird how as you age, memories of childhood pop up randomly. If they pop up a great deal, and your short term memory is gone, man, that … Read more
Nancy Drew, a familiar name even to those who have never opened a juvenile mystery. The original books have been edited, altered, modernized and celebrated in film and TV. Even today there are contemporary stories featuring the teenager and her two girl friends, Bess and George. But if you are like most, you’ve never heard … Read more
I receive e-mails from ABE.com, from time to time, regarding various fun book subjects, but one I never bothered clicking on is their monthly roundup of most expensive books. I suppose I didn’t think it was worth my attention, seeing as I couldn’t afford whatever it was that sold. But, bored, my curiosity finally piqued, … Read more
The instinct to collect books has always been strong for many of us. To those who understand, the knee-high to be read pile is a sign of devotion to the written word. That moment when a side trip leads to shelves or boxes of books waiting to be claimed and loved or purchased and given … Read more
Who can afford to collect photoplays these days? I checked out a link that ABE sent me. It has a super page full of gorgeous dust jacketed books representing early cinema. Most novels made into films at the time were called photoplays, and published by Grosset and Dunlap, a company known for producing reprints of … Read more
Britannica has one T…Britannica has one T…Britannica has one T… and two Ns. >sigh< Yes, I am dyslexic. Really. Last week’s announcement that Encyclopedia Britannica would cease publication of its paper edition inspired a number of eulogies from book lovers. The cessation of their production affirms to many bibliophiles that the family bookshelf as an … Read more
I know I’ve said no one can have too many books. And I mean that, if you have enough space in your hemisphere. If, like me, that space has now run out, and the tottering stacks could fall and kill a ferret, it’s time to think up new solutions. Naturally, getting rid of books is … Read more
