Attendees to the 2011 Awards Ceremony for the National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest were lucky enough to hear Michael Dirda give a talk entitled "The Thrill of the Hunt: The Serendipitous Pleasures of Book Collecting". You may now view the lecture below, on the Library of Congress's website, or on the ABAA's website . Michael Dirda is senior editor for "The Washington Post Book World", and a noted bibliophile. Michael's talk is preceded by the NCBCC awards presentation; his lecture begins at 29:30. [more Michael Dirda: "The Thrill of the Hunt: The Serendipitous Pleasures of Book Collecting"]

Here's the equally hysterical second part of Stephen Colbert's interview with Maurice Sendak: The Colbert Report Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive The Colbert Report [more Maurice Sendak on Colbert Report Part 2]

Last night The Colbert Report aired part one of a two part interview with renowned author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, and it was hilarious. For your viewing pleasure, Grim Colberty Tales with Maurice Sendak Part 1enjoy! The Colbert Report Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive [more Maurice Sendak on the Colbert Report]

Today would be the 150th birthday of famed American author Edith Wharton, who is probably most widely known for her examination of New York society in the early twentieth century (The Age of Innocence and The House of Mirth were both centered around this theme). Wharton was a very successful writer in her time, receiving both popular and critical acclaim in addition to good compensation for her works (any writer's dream!). She composed travel essays, short stories, novels, and, later in life, short autobiographical essays. Wharton was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1921 for The Age of Innocence. In 1902, Wharton designed and built The Mount based on the principles she outlined in her 1897 book, The Decoration of Houses. Today, The Mount is "an autobiographical house", "both a historic site and a center for culture inspired by the passions and achievements of Edith Wharton." To commemorate what would have been Wharton's 150th birthday, The Mount is kicking off a year of special events. Please click here to view a list of special events at The Mount and other locations throughout the country. Wharton has recently had an impact on popular culture with the popularity of the PBS series Downton Abbey (a great show if you're unfamiliar!). The New York Times had a piece on the connection last week, with Downton's creator, Julian Fellowes, citing Wharton's novels as a major influence. It's a great article worth a read. If you're in New York and looking to get your Wharton fix, there w... [more Happy 150th Birthday, Edith Wharton!]

The Chicago-based Churchill Centre has donated $8 million to establish the first U.S. research center and library devoted to the legacy of Winston Churchill. The National Churchill Center and Library will be located on the campus of George Washington University and is slated to open between 2013 and 2015. Members of the Churchill Centre will collaborate on the collection that will be housed in the new center and accompanying library. The group's Executive Director, Lee Pollock, says that many members are eager to donate their own personal collections, and that the Washington collection could amass over 1,000 volumes. Part of the funds gifted to the new National Churchill Center and Library will also create endowments for a professor and a curator position, and $1 million is reserved to fund exhibits and special programs. University President Steven Knapp commented that the "idea here is to look at him not just in isolation but also setting him in his life and times", and the Center will place a strong emphasis on 20th century British history in addition to Churchill himself. Completion is a few years away, but I can't wait to visit! If you are interested in Winston Churchill, please check out the inventory of ABAA member The Churchill Book Specialist, who specializes in books by and about Churchill. Churchill library to be created [more Churchill Research Center and Library to Open in D.C.]

Happy New Year! We are just three weeks away from the 45th California International Antiquarian Book Fair and our office is buzzing with excitement! The California Fair is one of the three major fairs the ABAA sponsors- we also sponsor fairs in Boston every November and in New York every April- and the location alternates between San Francisco and Los Angeles biannually. This year, the fair will be held in Pasadena at the Pasadena Convention Center from February 10-12. It will be our first fair in this location and we couldn't be more thrilled, as the pre- and post-Fair hours will be easy to fill with activities and great dining. There will be more than 200 members of the ABAA and ILAB exhibiting a wide selection of books, maps, and ephemera from all different fields and disciplines. Click here to view a list of exhibitors and their specialties. In addition to the incredible offerings at the fair, there will also be a number of book-related seminars and a very special exhibit entitled "A Love Affair with Books: Personal Stories of Noted Collectors" and will explore the pursuits of collectors past and present, including some notable Southern California figures. Of course, there will also be a Discovery Day on Sunday, a feature of every ABAA fair, where you can have one of our rare book specialists appraise up to three items. Please click here for more information about fair events and exhibits. For information on hours and tickets, please click here. If you are in Southern Cal... [more 45th California International Antiquarian Book Fair]

The 2011 Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair was a blast for exhibitors and attendees alike. Below is a video that I think will get any book lovers excited about attending a fair, and certainly puts me in eager anticipation for the upcoming California International Antiquarian Book Fair, which will be held in Pasadena this coming February. Enjoy! [more Video of the 35th Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair]

The Morgan Library & Museum is celebrating Dickens's upcoming 200th birthday with a wonderful exhibit entitled Dickens at 200. Drawing from their Dickens holdings, which are the largest in the United States, the exhibition is comprised of manuscripts of his novels and stories, letters, books, photographs, original illustrations, and caricatures. The exhibit was curated by Declan Kiely, the Robert H. Taylor Curator and Department Head of Literary and Historical Manuscripts at the Morgan, and focused on four distinctive areas of Dickens's life: literary, artistic, theatrical, and philanthropic. This was the most appealing aspect of the exhibit, in my eyes; it presented an extremely well- rounded portrayal of Charles Dickens the man, rather than confining its focus to Charles Dickens the writer. In this piece, I will mention just a few of features of the exhibit that I found of personal interest. I was previously unaware of Dickens's altruistic efforts alongside Angela Burdett Coutts, the wealthiest heiress in Victorian Britain. In 1847 they founded a home, Urania Cottage, as a shelter for destitute women who had fallen into prostitution or petty crime, and the letters on display show Dickens's devotion to and administrative involvement in this venture. He developed a mission for the house and laid out a detailed framework for daily operations, purchased dresses and linens for the residents, and conferred with personnel about residents' behavior and progress. All this, keep in m... [more 'Dickens at 200': A Brief Review]

In the video below, ABAA member Dr. Sandra Hindman presents a brief overview of medieval manuscript illumination, focusing on their artistic value. [more Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts]

The awards ceremony for the National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest was held last month in the Library of Congress and included a special presentation by Mark Dimunation, in which he showed off some of the Library's treasures. As one would imagine, the excitement was palpable during Mark's presentation. Winners and attendees were also treated to a lecture by noted bibliophile and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Michael Dirda. The talk was entitled The Thrill of the Hunt: The Serendipitous Pleasures of Book Collecting. You can view the awards ceremony and Michael's lecture, which begins at the 29 minute mark, in the video below. [more NCBCC Awards Ceremony]