London booksellers Adrian Harrington and Jonathan Kearns focus on the physical nature of the book in this informative video. Inspired by the slideshow of the scariest French children's books published recently by The Guardian, a rundown of the most terrifying children's books from across the globe. Lev Grossman on walking and reading&at the same time. Bingo, Haruki Murakami style. [more Friday Roundup]
"So that's the answer to life. If you can find a person to love, who loves life as much as you do, and loves books as much as you do, grab her or him and get married." Ray Bradbury Yesterday we lost a literary lion, Ray Bradbury. More than just an acclaimed American author, Mr. Bradbury was always a good friend to and supporter of libraries and booksellers, and a personal friend of many ABAA members. (He even spoke at one of our California fairs several years ago.) Everyone is familiar with his classic Fahrenheit 451, but the bibliography of Mr. Bradbury's work is quite extensive and well worth delving into. Below are just a few of the tributes to Mr. Bradbury that have been posted in the past 24 hours and some past interviews. I think the NEA video gives a glimpse into what an extraordinary man, and writer, Mr. Bradbury was. Up From the Depths of Pulp and Into the Mainstream The Curious Life of Futurist Author Ray Bradbury Junot Díaz on Loving Ray Bradbury Neil Gaiman Pays Tribute to Ray Bradbury Ray Bradbury's influence on our culture was transformative, says Barack Obama Fact Checking Ray Bradbury Ray Bradbury, The Art of Fiction No. 203 (a 2012 Interview withe The Paris review) Ray Bradbury in The New Yorker (2 Published pieces Bradbury wrote for the magazine, now unlocked for all readers) 21 Ray Bradbury Quotes: Your Moment of Friday Writing Zen Ray Bradbury on Sci-Fi, God and Robots: The Late Author's Biggest Ideas "Here lies Ray Bradbury, who loved life completely." R... [more Ray Bradbury (1920-2012)]
UPDATE: Please note the updated link to the stolen books, which are also listed below. In November of 2004, the National Library of Sweden made the unfortunate discovery that a department head had been stealing older, valuable books from the library's collection for several years. Here is a list of the stolen books. If you have any information regarding any of these titles, please contact Greger Bergvall or Jan Ottosson via the linked emails or by phone at +46 70 007 33 44. In total 62 books were stolen from the National Library. A list of the stolen books can be found here, including the seven books that have since been returned to the Library. Bodenehr, Gabriel. Europens Pracht und Macht in 200. Kupfer-Stücken worinnen nicht nur allein die Berühmtest und Ansehnlichste, sondern auch andere Stätte, Festungen... Augspurg, Gabriel Bodenehr, . Sold by F. Dörling 20/21 nov 1995, lot 227, to a buyer in Germany. Sold by Ketterer Kunst 17/18 nov 2008, lot 40. Carlevaris, Luca. Le fabriche, e vedute di Venetia. Disegnate, lote in prospettiva et intagliate da Luca Carlevariis. Venetia, Gio. Battista Finazzi, . Sold by F. Dörling 20/21 nov 1995, lot 242, to a buyer in USA. Kepler, Johannes. Harmonices mundi libri V. Lincii Austriæ, Godofredi Tampachii bibl. Francof, Ioannes Plancus, 1619. : Nova Stereometria doliorvm vinariorvm, in primis Austriaci figuræ omnium aptissimæ... Lincii 1615. Sold by F. Dörling 18/19 nov 1996, lot 130, to a buyer in Germany. Hobbes, Thomas. Leviath... [more Update: Theft from National Library of Sweden]
A reminder to register for the upcoming Booksellers' Seminar in Seattle, which will take place Thursday, June 28 from 9am to 4pm at the Seattle Public Library. The event is sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the ABAA and will feature lectures on reference sources for researching rare books, rare book photography, how to maintain control over your digital assets, and the importance of social media for rare booksellers. There will be a question and answer session for attendees, and the day will end with a small reception. The event is free but space is limited and pre-registration is required. Please click here for more detailed information. To register, please contact Priscilla Anne Lowry at (360) 221-0477 or rarebooks@lowryjames.com. I attended a similar seminar last fall and can assure you that the speakers are fantastic and will impart a wealth of information, so be sure to take advantage and reserve a spot today! [more Reminder: Booksellers' Seminar in Seattle 6/28]
While sorting through the returns pile last week, librarians at the Meath County library in Ireland came across a rare book that had been borrowed eighty years ago and never returned. The book was a pictorial record of the Eucharistic Congress held in Dublin in 1932 (notably, this was only 10 years after Ireland became a free state) and was borrowed from the library just a few months after the event took place, but was never returned. The library lost any record of the original borrower, who had racked up $5,144 in late fees, but with the safe return of the book, the library has decided to waive all fees (not that they would know who to charge!). It will not, however, be available for loan in the future, but will remain in the library's reference collection. The return of the book to its rightful owner is timely considering that the Eucharistic Congress will return to Dublin in two weeks (the Congress in 1932 was the last time the event took place in Ireland). Book Returned to Library After 80 Years [more Talk About Overdue: Book Returned After 80 Years]
A message from ILAB President Arnoud Gerits regarding the massive thefts at the Girolamini Library in Naples. Shortly after the reopening of the Girolamini Library in Naples in April of 2012 the Director, Marino Massimo de Caro, announced that 1500 books were missing (April 17). On April 20 the Library was closed by the Naples Public Prosecutor. Marino Massimo de Caro has been suspended and was investigated for embezzlement. On May 18, 1000 books, 240 of which have ownership stamps from the Girolamini Library were found in storage in Massimo Marino de Caro’s home city of Verona, and on May 24 Mr. de Caro was arrested on the charge of embezzlement along with four others; a search warrant is out for a fifth. In the meantime Massimo Marino de Caro has confessed to the theft of thousands of books from the library and is cooperating with police in tracing them. A number of stolen items from the library have been confiscated by the authorities in Munich (16 items), London (28 items), New York and Tokyo(uncertain numbers). According to what is currently known and what Massimo Marino de Caro has confessed so far, it is very likely that the number of stolen books from the Girolamini Library is higher than 1500 but no definitive list of missing items has been published by Italian authorities so far. It appears also to be clear that the stolen books were spread out via the trade in several countries, in both Europe and elsewhere. A number of the books can be recognized... [more Massive Thefts at the Girolamini Library in Naples]
Over the weekend the original cover artwork for Tintin in America (1932) sold at the Paris Artcurial auction for $1.6 million (1.3 million Euros), setting the new record for comic book art. The previous record had been set in 2008 by the sale of the same artwork for $973,000. The record for American comic book art was set last year when a splash page from The Dark Knight Returns (1986) sold for $448,125. Tintin in America is the third volume of the Tintin adventure books by creator Herge, and the aforementioned drawing was done in Indian ink and gouache. Only five covers are known to exist and two of them are owned privately. Tintin Art Sale Sets Record with $1.6 Million [more "Tintin in America" Cover Art Sets New Record]
The following item has been reported stolen: Title : Methode Nouvelle de dresser des Recueuils communiquée par l’Auteur. Authors : , J. Le Clerc and J. C. de la Croze, (eds.) Date of publication : 1687 Publisher : Wolfgang, Waesberg, Boom, & van Someren., Amsterdam Description : Bibliothèque Universelle et Historique de l’Année M.D.C. LXXXVI. Tome Second. Seconde Edition revuë & corrigée. If you have any information on this item, please contact Blackwell's Rare Books at rarebooks@blackwell.co.uk [more Stolen: Methode Nouvelle de dresser des Recueuils communiquée par l’Auteur]
William Haley, the son of Malcolm X's biographer Alex Haley, is asking Syracuse University to return a letter to his family and plans to make a legal claim if the request is denied. Alex Haley co-authored The Autobiography of Malcolm X, which he based on a series of in-depth interviews with the famed leader (Haley is also the author of Roots: The Saga of an American Family). Mr. Haley died in 1992. Malcolm X penned the letter in question to Haley while in Saudi Arabia after a pilgrimage to Mecca in April of 1964, only ten months before his assassination. In it Malcolm X spoke of his changing views on race relations, prompted by his journey and spending time with Muslims "whose skin was the whitest of white." He wrote, "In fact, what I have seen and experienced on this pilgrimage has forced me to 're arrange' much of my thought patterns, and to toss aside some of my previous conclusions." The letter was forwarded on to Grove Press, the publisher of the autobiography, so that it could be included in the 1965 first printing. Grove subsequently donated the archive related to the book to Syracuse University in 1969. Gregory J. Reed, William Haley's attorney, claims the publisher never had legal title to the letter, rather that Haley only lent it to Grove for inclusion in the autobiography. Reed believes the letter is worth at least $650,000 and plans to make a legal claim if Syracuse is unwilling to return it to the Haley family. The senior director of Special Collections Research... [more Legal Dispute Over Malcolm X Letter]
Ok, I'm putting it out there. I love literature, art, and music, and I am lucky enough to be a part of the fascinating world of rare books, but my guilty pleasure is what many colleagues would categorize as decidedly lowbrowI love the Real Housewives franchise. Imagine my excitement, then, at seeing my cultural worlds collide in the following promotional video for the Great River Shakespeare Festival. (Even if you're not a fan of the Bravo series, you'll likely get a chuckle.) The Real Housewives of Shakespeare Great River Shakespeare Festival [more Watch: The Real Housewives of Shakespeare]