Category Archives: Books

A Bookstore is Gone, Long Live the Books! Part 3-The British Cinema Book

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A local used bookstore recently closed after 25 years. They had a fantastic going-out-of-business sale. While part of me feels “guilty” for taking advantage of their sad circumstances, the rest (and logical) part of me knows that they needed to sell as many books as possible. Through these books, a bit of their entrepreneurial and intellectual spirit will live on. With that idea in mind, I’m doing a limited-run series where I’ll spotlight each of the volumes I “adopted” from this sweet little shop. Shine on, you bookish gems!

Today’s selection? The British Cinema Book.

The British Cinema Book

DETAILS:

  • TITLE: THE BRITISH CINEMA BOOK
  • EDITOR: ROBERT MURPHY
  • YEAR PUBLISHED: 1997
  • BFI PUBLISHING
  • SHOUT-OUT TO COVERGIRLS JULIE CHRISTIE (PICTURED, ABOVE) AND DIANA DORS (NOT SHOWN)

WHY I BOUGHT IT:

This one is pretty straightforward–I collect film books, and this is, obviously, a film book. It also partially fills a glaring hole in said collection: aside from volumes about/by individual performers and filmmakers, my section on British cinema is sorely lacking. So, you could almost call this a necessity.

Thanks for reading! I hope you like the new series. Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

A Bookstore is Gone, Long Live the Books! Part 2–A Literary Chronicle: 1920-1950 by Edmund Wilson

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A local used bookstore recently closed after 25 years. They had a fantastic going-out-of-business sale. While part of me feels “guilty” for taking advantage of their sad circumstances, the rest (and logical) part of me knows that they needed to sell as many books as possible. Through these books, a bit of their entrepreneurial and intellectual spirit will live on. With that idea in mind, I’m doing a limited-run series where I’ll spotlight each of the volumes I “adopted” from this sweet little shop. Shine on, you bookish gems!

Today’s selection? A Literary Chronicle: 1920-1950 by Edmund Wilson.

A Literary Chronicle: 1920-1950 by Edmund Wilson

DETAILS:

  • TITLE: THE LITERARY CHRONICLE: 1920-1950
  • AUTHOR: EDMUND WILSON
  • YEAR PUBLISHED: 1956
  • DOUBLEDAY ANCHOR BOOKS
  • COVER AND TYPOGRAPHY: EDWARD GOREY
  • SHOUT-OUT TO “CHARLES D. KLAPP,” WHO OWNED THIS COPY IN 1957. THANKS FOR WRITING YOUR NAME IN THE BOOK!

WHY I BOUGHT IT:

I like Edmund Wilson, sue me. I don’t always agree with his pronouncements (far from it), but I appreciate his style. The elegant cover (by my beloved Edward Gorey!) makes this book a beautiful visual addition to my collection.

Thanks for reading! I hope you like the new series. Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

[Book Nerd Links] Plimpton, Mailer, Hippies, a Real Pearl, and Hamilton

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A Bookstore is Gone, Long Live the Books! Part 1.

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A local used bookstore is closing after 25 years. They’re having a fantastic going-out-of-business sale (although Saturday is, alas, their final day in existence). While part of me feels “guilty” for taking advantage of their sad circumstances, the rest (and logical) part of me knows that they need to sell as many books as possible. And that, with each book they sell, a bit of their entrepreneurial and intellectual spirit will live on. With that idea in mind, I’m going to do a limited-run series where I’ll spotlight each of the books I’ve “adopted” from this sweet little shop. Shine on, you bookish gems!

First up? THE AUTHOR’S AND WRITER’S WHO’S WHO & REFERENCE GUIDE.

WHO’S WHO

DETAILS:

  • TITLE: THE AUTHOR’S AND WRITER’S WHO’S WHO & REFERENCE GUIDE
  • PUBLISHER: SHAW PUBLISHING COMPANY LTD
  • YEAR PUBLISHED: 1948-49 (FIRST POST-WAR EDITION)
  • MADE AND PRINTED IN ENGLAND

WHY I BOUGHT IT:

I love reference books, y’all. I love reference books so much that, for exuberance’s sake, I feel compelled to use a word (y’all) not otherwise in my personal lexicon. Reference books were my first big literary love, from the age of five. And look at me now, using the phrase reference books four times in as many sentences. That’s true passion, coming from this gal. Facts, figures, names, dates: they still bring infusions of deep joy, especially when organized into neat little categories. What beauty! I also have a penchant for writing about long-since obscured and quite dead wordsmiths and their equally forgotten creations. These are people who are not only absent from Wikipedia, but whose lives and artistry barely rate a mention anywhere on the Internet. From that standpoint, volumes like this are actually vital and necessary to my work. Yes, dead writers still rule my world.

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Thanks for reading! I hope you like the new series. Let me know your thoughts in the comments.