Category Archives: Fine Press Book Reviews

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton; Published by the Arion Press

The Age of Innocence seems an appropriate title to begin my first fine press review by a women writer in almost two years. Since I reviewed Rachel Carson’s Undersea published by the Nawakum Press, I’ve reviewed fifteen other books by … Continue reading

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me, myself, and the monkeyface eel by Kirk Lombard; Published by The Prototype Press

I was really excited to get a chance to review the first publication of The Prototype Press. The Press is a joint collaboration between David Johnston and Mark Sarigianis based in Oakland, California. I’ve owned, seen, or reviewed many a … Continue reading

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Roots to the Earth by Wendell Berry; Published by Larkspur Press

What miraculous seed has he swallowed That the unending sentence of his love flows out of his mouth… This line from the poem The Man Born to Farming pretty much sums up how I feel about Wendell Berry. I’m a … Continue reading

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2BR02B by Kurt Vonnegut; Published by Sharp Teeth Press

This very Vonnegut vision of the future was quite interesting and disturbing. Originally published in “Worlds of If” magazine in 1962, it predates Vonnegut’s most popular book, and the only other work of his that I have read, Slaughterhouse-Five, by … Continue reading

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Port William Titles by Wendell Berry; Published by the Larkspur Press

On a recent visit to San Francisco I was shocked to find a couple Larkspur Press editions at Green Apple Books. It was the first time I’ve run across Larkspur press editions at a bookseller. I picked up the cloth … Continue reading

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Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman; Published by the Arion Press

This is what you shall do: Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to every one that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue … Continue reading

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Why Beer Matters by Evan Rail; Published by Sharp Teeth Press

Once upon a time beer was my life. For a while it was the forbidden fruit that helped an awkward under-aged teen feel less awkward and even talk to girls. It also made me occasionally miss the driveway when (irresponsibly) … Continue reading

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The Seasons: Four Bagatelles; Published by the Barbarian Press

I’ve lived the endless summer of Southern California for long enough now that my body probably doesn’t have it in it to enjoy the seasons I experienced as I grew up along the Eastern Seaboard from Rhode Island to Key … Continue reading

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Moby Dick; Published by University of California Press & Arion Press

As an Arion Press subscriber, it would be disingenuous to claim that I did not wish that my subscription had begun in 1979 when the press’ leviathan edition of Moby Dick was published. Alas, I was but a senior in … Continue reading

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The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner; Published by the Folio Society

The Sound and the Fury is one of those landmark books that are the result of herculean human effort from everyone involved. The importance of the book manifests in several ways. It was influential in why Faulkner won the Nobel … Continue reading

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