An Advanced Peek at the Arion Press Moonstone in process

Posted on September 23, 2012 by J. Davis

Title Page of The Moonstone

I was recently visiting my daughter in San Francisco and we took the opportunity to take the tour of the Arion Press. Tours run every Thursday afternoon and are highly worth the time even if you are only tangentially interested in fine press. Blake Riley was our host for the tour and we were delighted to be joined by Andrew Hoyem as we gathered in the gallery. he explained that they are in the process of getting out their latest publication, The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins. Alas, I was a week or so too early to walk out the door with my copy, so I’ll wait for it by post like all the other subscribers. Continue reading →

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Thomas Jefferson’s Paris Walks has arrived

Posted on June 25, 2012 by J. Davis

I just received my copy of the Arion Press‘ Thomas Jefferson’s Paris Walks. I’ll put it in the queue for review. I’ve got a few hefty novels in front but may bump it up as it looks like a quick read. My initial impression of the book is that the photographs look amazing. The slipcase…not so amazing. But more on that later!

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Arion Press News

Posted on June 15, 2012 by J. Davis

I just received the prospectus for the upcoming Arion Press publication of Thomas Jefferson’s Paris Walks. This will be the first book in their 2012 subscriber series. I will post a review as soon as I have it in my hands and have had a chance to read it.

In the accompanying letter, they also revealed several upcoming titles. The next books in the 2012 series will be Wilkie Collins’ The Moonstone followed by Stones from Delphi, a  selection of poems by Seamus Heaney. They are also working on and edition of The Day of the Locust by Nathanael West, the Porgy & Bess libretto by Du Bose Heyward and Ira Gershwin, and Bouvard & Pecuchet by Flaubert. A very interesting and varied selection of upcoming titles!

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The craft of bookmaking vs. “Book Arts”

Posted on May 14, 2012 by J. Davis

There is a great editorial on this subject by Crispin Elsted of The Barbarian Press on their website. I always find Crispin’s knowledge and opinions on bookmaking and literature so entertaining and informative.

Check it out here. (scroll down through the press news at the top to get to the editorial)

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More details on the Bowler Press Pride & Prejudice

Posted on May 4, 2012 by J. Davis

The Bowler Press is now taking advanced orders on their 3 volume edition of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice. They are projecting it will take three years to complete this massive undertaking. This is also the first time that I know of a press using crowdfunding to help finance the project. I’m seeing this more and more in other areas, especially music, and think it is a great model. Good luck to them on that and we will look forward to seeing the first volume in 2013(ish). Click here for more details.

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Upcoming Limited Editions Club reviews

Posted on April 24, 2012 by The Whole Book Admin

Why are so many of the books I love so long and involved? I’m currently working my way through the Limited Editions Club 1954 edition of Marcel Proust’s Swann’s Way. So look for a review of that as soon as I am done making it through it. This is my second read of the Moncrieff translation. I had intended on reading the newer Lydia Davis translation on my next reading of Proust but am so captivated by this LEC edition that I had to read it.

And then there is more Hugo, as I have finally happened on a copy of the LEC Les Misérables in great shape at a decent price. So hopefully I can get to that soon as well.

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Handsetting Pride and Prejudice?

Posted on April 23, 2012 by J. Davis

Unbelievable, but true. The Bowler Press is planning to handset a three volume edition of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The edition will be 136 copies in two states. Look for more information on advanced fundraising to help sustain a project of this magnitude. Based on what I have seen from the press so far, this promises to be a very special edition that I hope to review (and therefore own) for The Whole Book Experience. I’ll keep you posted as details become available.

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Cetus, The Whale; published by The Melville Press

Posted on February 21, 2012 by J. Davis

 

I recently found The Melville Press through a review of one of their books that appeared in the excellent Books and Vines fine press blog. The review was for the more recent Dylan Thomas story In the Direction of the Beginning. After reading the review, my typical next move was to click on the link to the press, thereby discovering yet another press unknown to me yet practically in my backyard. The Melville Press operates out of Pacific Palisades and has published four books under their imprint since 1995. Their website states that  “The Melville Press was born from a passion for Melville’s work, and is devoted to publishing books which capture the spirit of his vision.” I’ve been in a bit of a Moby Dick mode having just read Matt Kish’s Moby Dick in Pictures: One Picture for Every Page, so when I found the press I couldn’t resist the purchase. Continue reading →

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How Words See; published by Occasional Works

Posted on February 11, 2012 by J. Davis

This book just leapt off the shelf at me when I was browsing at Wessel & Lieberman’s in Pioneer Square, Seattle. It’s an elegantly designed book of poetry about art. How Words See, or maybe how seeing turns into words for the various poets whose works are collected here. It was the cover that first caught my eye, with an owl carrying a branch across a field of words. Then once I opened it and felt and smelled the Arches Rag paper, it was almost impossible to leave on the shelf. Continue reading →

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New Fine Press James Joyce!

Posted on February 9, 2012 by J. Davis

I, for one, am happy to see Joyce’s work fall out of copyright so people can enjoy his genius without having to deal with an obstructionist estate. Lo and behold, along comes a fine press edition of one of Joyce’s childrens stories. The Cats of Copenhagen is being produced by the Ithys Press in two states: a lettered deluxe state and a numbered standard state. The total edition is 200. Check it out here.

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