The Folio Society publishing Voltaire’s Candide

Posted on May 25, 2011 by J. Davis

Check out the new limited edition of Candide. Signed by illustrator Quentin Blake and limited to 1000 copies. It looks scrumptious!

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The Tern Press and others at Moe’s in Berkeley

Posted on May 24, 2011 by J. Davis

While up in the Bay Area for my daughter’s commencement, I made a lightning visit to Moe’s Books in Berkeley at the start of our long drive home. I briefly checked out one of Tern Press‘ Peter Pan books and it looked really nice. I was not aware of this press but in looking at their website it looks like they are worth keeping an eye on.

They had several Folio Society Letterpress Shakespeare titles as well as their fabulous limited edition of Edward Young’s Night Thoughts, illustrated by Blake. And I saw a couple Arion Press, Barbarian Press, and several Limited Edition Club titles as well. Check them out if you are in the Berkeley area.

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Pride and Prejudice in the works from the Bowler Press

Posted on May 16, 2011 by J. Davis

I noticed on the Bowler Press blog that they are planning a three volume edition of Jane Austen’s novel. Although the illustrator still is to be determined, it sounds like they have enlisted the services of Alanna Simenson to do the binding. Based on the work she has done for the Barbarian Press, I expect this might be something special. Volume I is targeted for late 2012 with the following two volumes following in subsequent years.

The first book from the press was The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde and was reviewed in the FPBA’s Parenthesis #19 by Crispin Elsted of the aforementioned Barbarian Press. I was tempted by the Wilde and now I’m being tempted by the Austen.

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Orlando by Virginia Woolf, published by the Arion Press

Posted on May 14, 2011 by J. Davis

Book with slipcase

Virginia Woolf has been on my “to-read” list for years and years. So it was with great pleasure that I read Orlando in the sumptuous Arion Press edition from 2005. Woolf was one of the foremost lyrical novelists of the English language. And what with her experimenting with stream-of-consciousness techniques and poking fun at literary biographers and gender roles, I found the novel very intriguing. I filled up four pages in my literary journal writing down passages that I loved and wanted to remember. I’ll try not to go overboard quoting them here. Her treatment of gender must have certainly caused a stir in the 1920’s and still seems mostly uncharted territory today. Much of it still rings true 90 years later but more on that shortly. Continue reading →

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The Club Dumas by Arturo Pérez-Reverte; Subterranean Press

Posted on May 3, 2011 by J. Davis

Dustjacket Cover

This was my first novel by Arturo Pérez-Reverte. I do read a lot of Spanish language literature in translation and also (slowly) in the original, so I am always looking for new authors to check out. The tie into Dumas didn’t hurt as I’ve always loved his musketeers series. So when I saw the Subterranean Press was going to release one of their signed, limited editions I had all the excuses I needed to check out the work of both Pérez-Reverte and the press. Continue reading →

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Parenthesis #20 from FPBA now out

Posted on May 1, 2011 by J. Davis

The Fine Press Book Association has just finished Parenthesis #20 and members should be receiving their copies shortly. Parenthesis is the Association’s journal and deals broadly in fine and private press printing as well as bookbinding, typography, collecting, publishing and related areas. The spring issue is produced in Europe and edited by Sebastian Carter in the UK. I’m looking forward to receiving my copy and highly recommend becoming a member. Parenthesis is free to members.

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Johnson’s Dictionary; published by the Folio Society

Posted on April 23, 2011 by J. Davis

Dictionary with slipcase

“It is the fate of those who toil at the lower employments of life, to be rather driven by fear of evil, than attracted to the prospect of good; to be exposed to censure, without hope of praise; to be disgraced by miscarriage, or punished for neglect, where success would have been without applause, and diligence without reward…Among these unhappy mortals is writer of dictionaries…Every other authour may aspire to praise; the lexicographer can only hope to escape reproach, and even this negative recompense has been yet granted to very few.” Continue reading →

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Chester River Press / Chestertown Old Book Company

Posted on April 11, 2011 by J. Davis

On a recent trip to Tilghman Island on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, I was able to sneak away from my obligations for a quick visit to Chestertown and the Old Book Company and Chester River Press. Continue reading →

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Alcuin Society Awards for Excellence in Book Design in Canada

Posted on March 30, 2011 by J. Davis

The winners for 2010 have been announced and can be seen on the awards page of the Alcuin Society website. In the limited editions category:

  • 1st Prize to Crispin Elsted of Barbarian Press for The Play of Pericles, Prince of Tyre by Shakespeare
  • 2nd Prize was split between Jason Dewinetz (Greenboathouse Press) for Alphabetum Romanum: the Letterforms of Felice Feliciano and Linda Gustafson (Enpuku-ji Press) for Words Have no Meaning
  • 3rd Prize was also a tie between Raphaël Daudelin (les éditions du passage) for L’absent by Fernand Ouellette, and Jason Dewinetz (Greenboathouse Press) for Light & Char by Jake Kennedy
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The Tamarind Wood by Carlo Toselli; Le Grazie

Posted on March 29, 2011 by J. Davis

In this book of poems, Carlo Toselli helps me answer the question of why I love poetry by dismissing the question. Continue reading →

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