Two recently published titles focus not on the fatalistic claims that we are closing in on 'the end of the book', but rather examine what the future holds for books, in both the private and public sectors. In This Is Not the End of the Book, Umberto Eco and Jean-Claude Carriere have a lively intellectual discussion about books, "reading, the Internet, book collecting and odd byways of literary and cinematic history." Michael Dirda reviewed the book in the Washinton Post on Friday, and it sounds like a highly engaging and interesting read. David Culbert, President of the Fellowship of American Bibliophilic Societies (FABS), also just edited a book on a corresponding subject. The Future of the Books & the Public Interest, published by the William Clements Library at the University of Michigan in conjunction with FABS, is a collection of ess... [more NOT the End: Two New Titles on the Future of Books]

The New York Public Library currently has an exhibit on display in its flagship building entitled Charles Dickens: The Key to Character. The exhibit "celebrates the power of Dickens's characters to be imagined ever anew, examining important precedents for his art of characterization as well as intersections between his personal and his literary creations." A few of the items on display are artwork by over twenty illustrators, the memoranda book Dickens used to jot down possible character names, and his 1867 pocket diary that contained the code Dickens used to communicate with his mistress. Flavorwire noted a very interesting part of this exhibit that the NYPL website did not mention: a replication of Dickens's 'fake library'. After moving into Tavistock House in 1851, Dickens apparently wanted to fill a space in his study with fake books,... [more Charles Dickens's Fake Library Replicated in NYPL Exhibit]

An extensive Ernest Hemingway collection compiled by a Mississippi physician was donated to the University of South Carolina Columbia and put on display at the Ernest F. Hollings Special Collections Library for a special showing earlier this week. Edgar Grissom, the 70-year-old collector and donor, has worked for more than 50 years in his quest to compile all of Hemingway's English-language publications. He likened his pursuit to "an Easter egg hunt", but now, at the end of his journey, he is delighted to assert that he has "the most complete collection of primary works in existence." William Rivers, chairman of USC's English department, agrees. "It provides a tremendous resource. It makes writing real in a very powerful way," Rivers said. "There is no other place in the world now where scholars can go to look at Hemingway's primary mater... [more Hemingway Collection Donated to the University of South Carolina]

A rare 161-year-old book of recipes owned by Beatrix Potter is set to go to auction on Thursday. Also for sale is a collection of books and ephemera from Potter's husband William Hellis's personal effects. The cookbook is full of Hellis's family recipes, clearly handed down through generations, but there are several recipes that appear to be in Potter's own hand. Richard Westwood-Brookes, a representative from the auction house, admitted that they "cannot conclusively prove" that it is in fact Potter's handwriting but that it is very likely. Nonetheless, he says that the recipe book and the other items for sale "form an intriguing insight into the daily life of one of the world's most loved children's authors." The items will be sold through Mullock's Auction House. The recipe book has a guide price of £200-£400. It seems rather odd that ... [more Beatrix Potter Recipe Book Goes to Auction]

In July, I posted about a rare first English edition of Machiavelli's The Prince (1640) that the head of British auction house Keys found during a collection evaluation. Needless to say, Keys considered it a "very exciting find" and expected to bring in between £25,000 to £30,000 ($30,992 to $46,488) at auction. Unfortunately, bidders were not as enthusiastic and the book failed to sell. As a result, the book will go back before bidders again on Thursday at a lower price, £15,000 to £20,000 ($24,358.50 to $32,478). So, if you're interested in this item and missed out on bidding the first time, here's a second chance! Rare book goes back under the hammer at Aylsham- this time for just £15,000 to £20,000 [more First English Edition of 'The Prince' Fails to Sell]

Maggs Bros. Ltd., a prominent London antiquarian book firm, currently has an exhibition on display that links contemporary art with antiquarian materials. After visiting a group exhibit in which artists were invited to create pieces inspired by a British museum, Maggs director Robert Harding had a brilliant ideawhy not replicate a similar project at Maggs, allowing artists to create unique pieces inspired by the bookstore's wonderful holdings? Why not indeed! Sponsored by the Arts Council England, Maggs is pleased to announce Maggs Beneath the Covers, an exhibition that displays twelve artists's creative responses to rare books and manuscripts they encountered in Maggs's vast inventory. This means, of course, that Maggs invited these artists to visit and examine the usually private contents and workings of their business, "an unprecedent... [more London Bookseller Marries Rare Manuscripts with Contemporary Art in New Exhibit]

Tom Congalton, newly elected ILAB President (image via ILAB) Thomas Congalton, proprietor of Between the Covers Rare Books, Inc. and long-time ABAA member, was elected ILAB President yesterday at the annual President's Meeting. His election by his international colleagues, all Presidents of their respective national associations, was unanimous. The meeting took place during the 40th ILAB Congress, held this year in Lucerne, Switzerland. The Congress will be followed by the 24th ILAB International Book Fair in Zurich, which will run from September 27-30. Tom Congalton is one of America's foremost authorities on Modern First Editions and 20th Century Literature (if you're interested in this genre and aren't familiar with Tom, take note!). He established his firm in 1985 and became an active member of the ABAA after joining in 1990. Tom is ... [more Tom Congalton is Elected President of ILAB]

These books were still reported missing as of June 11, 2019. The following items were stolen this past weekend in Brooklyn: 1. ; . Painting Illustrated in Three Dialogues, Containing Some Choice Observations Upon the Art. Together with the Lives of The Most Eminent Painters, From Cimabue, to the Time of Raphael, and Michael Angelo, with an Explanation of the Difficult Terms. London: Printed by John Gain for the Author, 1685. Quarto, three-quarter period-style calf gilt, raised bands, crimson spine label, marbled boards. Early owner signature of John Reynolds; first-issue title page printed in red and black, with 1685 date. Occasional foxing and soiling, a few early paper repairs, a few signatures embrowned. 2. Congreve, William . The Old Batchelor; The Double Dealer; Love for Love; The Mourning Bride; The Way of the World. London: J. Tons... [more Two Books Stolen in Brooklyn]

There are two exciting book festivals happening this weekend, the Library of Congress National Book Festival in Washington, DC and the Brooklyn Book Festival in, you guessed it, Brooklyn, NY. The National Book Festival is free and open to the public and will be held on the National Mall from 10am-5:30pm on Saturday and 12pm-5:30pm, rain or shine. It wil feature presentations from more than 100 authors and illustrators in a variety of genre-specific pavilions as well as a number of family-friendly activities. The festival will also have a special pavilion dedicated to the Library of Congress that will offer "a behind-the-scenes look at the many ways the Library brings its extraordinary resources to people everywhere." The Brooklyn Book Festival is also free and open to the public, and will be taking place at Brooklyn Borough Hall and Plaza... [more Book Festivals This Weekend]

Chicago's Newberry Library is celebrating its 125-year anniversary with a wonderful exhibit, The Newberry 125, and a number of special events. The Newberry 125 showcases 125 unique items from the library's holdings that "best represents the Newberry's mission, its record of collection development, and the community of learning it has engendered throughout a 125-year history." Founded by a $2.2 billion endowment in 1887, the Newberry was established as a free, public library in Chicago with the mission to"provide relevant research and learning opportunities for the public of Chicago and beyond." It quickly became involved in educational programs for the public, and in 1897 the library began to focus building an exemplary collection on the humanities. In the 1940s, fellowships for advanced research and scholarly conference were introduced a... [more Newberry Library Celebrates 125 Years With Exhibition and Special Events]