Gore Vidal, 2009 in NYC (image by David Shankbone via Wikipedia) Sad news this morning: Gore Vidal, 86, has passed away as a result of complications from pneumonia. The witty, sardonic writer had a prolific career that included the publication of more than 25 novels, 8 plays, 14 screenplays, and numerous works of nonfiction and essays. The NY Times called him an "Augustan figure who believed himself to be the last of a breed, and he was probably right." Vidal was also a well known political activist and critic. Besides his accomplishments as a writer and intellectual, Vidal was a popular public figure whose sharp tongued sound bytes were reminiscent of Twain. ("Every time a friend succeeds, I die a little.") It's hard to choose, but I think my favorite Vidal quote is: "Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn." Words to live by. After the jump are links to obituaries, interviews, and quotes. RIP, Mr. Vidal. Prolific, Elegant, Acerbic Writer Gore Vidal, US writer and contrarian, dies aged 86 Gore Vidal dies; imperious gadfly and prolific, graceful writer was 86 Gore Vidal, American Writer and Cultural Critic, Dies Five Decades of Writing and Reviews Read a 2007 essay in Smithsonian by Gore Vidal, last writer of his kind Gore Vidal Archive Gore Vidal, The Art of Fiction No. 50 (1974) Gore Vidal Interviewed by Melvyn Bragg (2010) A Conversation with Gore Vidal Gore Vidal: In quotes Gore Vidal Quotes: 26 of the Best [more Gore Vidal (1925-2012)]
Archivist Neil Dickson with one of the newfound volumes (image via Greenock Telegraph) As you've seen from some of my previous posts, books can turn up in odd places, even within the confines of a museum, shop, or library. Greenock's Watt Library in Scotland has recently made quite a discovery within their own walls. Neil Dickson, an archivist, was working his way through the museum's holdings when he came across an old cupboard, which was obscured by a chest and appeared to have been shut for the last thirty years. Dickson was amazed to see the untouched cupboard and he was dumbfounded when he carefully opened it and saw the books it contained. "I was absolutely stunned when I realized what was inside. I have never seen such a collection of books in one place and certainly not under these circumstances," Dickson said. The treasure trove contained a 1538 edition of letters written by Marcus Cicero; an 1827 edition of Milton's Paradise Lost (one of only 50 copies) that includes illustrations designed and engraved by the artist John Martin; a 19th century Hamner edition of Shakespeare's plays; and a number of 17th and 18th century volumes on surgery, witchcraft, and exploration. The books were put on display for the public this past weekend and future showings are possible. Rare books found at museum [more Writings by Cicero, Milton and Other Rare Books Found in a Hidden Cupboard]
Yale University provides incredible online access to a number of introductory courses through the Yale Open Courses program. The goal of the program is to "expand access to educational materials for all who wish to learn." Course are free and offer virtual students a full set of class lectures and any other relevant materials. The course offerings are varied and cover a number of disciplines. I, as I suspect many readers of this blog would be, was particulariy interested in the English courses, which include Introduction to Theory of Literature, Milton, Modern Poetry, and The American Novel Since 1945. A class that caught my particular attention was Hemingway, Faulkner, Fitgerald, taught by Professor Wai Chee Dimock. The course examines major works by the three authors, "exploring their interconnections on three analytic scales: the macro history of the United States and the world; the formal and stylistic innovations of modernism; and the small details of sensory input and psychic life." I've included the course introduction after the jump. Kudos to Yale for offering this wonderful open learning experience to all! [more Yale Courses Available to the Public]
Random House announced that it will be starting a new television division to develop scripted programs based on its books. This is not Random House's first foray into the movie and television industry. Unbeknownst to me, and probably many others considering it has only released two films thus far, the publishing house entered the movie business in 2005 with the launch of Random House Films. Random House Television will follow the model established by their film division, which works with Random House editors, authors, and author's agents to obtain dramatic rights to titles in addition to working on potential movie projects with authors. Random House Television was made possible through a partnership between the US division of the publishing house and FremantleMedia, a television production and distribution company. Both companies are owned by Bertelsmann AG. Peter Gethers, who currently runs the film department will also oversee the new television branch, both of which will fall under the newly created Random House Studios. Jeffrey Levine, a former development executive at Spring Creek Productions, has been named Head of Television for Random House Television. I would be really interested to hear what readers think about a publishing house's expansion into film and television, and your general feelings about turning books into movies. Since I was young, I've been intrigued to see if a director's interpretation of a novel matched my own imagination, but the past few years thea... [more Random House Launches Television Division]
First Edition Cover Art The very rare first edition of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, which I previously posted about, brought in 30,000 ($46,737) at auction in London last week. The book was inscribed by 'Jack' Lewis and was originally estimated to be worth 19,000 ($29,600.10). Rare Chronicles of Narnia book sells for 30,000 [more Update: First Edition Narnia Book Inscribed by 'Jack' Lewis]
One publishing house is trying to ride the wave of erotic fiction that broke with the overwhelming popularity of Fifty Shades of Grey by producing erotic rewrites of classic literature. Jane Eyre, Sherlock Holmes, Pride and Prejudice, and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea are just a few tomes that will get the erotic treatment from UK publisher Total-E-Bound. Dubbed "Clandestine Classics", the publisher writes that in these reworked novels: "The old fashioned pleasantries and timidity have all been stripped away, quite literally. You didn't really think that these much loved characters only held hands and pecked cheeks did you? Come with us, as we embark on a breathtaking experience—behind the closed bedroom doors of our favourite, most-beloved British characters. Learn what Sherlock really thought of Watson, what Mr Darcy really wanted to do to Miss Elizabeth Bennet, and unveil the sexy escapades of Mr Rochester and Jane Eyre. We'll show you the scenes that you always wanted to see but were never allowed. Come on, you know you can't resist&open the pages and delve inside." Hilarious. And, based on the amount of erotic fan fiction I've heard about lately, there certainly seems to be a market for this material. The cover at the left is for Eve Sinclair's reworking of Jane Eyre, entitled Jane Eyre Laid Bare. In the novel, the Guardian reports that "the timid governess is told in no uncertain terms: 'My penis is hard, Jane. That is what kissing you does to me. My body is f... [more Literary Classics Get Fifty Shades of Grey Treatment]
There's a great article in this morning's NY Times about Rare Book School, check it out! UPDATE: A companion piece in the NY Times Arts Blog about the Hinman Collator is also worth a read. Rare Book School [more NY Times Profiles Rare Book School]
ABAA members James Bryant of Carpe Diem Fine Books in Monterey, CA and Edward Nudelman of Nudelman Rare Books in Seattle, WA recently received some attention in the press. Carpe Diem was written about by Cynthia Haven of Stanford University who dubbed the shop "the best bookstore I've never seen", and Rebecca Rego Barry of Fine Books & Collections magazine profiled Ed Nudelman. Congrats to James and Ed! [more Members in the News: Carpe Diem Fine Books & Nudelman Rare Books]
First English edition of The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli, 1640 (image via Keys) The first English edition of Niccolo Machiavelli's seminal work The Prince, dated 1640, was recently discovered during a collection evaluation in Norfolk, UK. Andrew Bullock, the head of the book department at Keys auction house was combing through a late collector's books when he was drawn to a particular shelf. "The Machiavelli was on a shelf hidden amongst a number of Common Prayer books, but some sort of sixth sense asserted itself, and I took it down to take a closer look,” Bullock said. No matter what 'sixth book sense' brought Bullock to his discovery, he and many collectors are very happy that it did. Bullock called it an "extremely exciting find" as "it is very rare for an English first edition of such an important work to come to auction." The book is 300 pages long and measures only 14.5cm x 9cm (5¾in x 3½in), but is expected to bring in 25,000 to 30,000 ($30,992 to $46,488) when it is auctioned this Thursday, July 26. Extremely rare first edition of Machiavelli's The Prince, found in Norfolk, to go under the hammer in Aylsham [more First English Edition of Machiavelli's 'The Prince' Goes to Auction Thursday]
Stephen Colbert's manuscript for his recently published children's book I Am a Pole (And So Can You!) will be on display at the Rosenbach Museum and Library and will reside next to James Joyce's manuscript for Ulysses. (No, I'm not kidding.) Colbert conceived of the book during an interview with Maurice Sendak earlier this year. Coincidentally, the Rosenbach is the major repository for Sendak's works. As one ABAA member commented, "If you are a James Joyce fan, you will cringe", and yes, I did cringe a little, but the video is hilarious. Besides, any talk of rare books and manuscripts in popular culture is pretty awesome. [more Strange Bedfellows: Stephen Colbert & James Joyce]