Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, 1964 A rare 1960 interview with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was recently discovered in an attic in Nashville, TN. Stephon Tull was going through boxes in his father's attic when he came across an audio reel labeled: "Dr. King Interview, Dec. 21, 1960". Tull borrowed a friend's reel-to-reel player and was amazed to hear his father conducting an interview with Dr. King. His father, who is now in hospice care, was an insurance salesman and intended to write a book during the civil rights movement about the racism he had encountered throughout his life in the South. The book was finished, however, and the elder Tull's conversation with Dr. King, as well as other interviews conducted for the book, ended up in his attic. In the recording Dr. King talks about the significance of the civil rights movement, his views on nonviolence, and the impact a recent trip to Africa had on him. Dr. King defines nonviolence and "a method which seeks to secure a moral end through moral means" and goes on to say that it "grows ou of the whole concept of love, because if one is truly nonviolent that person has a loving spirit, he refuses to inflict injury upon the opponent because he loves the opponent." In addition to the historic value of a previously unheard interview, a historian notes that there is little audio of Dr. King talking about his activities in Africa. Tull will be offering the recording at a private sale later this month. UPDATE: Magician David Copperfield ... [more Martin Luther King Jr. Rare Audio Interview Found in Attic]

These items were still reported missing as of June 11, 2019. The following seven rare cookbooks were stolen in the past 24 hours: Almanach des Gourmands, 1805 The Honours of the Table, 1791 The American Frugal Housewife, 1836 The Cook's and Housewife's Manual, 1826 The Cook's Oracle, 1827 A Complete System of Cookery, 1816 The London Art of Cookery, 1804 Note: Most of the volumes are in clamshell cloth boxes (earth tones). If you have any information on these items please contact Celia Sack at (415) 282-4712 or info@omnivorebooks.com. [more Rare Cookbooks Stolen]

Margaret Mitchell holding her book, circa 1938 (Image via Library of Congress) The estate of Margaret Mitchell has made a multimillion dollar donation to the Archdiocese of Atlanta that includes a 50% share of the trademark and literary rights to Gone With the Wind, Mitchell's Pulitzer prize-winning novel. The donation was the result of a bequest made by Joseph Mitchell, Margaret Mitchell's nephew and last direct descendant. He passed away last October. Along with his late brother, Joseph had inherited a trust that a share of the literary and trademark rights to Gone With the Wind. (The remainder of the rights are held in trust for Joseph's late brother.) Also included in Joseph's inheritance, and his subsequent gift to the Archdiocese, are a collection of signed first editions of the bestseller published in various languages{cke_protected_1} from around the globe; a number of Margaret Mitchell's personal effects, including her wallet in which her press and library card can be found; and a collection of books that contains histories and signed first editions of novels and short stories by Flannery O'Connor. Mitchell penned Gone With the Wind after quitting her job as a reporter for the Atlanta Journal and while she was at home recovering from an injury ("In a weak moment I have written a book."). The novel was published in 1936, ten years after Mitchell had begun writing. It immediately broke all sales records and won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction the following year. By 193... [more Margaret Mitchell's Estate Gifts Literary Rights to the Archdiocese of Atlanta]

A copy of Ling Shu published during the Song dynasty. (Not the recently discovered text.) Image via Bejing Digital Museum A very rare Chinese medical text published during the Southern Song Dynasty period (1127-1279)was recently found in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Historians believe the three volume, 38 page book was originally written by a Chinese doctor in the seventh century. It contains prescriptions for the treatment of 30 different ailments and includes precautions about each remedy. The covers of the book are missing but officials at the Tateyama Municipal Museum report that the text is clearly legible and the pages of the book are devoid of damage. The book was referred to in a 14th century Chinese bibliography, but this is the first time a copy of the text has been found. No originals are known to exist in China. The book was discovered in a storehouse owned by a well-known samurai family and it contains the ex-libris stamp of Kanazawa Bunko, the library of another samurai family that was established circa 1275. Rare China medical book discovered [more Rare Chinese Medical Book Published During the Song Dynasty Discovered in Japan]

My apologies for the lack of recent posts. I spent a week at the amazing Colorado Antiquarian Book Seminar and have been catching up since then. CABS was a ton of fun and provided an abundance of information, but more on that later. Now back to rare book and literary news and items of interest! [more ...And I'm back!]

This item was still reported missing as of June 11, 2019. On Monday, July 30th, staff at the San Francisco Public Library discovered that the screenplay Largo: a Story Out of the Life of George Friederich Handel was missing. The typescript piece had been on exhibition since April 2012 as part of a celebration of the birth of Harry Hay who co-authored the screenplay in 1938 with Reginald Le Borg. Photographs of the case indicate that the item was stolen between Monday July 23rd and Friday July 27th. The missing item is approximately 150 pages (8-1/2 x 11-inches), secured with two brass report clasps. The text of the title page reads: “ 'Largo' / A story out of the life of George Friederich Handel / Original Story by Reginald Le Borg / Screenplay by Reginald Le Borg and Harry Hay.” The Gay & Lesbian Center, San Francisco Public Library would appreciate any help in recovering this item. If you have information or questions concerning this incident or these items, please contact: Susan Goldstein at sgoldstein@sfpl.org or 415-557-4563 (reference desk: 415-557-4567). [more Screenplay Stolen from the San Francisco Public Library]

In a nod to ancient Greece, where poetry was considered as much of a sport in the Olympics as wrestling, NPR has been hosting the 'Poetry Games'. Poets from all over the world were invited to write an original piece celebrating athletes and athletics and submit the poem into the games. Each morning on Morning Edition a poem is selected and read, and then posted on the Poetry Games site. It is then up to NPR's audience to vote for their favorite poem. Love this! Here's a link to today's poem, Once More by Ales Steger, and you can cast your vote here. Be sure to check back at the Poetry Games section of the NPR site for a new poem each day! [more NPR Holds 'Poetry Games']

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]