Book Column, Bookshelf, Gifts for Book Lovers

Slotted Table Top Bookshelf

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These are classic and absolutely beautiful. Up front know they run $90 for each 17″ shelf, but they would be so handy. I’m pretty sure that every book lover needs two. These are angled just right to serve as “presentation shelves”. So you could have your signed firsts or mini collection of Alvin Lustig‘s New Direction covers, set out so you can enjoy and your guests can take a look.

table top bookshelf

But these table top bookshelves are also portable, so you’d need one to sit on your desk to hold all of the books you need access to, on a daily basis, as you write your book (you do have a book in you. That’s not a question. You do, whether you know it or not).

table top bookshelf 2

Of course, if you buy three, then you’ll have to start looking for the perfect library table to go under them… hmmmm…

Birmingham, Book Art, Events, library

Book Art and Recycling Books

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All Summer long the Birmingham Library system has been hosting events that teach you how to make things out of old books. I haven’t been able to make any of the evening courses yet, but they sound kind of fun and there are a few more left.

Friday, July 20th 10:00a-12:00p at the Powderly Branch – learn about “Stamps and Stiches” and use different printing techniques and sewing to create truly unique altered book pieces.

Monday, July 23rd 6:30p-8:30p at the Avondale Branch – learn “Collage and Image Transfers” to add images and depth to your altered book art project.

If you’ve missed all of the other sessions (as I have) look towards the bottom of the library’s blog post where they list a handful of books that they have on the shelves to help you get inspired and started with your own book art project.

Digital Publishing, Publishers, Publishing Industry News, Technology

With Big Data Comes Big Responsibilty

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This came across Twitter the other day and is so very true:

 My fear is that publishers will use the reader data they collect from eReaders the same way that Hollywood uses focus groups to make movies.

It’s no secret that some publishers are closely watching the reports of “most highlighted passage”, “most shared photos” and “where people quit reading the book”. Lots of good stuff to learn there.

But, there is a reason that the world is awash in too many books, crappy TV and weak movies. . . the people in charge of cranking out books, tv and movies are courting the largest mass of consumers they can. And for mass appeal you make something that equals the lowest common denominator (at worst) or is simply a novelty (at best).

Let’s hope that book publishers have a sense of all of these lessons and can do a fair job of making contributions to their readers’ lives and not just spewing books filled with the most profitable sentences their algorithms said they could string together

Book Collecting, Book Column

First Edition Casino Royale

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Here is one for the book collector wish list: a true first (First Edition, First Printing, First UK) of Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale. Just a couple of rough spots around the edges of the dust jacket. Fantastic.

Casino Royale dust jacket

This is one of the 4,728 first run printings from 1953 and can be yours for about $80,000. I wonder how many of the 4,728 are still around? The seller says that Ian Fleming designed the cover himself. That’s pretty cool if the concept was indeed his.

Back in 2008 the Guardian posted a slideshow of the 6 most popular covers the book has had. The original cover sure looks understated compared to all of the gambling Bond girls that made the book covers in later publishings.

Casino Royale first edition

 

Books, Publishing and Birmingham