Book Collecting Heaven: First Editions Second Thoughts

Roald Dahl's Matilda Extra-illustrated by Quentin Blake with eight pen and ink vignettes on front free endpaper (entitled 'The Reader of Books'), signed and dated 'Quentin Blake 25.2.2013'First Editions Second Thoughts is a fundraising auction for English Pen curated by noted bookseller Rick Gekoski.Gekoski invited authors to:"scribble second thoughts, marginalia or drawings throughout the work in whatever fashion moves you, thus singling out this particular first edition and making it even more desirable for a reader or collector to want to own."Kazuo Ishiguro sketch in The Remains of the DayThe result was "some authors annotated on many pages of the...

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Bound by Tuttle: The Amazing Bindings of Richard Tuttle

The Raven 10” x 12” One of Richard Tuttle's latest magical bindings is aptly called "The Raven." For it Tuttle takes a copy of the 1995 Folio Society edition of Poe's classic poem and binds it in some black goat leather boards. The boards and endpapers are then "feathered" to give binding  the impression of flight. The book is able to stand alone for display.Here is a sampling of some of his other recent astounding creations:A copy of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World bound in lamb skin over boards that feature a drug dispensary motif with the titles and commentary...

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Spend Midsummer Online with The Royal Shakespeare Company

Oberon wakes Titania as Bottom sleeps in her bower and Lysander, Demetrius, Helena and Hermia sleep on their trapezes in Peter Brook’s 1970 Royal Shakespeare Co. production of Midsummer Night's Dream at Stratford-on-Avon. Photo: Joe CocksThis summer marks the 40th production of Midsummer Night's Dream by the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC).To celebrate RSC has announced  "a ground breaking digital theatre project –Midsummer Night’s Dreaming – in partnership with Google Creative Lab." Here is what's going on:Across Midsummer weekend (21 – 23 June) the play will be performed by an acting company in real time... culminating in a wedding, which you can attend.Meanwhile,...

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A Visit to "The Mouse Library"

"Do Not Disturb Me!" 40x20cm [15.75" x 7.87"]Welcome to Souris de Bibliotheque (The Mouse Library), an amazing series of painted clay sculptures by French artist Véronique Didierlaurent.There is so much strength packed in these small creations; the dreamy serenity these women exude is contagious! Enjoy the selection."the climber books" 55x25cmProvisions for the road?" 35x20 cm  "The long literary chair" 45x20 cm"the bookmark" 35x25 cm"Playing perched" 40x20 cm"Lili-Larousse" 35x20 cmSumptuous!Artist's website

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Day Jobs of the Poets

The latest bookish strip from Grant Snider at Incidental Comics. Who adds:This comic is factual, but it requires a couple clarifications: Wallace Stevens was an executive at an insurance company, not your average insurance salesman. And there's no evidence that Emily Dickinson liked cats, but her sister Lavinia was cat-obsessed. So Emily must have been forced to cat-sit occasionally.Previously on Book Patrol:Performance-Enhancing Drugs for Writers and more from Grant Snider

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