Pages & Proofs

In 1946, author George Orwell published an essay in the Evening Standard newspaper called A Nice Cup of Tea. If you like a nice cuppa then you’ll enjoy this piece: A Nice Cup of Tea, January 12, 1946 If you look up ‘tea’ in the first cookery book that comes to hand you will probably […]

A very interesting item has been listed for sale on AbeBooks.com – a fully functioning reproduction of the Gutenberg Press.  You can put a piece of history in your living room and print your own books. It’s one third scale of the original and hand-built from oak, and the seller reports that it is more […]

If you have a colonial era printing press tucked away in the cellar, here’s a video about how to use one.

I have always loved how the first hardcover edition of I am Legend looks like it has been illustrated with red, blue and black biros. Richard Matheson’s death at 87 was announced yesterday and there are several very readable obituaries published today. Matheson made major contributions to fantasy, horror and science fiction. His writing scared […]

I don’t have much say. It’s Monday and I’m worn out after a four-day trip of outdoor adventure, so I’m just going to show you this lovely book from 1935. The Book of Canoeing: How to Buy or Make Your Canoe and Where to Take it by Alex R Ellis covers canoeing on canals, rivers, […]

Take a look at this beautiful prohibition-era cocktail book, Americana, that is listed for sale by British bookseller Paul Foster. It contains eight hand blocked, hand coloured cocktail napkins mounted into the book. The words “non-alcoholic” are inserted after every alcoholic ingredient, according to Foster’s description.  The book is “Dedicated to serious drinkers everywhere” with […]

All the concern about government surveillance inspired us to revisit 1984 by George Orwell. It’s been 20 years at least since I read that novel and I’d forgotten about just how scary and how relevant that book is. On Reddit, I saw an interesting debate where people were discussing whether the ending matters. It does […]

The Hobbit bandwagon rolls on. The Desolation of Smaug is set to open on December 13.

Two first editions of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four have sold this week on AbeBooks as surveillance by our governments continues to be the No.1 news story around the world. A first edition, first printing in a green dust jacket sold for $3,000 (about £1,913) and a first edition, first printing in the red dust jacket sold […]

Like many British avid readers, I read a lot of Iain Banks’ books during the late 1990s. I cannot remember if I read The Wasp Factory or The Crow Road first. I think I watched the 1992 BBC adaptation of Crow Road and that put me on to his books. Both are very good reads for […]