Published by J. G. Ferguson Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1975
Seller: Vero Beach Books, Vero Beach, FL, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Fine condition faux red leather boards with elaborately illustrated gold front cover perimeter and spine decorations, gold front cover lettering, and gold spine lettering over a black block border. Includes Editor's Comment and Acknowledgments. Major chapter headings are as follows: Wisdom; Benjamin Franklin; History; Beauty; and Business. "Sometimes it seems almost futile to try to write anything new because it has all been said before - and so well said. Of course, any such defeatism must lead to a dead end of accomplishment in terms of literary effort. Fortunately for the living and those to come, there are many bright new stars on the panel of contemporary writers. They are skillfully telling the story of these eventful days and their words will be read with relish by future generations. In fact, the printed word today is so prolific, and the competition with the book, the magazine and the newspaper is so great, future generations will require anthologies in great number to know what our bright literary stars have said. In this anthology there has bee no effort to be erudite, consistent, unusual or educational. The prime purpose is to amuse by exposing the reader to many things he has read before and may wish to read again. Perhaps that poem he [or she] HAD to learn, to pass freshman English, is here. He may even enjoy rereading it under different auspices. It is not possible to include only those things that appeal to him. If he dislikes poetry in any form, we hope he will please forgive us. Some of us like the "well-turned couplet." On the other hand, there are those who love Shakespeare, but just cannot understand how his hallowed words should appear with some of the more commonplace choices that have arrived in this selection. It takes all kinds you know - and we have tried to select all kinds of literature." - excerpt from Editor's Comment.
Published by [Donna Thomas], [Santa Cruz, CA], 1998
Seller: Swan's Fine Books, ABAA, ILAB, IOBA, Walnut Creek, CA, U.S.A.
Signed
No binding. Condition: Fine. Limited Edition. One of 75 copies, miniature book in scroll format. This lovely miniature book, by the incomparable book artists Peter and Donna Thomas, presents a single linoleum cut by Donna in a scroll format; it would become the Book Society Distinguished Award, 1999. Peter and Donna Thomas started their press in 1976; in 1988 they changed the name of their press from the "Good Book Press" to their names. They are "one of very few presses where the proprietors write the text, create the art for the illustrations, make the paper, handset the type, print on a letterpress, and bind the book" (n.b., Bradbury p. 302). The "four views" in the title consist of one pictorial - Donna's linocut - and three literary. The first being partial lyrics of the Johnny Noble song "I want to go back to my little grass shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii"; the second a description of "Karakakooa Bay" (as it was then called) by Captain James Cook in 1779, and the third being the description of the bay by Mark Twain when he saw it in 1866. Scarce in the marketplace, as of this writing we see no copies online, our search of OCLC locates twenty-two of the seventy-five copies with institutions. ___DESCRIPTION: Scroll, case-bound in patterned paper (handmade by Peter) over boards, with one linoleum cut by Donna, a single illustration on a label on the cover, the scroll wound onto a dowel set in a handmade koa rack, with the other end of the scroll attached to a brass rod that acts as a handle for unwinding the scroll; handmade paper, printing both letterpress and polymer plate, the handset types being Canterbury and Centaur, 2.875 " by 1.75", a single scroll measuring 22 ", this no. 46 of 75 copies. ___CONDITION: Fine; the case clean and without wear, the scrolling action operable, the scroll itself clean and without wear; as new. ___CITATION: Peter and Donna Thomas Bibliography no. A92. ___POSTAGE: International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs; please inquire for details. ___Swan's Fine Books is pleased to be a member of the ABAA, ILAB, and IOBA and we stand behind every book we sell. Please contact us with any questions you may have, we are here to help.