Aldus Society NotesAugust, 2014 Volume 14, No. 3

September 11, 2014: Rare Books about Early Ohio Archaeology - Presented by Dr. Jarrod Burks, Ohio Valley Archaeology, Inc.

WhenEuropean-AmericantravelersandpioneersfirstsetfootinOhio,theycouldnothelpbuttonoticethemassiveearthenconstructionsthatdottedthelandscape,signsofacivilizationlongsincepassed.Thedebateaboutwhocreatedtheseearthworksragedforacentury,untilitwasfinallyputtorestbytheBureauofEthnologyattheSmithsonianin1894.Inalandmarkbook,withtheno-nonsensetitle“ReportontheMoundExplorationsoftheBureauofEthnology,”archaeologistCyrusThomasconcludedthatthemoundsandearthworksofOhioandinmanysurroundingstates,thosethatwetodayseeinparks,alongroads,andinourverybackyards,aretheproductofNativeAmericaningenuityandeffort.Todayweknowthatnearlyalltheseancientmonumentswereconstructedbetween400B.C.andA.D.400. Informulatinghisconclusionsandillustratinghisarguments,Thomasreliedonmapsoftheearthworksandmoundsthatwerepublishedinmanybooks,folios,and

articlesfromthe100yearsprecedinghisefforts.Evenbythe1880sand1890s,whentheSmithsoniancrews

wereoutinthefieldcollectingnewdata,manyofOhio’searthworkshadalreadydisappearedfromthesurface.Lessthanonehundredyearsofplowingandlandlevelingdidwhatnearlytwothousandyearsofnaturalweatheringanderosioncouldnot.NineteenthcenturyfarmingandlanddevelopmentflattenedmanyofOhio’sgrandancientmonuments.Andtothisday,themapsofseveraldozennineteenthcenturybooksandarticlesareallthatremainoftheearthworks…orsomanypeoplethought. TheworkofDr.JarrodBurksandothersintheregionseekstore-discovertheancientmonumentsthatsurroundus.Relyingontheoldpublishedmapsanddescriptionsasguides,Jarroduseshigh-techgeophysicalsurveyinstrumentstosearchforthefoundationsofflattenedearthworksandmoundsoncethoughttobedestroyed.HispresentationtotheAldusSocietywill

Aldus Society MeetingsRegular meetings of the Aldus Society are held at 7:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of the month between September and May.

Thurber Center, 91 Jefferson Avenue, Columbus, OhioSocializing at 7:00 p.m.

Free parking behind Thurber House and at State Auto rear parking lot (between 11th St. and Washington)

Map of the Junction Group site in Ross County, Ohio published in Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley by Squier and Davis (1848).

Magnetic survey results from the Junction Group; note the many similarities and the one major difference (the quatrefoil!) between the Squier and Davis map and the new magnetic map. CONTINUED on page 4

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AsIlookforwardtoAldusSociety’s15thyear,IhavebeenreflectingonourpersonalintroductiontotheAldusSocietyandtheworldoffolkswithbibliographicinterests.CarolandIwereatthesecondmeetingoftheAldusSocietyonarainynightattheThompsonLibrary.WehadseenanarticleintheDispatch announcingtheformationandmeetingofthisneworganizationofbooklovers.(IhadonlyrecentlylearnedoftheRowfantClubandwonderedifColumbushadsuchanorganization.) Carolwasn’tparticularlyinterested,butagreedgowithme.BobTaubertalkedaboutthehistoryandpublicationsofOSU’sLoganElmPressandtherewasadrawingforitspublication,A Tale Told Twice.Carolwasawinneranduponseeingthepublicationsaid,“Well,Iguessweshouldjoin.”Wedidandhaven’tlookedback. UndertheleadershipofGeoffSmith,RonRavneberg,GenieHoster,BillEvans,andEdHoffman,supportedbydedicatedTrusteesandmanyvolunteers,wehavebeenblessedovertheyearswithinterestingbook-relatedpresentationsandfieldtrips,specialworkshops,GeoffSmith’s“FirstSaturdays,”holidaydinners,bookauctions,andsummerpicnics. Thisyear’sprogramming,plannedbyMarilynLogueandlastyear’sProgramCommittee,willbringusanotheryearofqualityprograms.We’llhearpresentationsfromacollectorofearlyArchaeologybooks,BowlingGreenUniversity’spopular-culturebooksandotherpopular-cultureitems,theownersofjustAjar Design+Press,theauthorofThe Archimedes Codex,thehistoryofThe Kenyon Review,theheadoftheUniversityofKansas’sSpencerResearchlibraryandtheAldusmemberstalkingabouttheirpersonalcollectinginterestsatthepopularAldusCollectsprogram. Theyearwillbehighlightedwiththemembers-onlyHolidayDinnerandBookAuction,afieldtriptoDaytontoviewtheStuartRoseexhibition,Imprints and Impressions: Milestone in Human Progress,andFirst SaturdaysatOSU’sRareBooksandManuscriptsLibrary.Otherfieldtripsandperhapsworkshopsand“BookCrawls”arelikelytobeaddedduringtheyear. DetectiveCyrusBarker,inWillThomasVictoriannovelSome Danger Involved,observedthat“Toabibliophile,thereisbutonethingbetterthanaboxofnewbooks,andthatisaboxofoldones,”asentimentsharedbymanyofus. - Emerson

Insidethisoverstuffednewsletter,you’llfindarticlestodelighteverybookloverandcollector.BillRichwritesaboutswashbucklersandheroes.GeorgeCowmeadowBaumanwillsurprisereaderswithhiswonderfularticleaboutBeatrixPotterandheranimalfriends.YouwilllaughatDonRice’sclerihewsandmarvelatMatthewSchweitzer’s1495bible.Ifthatisnotenoughfoodforthebibliophile,therearearticlesaboutlibraries,pulpfiction,andmorelibraries.That’safancywayofsaying,thereissomethingforeveryone. Ifyouarestilllookingforagoodbooktoreadthissummer,pickupMichaelBlanding’sThe Map Thief.HewritesaboutE.ForbesSmileyandhiscareerasmapcollectorcumthief.Bestofall,thebookrecountsthehistoryofmapmaking,printing,andpublishing.ThisreadablehistoryisverydifferentfromMilesHarvey’sIsland of the Lost Maps: A True Story of Cartographic Crime whichrecountsthelifeandtheftsofGilbertBlandandothernotoriousmaptheftsthroughouthistory. Asalways,thankstotheAldineswhowritearticles,longandshort,forthenewsletter,andDonRicewhodoesthecopyediting.Icouldnotdothisjobwithoutyou. Untilthenextissue, MiriamKahn,Editor(amongotherthings).

The Aldus Society

Board Members

PresidentEmersonGilbert

SecretaryJ.WesleyBaker

TreasurerAmyBostic

RonaldBeachNancyCampbell

EdHoffmanCraigJohnsonDebraLewis

HelenLiebmanDonRiceLoisSmith

Photographer at LargeGeorgeCowmeadowBauman

AldusSocietyNotesispublishedthreetimesa

year.Forarticleideasandsubmissionscontactthe

NewsletterEditor,MiriamKahnatmbkcons@gmail.com,

or614-239-8977.

NewsletterdeadlinesareAugust1,December15,

andApril1.

Contact InformationP.O.Box1150

Worthington,OH43085-1150www.AldusSociety.comaldussociety@gmail.com

President’s Message

Editor’s Note

AldusSocietyNotes,Volume14,No.3waspublishedinAugustof2014.BodycopyissetinGaramond,andheadlinesaresetinFranklinGothic.

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TheRayandPatBrowneLibraryforPopularCultureStudieswasfoundedin1969,withthemissiontoacquireandpreserveresearchmaterialsonAmericanpopularculture.Oneofthemajorfocusesofthecollectionhasalwaysbeenpopularfiction.Todaywehavearound70,000catalogedbooksthatfallintosomepopularliteraturegenre:western,sciencefiction,fantasy,romance,detectivefiction,andmore.Thepopularfictioncollectionalsoincludessuchformatsasnickelweeklies,dimenovels,pulpmagazines,vintagepaperbacks,comics,andcurrentpaperbacksandhardcoversbyavarietyofpublishers.ThecollectioncanbesaidtotellthestoryofAmericanpopularfictionfrom1870stothepresent,notonlybystorycontentsbutalsothephysicalformatsandmarketingstrategiesofpopularfictionpublishers.Forinstance,thepulpmagazinescouldbesaidtohaveaninfluenceonthedevelopmentofaspecificAmericanversionofsciencefictionandtheinventionofthe“weirdtales”genre.Inanotherexample,thecollectionreflectshowseriesromanceshavebeenmarketedovertime. ThepopularfictioncollectionshowshowparticularcharactersandmotifsdevelopandthenbecomepartofanAmericanmythology.Themaskedsuperheroappearsinthepulps(theSpider,BlackBat,theShadow)beforethecomicsfeaturedsuchheroesasBatman.NickCarterappearedfirstinnickelweekliesandnowincomics.Asthecharacterschangeintheirdifferentmanifestations,sohavethehistoricalsituationsthatcreatedthem.TheBrownePopularCultureLibrary’sfictioncollectionisauniquecollectionthatreflectstherolesuchliterarycharactersplayinourliteraryhistoryandhowtheyreflectourhistoricalcircumstances.NancyDownisHeadLibrarianoftheBrownePopularCultureLibrary.ShehasanMLSfromIndianaUniversityandaPh.D.inEnglishLiteraturefromDrewUniversity(NJ).Herresearchinterestsincludepopularculturearchivesdetectivefiction,andpulpmagazines.Inhertwenty-fiveyearsatBowlingGreenStateUniversity,Nancyhasbeenacataloger,referencelibrarian,andnowheadsthePopularCultureLibrary.

October 9, 2014: Popular Fiction as Popular Culture - Nancy Down, Librarian at Bowling Green State University

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juxtaposeoldandnewimagery,revealingtheskillsofearlycartographersandallofthemanyancientwondersthattheymissedforlackofmoreadvancedmappingequipmentandknowledgeaboutwhatliesbelow.Fromfindingssuchassmall

newenclosuresatwellknownsitestonewlyrevealedearthworkcomplexes,andanew“lostcoil”atSerpentMoundtoboot,geophysicalsurveyisheraldinginaneweraofremarkableearthworkdiscoveries.

Nov. 13, 2014: Designing and Printing Using Old Types by Bobby and Sara Rosenstock, justAjar Design Press, Marietta, OH

ARCHAEOLOGY from page 1

Magnetic survey results from the Snake Den Group in Pickaway County, Ohio. First mapped by the Ohio Historical Society in 1897. The large outer enclosure (ditch) surrounding the mounds and hilltop detected in the magnetic data is a new find, the small square with rounded corners was originally recorded as a circle.

SaraandBobbyRosenstockwillspeakaboutletterpressprintinganddesign.OwnersofjustAjarDesignPressinMarietta,Ohio,theRosenstocksspecializeinletterpressandgraphicdesign.Bobbycreatescustompostersfromwoodcutsandsetstypeontheirhandcranked&foottreadlepoweredpresses.SaraheadstheGraphicDesigndepartmentatMarietta

CollegeanddoesarangeofcommercialdesignworkforjustAjarhttp://justajar.com/. Theirtalkwillfocusonthereemergenceofletterpressprinting,anditsroleasatool

forartistsanddesignersinthe21stcentury.Intheageofshoppingonline,theyareinterestedinthelocalrolethatgraphicdesignandprintingcanhaveontheircommunity.Whetherhostingatypesettingworkshopforcubscouts,workingwithlocalbusinessesandschools,orcreatingpostersfortownevents,theyseethepositiveaffectthatattractive,well-crafteddesignhasonacommunity.Visitorsandworkshopparticipantsgainanappreciationforage-oldcraftsandequipment. Sara,fromMountVernon,Washington,holdsaBFAfromAlfredUniversityandanMFAinGraphicDesignfromTylerUniversity.Bobby,fromMarlboro,NewJersey,holdsaBAFAfromAlfredUniversityandanMFAinBookArts&PrintmakingfromtheUniversityoftheArts.TheyresideinMarietta,OhiowiththeirdaughterElle.

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Ladies’ Luncheon TenmembersgatheredforlunchonJuly19thattheMCLCafeteria.Theselunchesarescheduledquarterlyandprovidewomenmemberswithanextraopportunityfor“bibliofellowship”-theenjoymentofbooksthatisenhancedbysharingitwithothers. Membersbroughtseveralbookstoshow,includingtheexcellentreadinglistatthebackofThe End of Your Life Book ClubbyWillSchwalbe,The Snow GoosebyPaulGallico,andThe Goat Island Journal 1993 byCarolSchwartzott.

Susan Meyer (left) helped Marcia Preston show members the accordion book about the four seasons on Goat Island, a place in the Niagara River near the falls.

Summer Book Crawls July5thwasthedateforourfirstsummerbookcrawl.Atleast14Aldusmemberscrawledtheirwaytobookstoresandaroundstacks.TheystartedattheVillageBookshop(it’stheoneinthelittlewhitechurch),2424WDublin-GranvilleRd.,Linworth43235.Withtoolittletimetobrowse,intrepidAldusmembersventuredtotheAcornBookshop,1464West5thAvenue,Columbus43212,wheretheyweretreatedtoanicediscountiftheytookbookshomewiththem.ThecrawlendednearbyatMatttheMillersTavern,1400GrandviewAvenue,Columbus43212.Satiatedandwithgroaningarms,bookcrawlersweredeterminedtosaveupforthesecondcrawl. TheAugust2ndbookcrawltraveledtoBillRadloff’sLittleBookshop,58EastMainSt,Westerville43081,whereheprovidedagreatdiscountforallAldusmembers.ThenontoHoffmanBooks,4167NorthHighSt,Columbus43214(withsimilardiscounts!).TheCrawlendedatLavashCafe,2985NHighSt,Columbus43202wherebookcrawlersfeastedonthescrumptiousbuffet.

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Picnic 2014 Arecord48folksgatheredtogetherforourannualinformalpicniconSunday,June22nd.Theweatherwasperfectandsunny;nottoohot,nottoowindy.Thetablesgroanedwithfood.Colorfulsaladsviedwithscrumptiousdessertsforattention.SomeAldinesstartedwithdessert,othersthehealthyfood.Ourregularmeetingroomhummedwithconversationaboutbooks,food,andmorebooks.SeveralmemberstookadvantageoftheThurberCenter’swonderfulwrap-aroundporch,sittingintheshadeandpleasantatmosphere. Ourpicnicwaspunctuatedwithawardshandedoutbyouroutgoingandincomingpresidents,EdHoffmanandEmersonGilbert.TheydistributedbookmarkscarefullycraftedbyChristinetohardworkingvolunteers.Thisyear’svolunteersinclude:GeorgeBauman,HarryCampbell,TomDearing,ErinDeel,ChristineHayes,CarolGilbert,GraznyaGrauer,LaniHeilman,TinaHoffman,GenieHoster,JayHoster,SueJohnson,MiriamKahn,LeahKalasky,SteveMarks,LauraMasonbrink,SusanReed,GeoffSmith,andPaulWatkins.

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EveryyeartheFellowshipofAmericanBibliophilicSocieties(FABS)holdsabooktoursomewhereintheUnitedStates.It’sagreatchancetoseeworldclasscollections,bothprivateandpublic,andenjoythecompanyofbooknerdsfromallover.ThisyearwasCleveland’sturn. Rememberthemovie,If It’s Tuesday This Must Be Belgium?InJuneontheFABStouritwas:If It’s 2:15 This Must Be The Cleveland Institute of Art. RingmasterTerryShockeyofthehostRowfantClubkeptusprancingatasteadyclipaswevisitedatleasteighteen(yes-18)separatemuseums,librariesandindividualhomesoverthethreefullandtwohalfdays.Healsothrewinacemeterybustourwithbookishinterest.Whew!Imaybemissingafewinthecountsinceseverallocationshadmorethanonesignificantrarebookarea.Thelibrariansandcuratorswhogreeteduswerethrilledtohavesuchanattentiveaudience.Attimesexhausting,butalwaysfascinating,thebreadthandqualityoftheselectionsmadeforusbyTerryandhisRowfantFelloweswillbehardtotop. OurhomebasewastheGliddenHotel,aconvertedrobberbaronmansion.ItislocatedonUniversityCircle-theheartofculturalactivityinCleveland-andmostofourtourstopswerewithinwalkingdistance.Manydeservedmoretime,butTerry’srallyingbellwasinsistentandoffwewouldgotothenextvenue.Agreatsampling,butareturntriponaleisurelysummerdayisdefinitelyinorder.

Some highlightsThebehindthescenestourofSeveranceHall,home

oftheClevelandOrchestra,hasacatwalklookatthemorethansixthousandindividualpipesontheconcertorgan.

TheCrawfordAuto-AviationCollectionatthe

WesternReserveHistoricalSocietyLibrarybuildingjustoffUniversityCirclecontainsover50automobilesshowingthehistoryofthecaroverthepast130yearsorso.Myfavoritesincludethe1910Hupmobile–thefirstcartodrivearoundtheworld.(ittookaboutayear).Thebrightred,bigfinned1958Chrysler300Dwhichstretchedoutto220incheswasasighttobehold.Forall

youHondaCivicdriversthat’sover18feetlong!Tryparallelparkingthatinfrontofyourfavoritebookstore. TheClevelandinstituteofArtLibraryhadagreatdisplayofseminalartists’booksincludingEdwardRuscha’sTwenty Six Gasoline Stations,JohnBaldessari’sBrutus Killed CaesarandHeidiNeilson’sAtlas of Punctuation.Fascinating. TheIngallsLibraryintheClevelandMuseumofArthasacompletesetofworksprintedbyWilliamMorrisattheKelmscottPress. OnthetriptoOberlinCollegewewerejoinedbyseveralotherAldusmembers.ItwasabeautifuldayandsinceourdaughterGwengotherundergraduatedegreesfromOberlinitseemedlikeoldtimes.TheAllenMemorialArtMuseumisoneofthefinestinthenationandtheOberlinLibraryhasatremendouscollectionofanti-slaverymaterials. AnannualFABStreatisthechancetovisitthehomesofprivatecollectors.Onthisyear’stourwetooktripsinsmallgroupstohearBobJacksonspeakofhisincredibleRockwellKentcollectionandbooksthatwereimportanttohimthroughouthislife.ThenontomeetJonLindsethwhospokeonhisresearchintoJewishfablesaswellashisBronteandAlicetreasures.Atrulyamazingafternoon. Icouldgoonandon,butthefinaleveningmealattheRowfantClubandtalkbyPaulRuxinwasafittingclosetotheweek’sevents–oralmost.WestillhadaSundaytouroftheLakeviewCemeteryandavisittotheJohnCarrollUniversitylibrarybeforeheadinghome. ThefellowshipofotherbookishfolksandtheexcitementofundiscoveredtreasureswillkeepMarciaandmeontheFABStourforalongtimetocome.Nextstop-Philadelphia.Don’tmissit. NOTE:SusanHanes,presidentofCaxtonClub,puttogetherascrapbookathttp://fabsclubnews.blogspot.com/2014/07/fabs-cleveland-2014-photojournal.html.

The 2014 Cleveland FABS Tour by Bill Evans

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BeatrixPotterandhercharmingEnglishcountryanimalshavehopped(back)intomylife,unexpectedly,afterachanceencounterwithalongtimeAcornBookshopcustomer. StephenHaynescameinlookingformysteriesbySusanWittigAlbert.Iknewwehadseveralandsaidso,leadinghimpastScienceFictionandLiteraturetothelongbackrowofMysterypaperbacks,wherealarge,stuffed,blackgorillasitsinasmallcartatopachest-highbookcaseneartheNaturalHistorysection,watchingovervisitorstothatcornerofthebookshop. “I’mlookingspecificallyfortitlesinherCottageTalesofBeatrixPotterseries,”Stepheninformedmeaswewoundourwaythroughtheneatlyarrangedbookcasesfilledwithbooklovers’temptations. I’dnotheardofthatseries,butwhatIdon’tknowaboutbooksisextensive.Secondhandbooksellingisahumblingprofession;everydaywehearaboutandareaskedforbooksandauthorswe’veneverheardof,nomatterhowmanyyearswe’vebeeninthebusiness.Theoretically,anybookthat’s everbeenpublishedcouldshowupinourshop,andthat’smillionsofbooks.Youwouldthinkthataftermy50yearsofputtingbooksinpeoples’handsthatI’dbequitetheknow-it-all,butI’mconstantlyremindedofthegapsinmybook-awareness. Whenmyignoranceofthesespecifiedmysteriesshowedonmyface,StephenexplainedtomethatAlberthadused,asthebasisofherstories,Potter’sreal-life1905purchaseofHillTopFarmnearLakeWindemereintheLakeDistrictofEngland.SheimaginedhowPotter,inherinteractionswithlong-timevillageresidents,mighthavequietlyhelpedresolvesmall–andsomenot-so-small–mysteriesinthetinyhamletsofNearSawreyandFarSawrey,one-halfmileapart.“MywifereallyenjoysBritish‘cozies,’andtheseareaboutasfarfromnoirasyoucanget!”Stephenlaughed. Britishvillagemysteries?!Ibecamepersonallyinterestedinfindingthesebooks,aswellasprofessionallymotivatedtosatisfyacustomer,asIalsolikethosenon-violent,non-graphiccozies. IfoundAlbert’smysteriesquickly,buttoStephen’sdisappointment,wehadonlythefirstoneintheseries,

The Tale of Top Hill Farm. “She’salreadyreadthatone,”hesaidwithasigh.“I’mlookingfortheothersaboutPotter.”ItoldhimI’dcheckinthehardbacksectionandinthebackroomforhim.HewanderedofftobrowseinFilmasIcontinuedthequestforthosemysteries. ButIcouldfindonlyasecondcopyofthatfirstbook,whichIeagerlypluckedofftheshelftotakehomewithme. IreportedmyfindingstoStephenwithmyapologiesfornotbeingabletofillhisrequest,informinghimthatwe’dcallwhenotherscamein.Ialsogrinnedandtoldhimthathisrequesthadgeneratedinterestonmypartand,holdingupthesparecopy,toldhimthatIwastakingithometoread.Helaughedandsaidhe’dtellhiswifethatshehadinfluencedmyreadinglist.

OnmybedstandathomewasthebookI’dbeenreading,Havana Fever,anoveltranslatedfromCubanSpanishaboutaninformalsecondhandbookdealerwhohadfoundalarge,valuableprivatelibraryinaonce-fabuloushouse.Iwasenjoyingthenovel.Theauthor,LeonardoPadura,wasagoodwriter,whichwasabonus.I’vereadeverybookIcouldfindrebooksellers/bookstores/bookselling,buttherearequiteafewofdubiousliteraryquality.HavanaFeverwasapleasantsurprise. AfterI’dtakentheBeatrixPottermysteryhome,itfounditswayimmediatelytothebedroom–perhapsnudgedtherebylittleLucyLiu-cat,whothinksshe’sinchargeofrunningthehouse,whichiswhyoneofhernicknamesisSgt.Snoopy.LindaandIendourdaysreadingnewspapersandourcurrentbooksinbed,whereLucyandSatchmocurlupwithusuntillights-outaround12:30. Thatnightcamethedilemmaeveryreaderfaceswhenaverypromisingnewtitlepopsuptochallengeone’scurrentbookfortherighttoberead.Ithappensallthetimewhenyouworkinabookstore,whatwithtemptingbooksarrivingeveryday.Forme,now,itwasEnglishvillagecozyvs.anunusualbooksellingstorysetinCubawithgraphicscenesinthepost-revolutionaryera.

Beatrix Potter (Re)Enters My Lifeby George Cowmeadow Bauman

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Itwastimetowelcomegentle,guilelessBeatrixPotterandhercrittersintomylife.LucyandSatchmoapprovedbyrubbingtheirfacesagainstthenewvolume. “It must be a good book,”LucysaidtoBigMoastheysettledontotheirfavoriteblankets.“It has a cat on the cover!”

IbeganreadingThe Tale of Top Hill Farmimmediately,andlovedit.It’sasthoughaCreatorofBookssomewherethrewintoacosmicbook-blenderthe“Mitford”booksofJanKaron,Orwell’sAnimal Farm,JamesHerriot’sveterinariantales,Mother Gooseandthe“SneakyPie”seriesbyRitaMaeBrown. AlbertusessomeofPotter’sanimalcharacters–TomThumb,Mrs.Tiggy-Winkle,andrabbitsFlopsyandMopsy–inherownbook,togoodeffect,linkingtheseriestogether.ThePotterillustrationswerecopyrightedwhenthebookswerepublished,andsodonotappearinAlbert’stext,thoughtheymightdosointhefuture.ThecopyrightexpiredonJanuary1ofthisyear. IevenenjoyedthepartswheretheanimalsconverseabouttheirobservationsoftheBigFolks’behavior.Assomeonewhohaslivedwithanimalsallmylife–dogswhengrowingupandcatsforthelastforty-plusyears--Ifoundthistreatmentfun. ClearlyAlberthadstudiedthePotterbooksclosely,andwasechoingtheauthor’sapproachofgivingself-awarenessandperceptivitytoanimals,whichco-existedwithadultsinAlbert’sfictionalvillageworld.Theyhadopinionsaboutwhatwasgoingoninthesmallcommunity,whereeveryonekneweveryoneelse’sbusiness.Albertsays,“Iconfesstolovingtheanimals,forIfindthattheyofferdimensionsofstorythataresimplynotpossiblewhenthenarrativeisrelayedonlythroughhumancharacters.” Ifhumanswerenearbywhenthecreatureschattedwithoneanother,whattheyheardwasmeowingandbarkingandsqueaking.Theanimalsfeltitwasahumanproblemthattheycouldn’tcommunicatewiththeanimals,nottheirownshortcoming.Thecatsanddogevensolvedoneoftheminormysteriesinthistaleandsubtlyassistedwithothers.Alberthasadefttouch,preventingtheconceitofanimalintelligenceandconversationfrombecomingtreacly. AbouthalfwaythroughThe Tale of Hill Top Farm,I

thoughttofindoutmoreaboutBeatrixPotter.I’dsoldherbooksforyears,butneverthoughtaboutherorthosebooksbeyondputtingtheminthehandsofthosewhowantedthem–aswithmostauthorsIhandleinthebookshop.IlookedheruponWikipedia,andnoticedthattherewasarecentmoviebasedontheauthor’slife. Miss Potter,starringRenéZellweger,cameoutin2006togoodreviews.IdownloadeditfromAmazonandwatcheditoneafternoononadayoff,whileLindawasteachingatOhioState.ThefilmshowedPotter’sprivilegedLondonbackgroundandhowherparentsdominatedherlifeintoherforties,tryingtokeepherathome,inthetraditionalroleofoldestspinsterdaughter,whosejobitwastotakecareofherelderlyparents.Itwassuchagoodarrangementforthemthattheywerestronglyagainsthermarryinganyoneotherthanoneofthewealthyyoungmentheyparadedinfrontofher,allofwhomwereunacceptabletoBeatrix.Shewantedtomakeherowndecisionsaboutmattersrelatedtoherfuture,especiallyahusband,thoughatagethirty-eightsheconsideredherselfaspinsterandhadaboutgivenuponmarriage. Shehadbeentutoredbyasuccessionofcapablegovernesses,receivingnoformaleducationexceptinartatwhichsheexcelled,drawingimagesofgardenflowersandneighborhoodanimals,manyofwhichsheandherbrotherBertramtookuptothethirdfloornursery-frogs,snails,bats,mice,andahedgehogortwo.

Beatrixbeganwritingwhatshecalled“illustratedletters”tothechildrenofaformernanny,correspondencewhichfeaturedillustrationsofherfavoredcreatures.Theyweresowellreceivedthatshebegansellingherimagestocardcompanies.Shealsotried,unsuccessfully,tofindapublisherforherlittleanimalstories.Undaunted-andwithastrongentrepreneurialsense-sheself-publishedtheanimaltalesin1901,withblack-and-whiteillustrations.Theysoldasurprising400copies,andcametotheattentionofFrederickWarnepublishers,whichagreedtopublishPotter’stalesintherapidlygrowingandlucrativecategoryofillustratedchildren’sbooks.Potterinsistedthatthebooksbethatsmallsize,sofamiliartousnow,sotheywouldfitreadilyintochildren’shands.ThefirstwastobewhattheWarnesjokinglycalledher“bunnybook”-The Tale of Peter Rabbit.

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Herbooksbecameinstantbestsellersandwerepublishedtwo-a-year,givingBeatrixfinancial-ifnotemotional-independencefromheroverbearingparents.ShewassmartenoughtoanticipatethedemandforsidelinesandurgedtheWarnestopursuemerchandising,todevelopPeterRabbitproductssuchasstuffedanimals,paintingbooks,teacups,games,andmuchmore.Thiswassurprisinglyperceptiveforthetime.Pottercalledeverythingbeyondthebooksher“side-shows”. NormanWarne,thebrotherwhoencouragedBeatrixandeditedherbooks,proposedwhenshewas39,andBeatrixaccepted.Buttheengagementremainedsecret,forherparentsconsideredhimtobe“intrade”andshewasthedaughterofagentleman.TheyfelthimtobesociallybeneathBeatrix’sfamily,andthusundesirable,breakingBeatrix’sheart. Beforethetwocouldmarry,NormanWarnediedsuddenlyofarareformofleukemiawhileBeatrixwasspendinghersummerholidayinWales.Shewasbereft;hermotherandfatherwerenear-gleeful. Anxioustohaveaplaceofherownwhereshecouldescapeherparents,Beatrixhadboughtafewmonthsearlierthethirty-four-acreHillTopFarmbyLakeWindemere,inthevillageofNearSawrey.Thehousewasaseventeenth-century,two-storyNorthCountryfarmhouse,plainandsimple.Thevillagewasreferredtoas“veryold-fashioned.Noelectriclights,notelephones,noentertainments.”

Herfamilyhadtakenseveralthree-monthvacationsintheLakeDistrictwhileBeatrixandBertramweregrowingup.Theyhadroamedthefieldsandwoodsandhadcometolovethebeautifulcountryoffellsandlakesandfarms.Indelightshesketchedtheanimalsandtreesandtoadstoolsandeverythingshesaw.

Themoviehandlesallthesedetailswellandisquitecharming.Attimeswhenhersketchedanimalsareshown,thereisbriefanimationofPeterRabbit,Mrs.Tiggy-Winkle,andothers.Ienjoyedthecombinationofreal-lifeandanimation. ThisiswheretheThe Tale of Top Hill Farmstarts,

withNormandead,Beatrixmourningandindespair,andinneedofgettingawayfromherparents-evenifitwasforonlyafewweeksatatimeattheWindemerefarm. TheisolationoftheSawreys-250milesandaday’strainridefromLondon-mayhavecontributedtotheirdesirabilitytoPotter.Thevillageswereremoteenoughsothatherparentsweren’tlikelytocome.AsAlbertwrites,thevillages“seemedtoBeatrixtobeunchangingandunchangeable.”Thiswasawelcomethoughtinthefirstdecadeofanewcenturythathadalreadybroughtwithitmorechangesthanmostpeoplewelcomed:“speedingmotorcars,”forexample,whichdroveatanastonishingtenmiles-per-hour,“shrilltelephones,harshelectriclights,titanicsteamships,anewanduntriedking,andaLiberalgovernment.”

Focusingonhernewfarmanditsneededrepairshelpedthechildren’sauthordealwithhergrief–repairingpigstys,rebuildingaherdofsheep,andaddinganadditiontothefarmhousewherethecouplemightlivewhomanagedthefarmwhenshewasbackinLondontakingcareofherparents. Beatrixinsistedonusinglocallabor,localmaterials,anddoingthingsinthetraditionalway,whichreceivedgrudgingrespectfromthevillagers,whowereinitiallyabitputoutthatan“off-comer”–anoutsider–hadboughtoneoftheirdesirableproperties.Sheeventuallyboughtseveraloftheadjacentfarms,havingbecomededicatedtopreservingfromdevelopmentthewildnessandbeautyaroundher. “Theminuteshetookoffhersmartleathertownshoesandputontheleather-and-woodclogs,shebecameawomanborntothecountry,ratherthantothecity,thekindofwomanshelongedtobe,”Albertwrote.Buttryasshemight,Beatrixwouldneverbeabletoescapethelongpullofherparents’poweroverher. “Shewassentencedtolivingadoublelife,shuttlingbetweenthecityandthecountry,untilhermotherandfatherwerebothgone,”Albertadds.Heranimalcharactershadmorefreedomthanshedid. InherAcknowledgments,Albertstatesthatshehasbeenable“towriteafictionthatistruetothefactsofherlife,”thankstotheenormousamountofpreviousresearchintoBeatrixPotterbyothers.

11

“Mymemoryhasneverbeenverygood;it’sonereasonwhyI’vekeptajournalforyears,asBeatrixPotterdid.Iwritemystoriestoorganizeandpreservethosejournal-notes.” I’veoftentriedtoremembertheearliestbooksinmylife,butit’sdifficulttopushbackfurtherthantheBobbseyTwinsseries.ThereweretheDickandJaneswestudiedinelementaryschool,butbeforethat-nothing. WhilewatchingMiss Potter,duringoneofthesceneswherePeterRabbitisstrugglingtogetawayfromFarmerMcGregor,asuddenmemoryfloodedmysenses. IinstantlyrememberedhavingtheBeatrixPotterstoriesreadtomebymyAuntPeg(Cowmeadow),theverywomantowhommybookshopisdedicated,thewomanwhosharedherloveofreading,andwhoinspiredmetoalifewithbooks,personallyandprofessionally. Herintonationshavereturned,asthoughI’mlisteningtoherreadingnow-thedaughterofanEnglishmanreadingquintessentialBritishchildren’sstoriestoherreceptiveyoungnephew.ImagesofherapartmentonLaurelAvenueinNewCastle,Pennsylvania,appearedinmyheadasthestoriesranginmyears. Onemomentthatmemorywasburiedsodeepthatithadbeenlostforsixdecades.Butonebook,followedbyonemovie,minedmymindandgavemethatpreciousremembrance,perhapstheoldestIhave.Nowit’shereforgood,storedinmymemory,andinthisstory. SinceseeingMiss Potter andrecallingmyschoolteacherauntreadingtome,memoriesofAuntPegsharing“MotherGoose”withmehavealsosurfaced.Icannowrememberalsofirstgradeatmycountryschool,thrilledtobelearningmyalphabet,specificallythedifferencebetweensmallandcapitallettersandhowtowritethem.TheearlywriterinmewasinawethatIcouldtakethreeoftheselettersandc-a-twouldmagicallyappearonthatlinedpaper. Afterthatfilm,Icouldn’twaittogetbacktoThe Tale of Hill Top FarmwithMissPotterandheranimalfriendsatWindemere,somuchbetterinformedaboutthelifewhichcreatedthebelovedchildren’stalesandblessedwiththememoryofhavingthemreadtome. ThenextdayIbroughthomethePeter Rabbit Giant

Treasurytoenjoyonceagainthewonderfultales.ButIallowedmyselfjustoneoriginalPottertaletoeachofAlbert’stales,drawingoutthepleasureofPotter-world. ThankyouBeatrixPotter,forcreatingyourwonderfulanimalcharacters,andthankyouStephenHaynes,forbringingtomyattentionTheCottageTalesofBeatrixPotterbySusanWittigAlbert,towhomIalsogivemuchthanks.AndspecialgratitudetoAuntPegforsharingherloveofbookswithme.Bibliophiliaafflictedmeearlyandhasneverletgo.Praisebe.

Welcome New Members!Lynn Manner isinterestedinilluminatedmanuscripts,collectingandillustration.SherecentlyrelocatedtoColumbusfromGambier(KenyonCollege)whereshewastheCuratoroftheGreensladeSpecialCollectionsatKenyonCollege.

John KirsnerisintobooksaboutWilliamMorris,BenFranklin,Dickens,Sci-Fi/FantasyandHemingway.HelivesintheColumbusarea.

Bob Fleck,2014Ravnebergspeaker,livesinNewCastle,Delaware,andhasastronginterestinDelawarehistory.

The2014/15AldusMemberDirectoryisout.KudostoDebLewisforthegreatjobcompilingandupdatingthedirectory.

Ifyoudidn’tgetyoursinthemail,contactDebdirectlyatdcblewis@gmail.com.

Check Your Calendar Oct21-22,2014:CaseWesternReserveUniversity’sKelvin Smith LibraryishostinganationalColloquiumonlibraryspecialcollections.GeoffSmithwillbemoderatingapaneldiscussing,“WhereareWeToday?”Aldusmembersareinvited.http://library.case.edu/ksl/collections/special/colloquium/

ShirleyHyattlocatedthiswonderfulfilm,nowanonlinevideoaboutprintingbooks.Shewrites,“backbeforeebooks,printingwasatime-consuminglaboriousprocess.Oncetheauthorfinishedthewritingtasks,teamsofpeopleworkingtogetherwererequiredtoproducejustonebook.AnEncyclopaediaBritannicaFilmsdocumentarycreatedin1947isavailableonYouTubethatshowstheprocesshttp://youtu.be/hBztGX-2i1M.

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On Being Reminded of E. C. Bentley While in Penzance

TheonlythingIknewaboutE.C.BentleywhenIfirstvisitedPenzancetwenty-eightyearsago,wasthathewastheauthorofTrent’s Last Case,amysterynovelpublishedin1913,writtenasareactiontotheinfallibilityofSherlockHolmes.Bentley’ssleuth,PhilipTrent,managestomisinterpreteverycluethatcomeshisway.Inspiteofthat,somecreditthebookwithhavingestablishedtheprotocolsforAgathaChristie,DorothyL.Sayers,et alsomeyearslaterwhentheylaunchedtheGoldenAgeofBritishMysteries.I’dfoundthebookmerelyhigh-mediocre,butIguessithassomesignificance. IfyouknowanythingatallaboutBentleyyou’reprobablyaskingyourselfwhyIwouldmentionhisnameinthesamebreathasPenzance,theCornishtownmadefamousbyW.S.GilbertandArthurSullivan.IthastodowithastatueofSirHumphreyDavy,alocalladwhogrewuptobecomethefamouschemistandinventor. Duringthatfirstvisit,IpassedbyDavy’sstatueonitspedestaloutsidetheMarketHousewithbarelyanod.ButthispastJuneitwasdifferent.Duringtheinterveningyears,I’dlearnedwhataclerihewwasandhadthegoodlucktofindaremainderedcopyinmintconditionofThe Complete Clerihews of E. Clerihew Bentley publishedbyOxfordUniversityPressin1981.Forthoseofyouwhodon’tknowwhataclerihewis,theOEDdefinesthewordas“a short comic or nonsensical verse, professedly biographical, of two couplets differing in length.” SomeofyouareaheadofmebynowandknowwhatI’mgoingtoenterbelow–namely,thefirstclerihewcomposedbyBentleyasasixteen-year-oldschoolboyin1890:

SirHumphreyDavyAbominatedgravy.HelivedintheodiumOfhavingdiscoveredsodium.

Thisrattledaroundinmymindlikeanoldsongfortheremainderofmyvisit.Here’sanotherwell-knownexample:

EdgarAllanPoeWaspassionatelyfondofroe.HealwayslikedtochewsomeWhenwritinganythinggruesome.

Onemore:

SirChristopherWrenSaid,“Iamgoingtodinewithsomemen.IfanyonecallsSayIamdesigningSt.Paul’s.”

Asyouwillhavediscerned,therearerulesforwritingclerihews,justastherearerulesforwritinghaikuandPetrarchansonnets.Aclerihewisaquatraincomposedoftwocoupletsthatneedn’t(andprobablyshouldn’t)scan,withthefirstlineideallybeingthenameofthepoem’ssubject,e.g.SirHumphreyDavy.Afterreadingthethreeclerihewsabove

andknowingtherules,itisalmostimpossiblenottowriteoneyourself.Manywell-knownpoetsandwritershavebeenunabletoresisttheurge,andneitherwillyou. Submityoursinglebesteffort-Aldinesonly,ofcourse-forpossiblepublicationinthenextissueoftheAldusNewsletter. Thewriterofthemostentertainingormostcleverormaybejustthesilliestofthelot,asdeterminedbyaneminentpanelofjudges,willreceiveacopyoftheOxfordUPeditionofTheCompleteClerihews.(Hint:thewinningentrywillalmostcertainlydealwithanindividualassociatedwithbooks.)Sendyourentrytomeatdonrice@core.com,subjectline,clerihew.

by Donald Tunnicliff Rice

C.S.Forester(1899-1966)is,ofcourse,wellknownforhisauthorshipofthe“HoratioHornblower”novels,swashbucklingtalesofseawarfareinthewoodensailingshipdaysofNelson’snavy.Hewasprolific,andwrotemanyothernovels,oftenwithmilitaryornavalsettings,butalsowrotepopularhistoryandbiography,andevenanautobiography(Long Before Forty,MichaelJoseph,1960). Allmylife,IhavefoundForester’sbooksfascinatingandintenselyreadable.IfirstencounteredoneofhisbookswhenIwastwelve,visitingthehomeofolderrelativesbackinKentucky.AnearlyAmericanpublicationofCaptain Horatio Hornblowerwasinthreevolumes.Thenovelwasoriginallypublishedasatrilogy;inretrospect,withthebibliophilicknowledgeofage,IrealizethatwhatIhadmyhandsonwasvolume1oftheBookoftheMonthClubrepublication.Thiscasedsetwaswidelypopular,andcopiescanbeseeninusedbookstorestothisday.Thisfirstvolumewasonatableinthelivingroom,andI,aboredkidwithnoplaymatesmyageandnothingtooccupymytime,startedtoreadit.Iwashooked,readingitallthatdayandthenexttoitsend,andthenIlookedfortheothertwovolumeswhichwerestatedasbeingintheset.But,noluck.MyAuntJosephinekeptthehouseforherelderlyfather.Shesuggestedthatsomevisitorhadlefttheonevolumeinthehouse.Talkaboutcliff-hangers.ItwasalmostayearlaterwhenourfamilyhadsettledintheWashington,D.C.areathatIwashangingaroundthebookdepartmentinWoodwardandLathrop’sDept.StoreindowntownD.C.Thiswasbackinthedayswhenbigdowntowndepartmentstoreswerestillcommon,andallhadextensivebookdepartments.And,ofcourse,there

werealltheHornblowernovels.IboughtthecompleteCaptain Horatio Hornblower andtookithometodevour.IhavereadandrereadForestereversince. MyForestercollectionisspotty,butovertheyearsIhavedonewhatIcan.Fig.1showsthefirstcollectededitionoftheCaptainHoratioHornblowertrilogy,publishedbyLittle,BrowninApril,1939(10,000copies).Thisisthetruefirst,slightlyprecedingthepublicationinEngland–perhapsthegatheringwarcloudstherecauseddelay.ThejacketcoverillustrationshownandrepeatedinthecoloredfrontispiecewerebyN.C.Wyeth;allthedrawingsinthetextareattributedtohim,buttheseweredonebyhisyoungson,AndrewWyeth,underdad’sdirection.SothesedrawingsmightconstituteearlyAndrewWyethfirsteditionprints(thinkstheself-deludingcollector),but,at10,000copies,hardlyalimitededition. Thefirstprintingsoftheseparatenovelsofthetrilogyaremuchhardertocomeby.ShowninFigs.2a,baretheEnglishprintingsofthefirsttwo,The Happy Return,MichaelJoseph,London,February,1937(12,000copies,publishedinU.S.asBeat to Quarters),andA Ship of the Line,MichaelJoseph,London,1938(15,000copies).Well,despitethefairlylargeprintingsforthetimes,copiesingooddustjacketsarehardtocomeby.ThesebookswerereadtodeathinwartimeEngland.Yet,dustjacketsaresomethingofanecessityforacollectorofthese“modernfirsts,”ifyouareaslavetoconvention.And,withtheForesterfirsts,acopywiththeoriginaldustjacketinpresentableconditionsellsforaroundtentimesthecostofacopysansjacket.Increasingly,thesedays,dealersaresupplyingthedustjacketdeficiencywithgoodquality

13

Book Hunting notes

Collecting C. S. Forester by Bill Rich

Fig. 1

Captain Horatio Hornblower

Fig. 2a

The Happy Return

Fig. 2b

A Ship of the Line

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photocopies,whichshouldfoolnocollector,butmakethebooklookbetterontheshelf.In2a,thejacketisthe1937original-butin2b,thejacketis“supplied”byaphotocopy.Thedealerwhoadvertisedthisbookdidproperlystateitsillegitimateorigin,however,andthepricewasclosetothatofanunjacketedcopy. ForesterwrotemanyHornblowernovels,sequelsandprequels,tracingthecareeroftheherofrommidshipmantoadmiral.Butonenon-Hornblowernovelsetinthesameperiodisaparticularfavoriteofmine(Fig.3).ThisisThe Captain from Connecticut,astoryofanAmericancommandingoneofthebigfrigates(suchastheConstitution)thatwonaseriesofspectacularship-to-shipbattlesagainsttheBritishintheWarof1812.ShowninFig.3isthefirstEnglishedition,publishedbyMichaelJosephinLondoninAugust,1941(15,000).ThiswasproducedattheheightoftheBattleofBritain;smallwondertheAmericanfirstcameouttwomonthsearlier.Thenoveldescribessomeoftheeventsinthelastwarthetwocountriesfoughtagainsteachother.Atthetimeofpublication,hugeU.S.materialaidwaspouringintoBritain,andbothnavieswerefightingtosafeguardthetrans-Atlanticconvoys,althoughAmericawasnotyetformallyinthewar.ForesterwasamajoradvocateofAnglo-Americanfriendship,andduringthewar,heworkedfortheBritishInformationServiceinAmerica.The Captain from Connecticutisaproductofthisalliance,butitisarousingstory,farfrompropaganda,fortogether,theEnglishspeakingpeoplespulleddownthemosteviltyrannyinhistory.DuringWWII,ForestermovedtotheUnitedStateswhereheworkedforBritishIntelligencewritingpropaganda.Togetherwithhiswife,helivedtherestofhislifeintheU.S. Onemorenovel,whichresonateswithmorereadersthanareHornblowerfans,is,ofcourse,thenever-to-be-forgottenThe African Queen.Fig.4isthefirstAmericanedition,publishedinBostonbyLittle,Brown

inFebruary,1935(2,500copies).Thisnotablemodernfirst,scarceinagoodjacket,wasfoundontheshelvesofausedbookstore,atausedbookprice.Thebookhunter’sheartheregaveamightyleap,paidthe$15asked,andlefttheshoprejoicing,hardlybelievinghisluck.ThisAmericanfirstlacksthelastthreechaptersoftheEnglishedition,containingahappierendingwhichForesteraddedattheinsistenceofhisEnglishpublishers.ThisonemightbethehighspotofmyForestercollection,atleast. Finally,thesegreatstorieslendthemselvestomoviemaking,ofwhichtherehavebeenseveralovertheyears.Figs.5a,b,cshowpostersforthreeofthemostfamous.Fig.5aisforThe African Queen(1951),directedbyJohnHustonandstarringKatherineHepburnandHumphreyBogart.Themoviehasthehappierending,BogartandHepburnsurviveandaremarried.ThisfilmwonBogiehisonlyAcademyAward.Fig.5bisCaptain Horatio Hornblower,also1951,starringnolessthanGregoryPeck.Inmyjudgment,PeckmakesabetterheroasHornblowerthanasCapt.AhabinMoby Dick,inwhichhealsostarred.Fig.5cshowsyetanotherwarmovie,The Pride and the Passion(1957),basedonForester’s1933novelThe Gun.ThisisanaccountofthePeninsularWarinSpainfoughtagainstNapoleon’sforcesbytheSpanishandBritish.AforceofSpanishirregulars(theterm“guerillas”originatedinthiswar),ledbyapeasantSpanishcouple,andassistedbyaBritishofficer,aretryingtodragahugeartillerypieceacrossafairhunkofSpaintolaysiegetoaFrench-heldstrongpoint.Thetaleendstragically,unusualforthelaterForesterworks.TheSpanishcoupleareplayedbyFrankSinatraandSophiaLoren;theBritishofficerby

GaryGrant.Talkaboutastar-ladenblockbuster.Itwaswell-received,butdidnothavethestayingpowerofThe African Queen.LibertieswereofcoursetakenwithForester’soriginalnarrative,andamoremajorrole

Fig. 3

The Captain from Connecticut

Fig. 4

The African Queen

Fig. 5a

The African Queen Movie

15

assignedtotheguerillagirl,but,comeon,who’ssorry?ThiswasSophiaLoreninherprime. C.S.Foresterwas,Isuppose,adecidedlymiddle-browwriter.OnthissideoftheAtlantic,someofhisstoriesappearedintheSaturday Evening Post,notinHarper’sorThe Atlantic.Literarycriticsdonotgointoecstasyoverhisworks.LookinginThe Oxford Companion to English Literature,InotethatForesterratesonlyashortparagraph.Hisnear-contemporaries;E.M.Foster,AldousHuxley,andEvelynWaughallgettheirnear-full-page.But,forme,Foresterhasprovidedmorereadingpleasurethananyoftheabove.PerhapsIamingoodcompany.OnthedustjacketforCaptain Horatio Hornbloweristhisblurbfromawriter,notacritic: “IrecommendForestertoeveryoneliterateIknow.”-ErnestHemingway

Fig. 5b

Captain Horatio Hornblower Movie

Fig. 5c

The Pride and the Passion Movie

IthasbeensaidthatnobookhasbeenprintedinmoreeditionsthantheBible.BetweenGutenberg’sBibleof1455andtheendofthefifteenthcentury,nolessthan130separateeditionsoftheBiblewereprintedinEurope.Perhapssurprisingly,manyoftheserareincunableBiblessurvivetodayininstitutionsandprivatecollectionsacrosstheworld.MostoftheearliestBiblesweremassivefolios,boundinheavywoodenboards,lavishlydecoratedandrubricated,andinsomeinstanceschainedtotheirowner’sshelves.ThefirstBibles,evenbeing“massproduced”incomparisontotheirmanuscriptcounterparts,werestillrelativelyexpensiveluxuryitemsdestinedforownershipbywealthyaristocrats,universities,orchurcheswhointendedtoputthemtotheworkofbringingsalvationtothemasses.Inaddition,thesehugefolioBibleswereincrediblyheavy,unwieldy,andcumbersometotransport.Thus,manyofthemremainedtetheredtoshelvesorfirmlyplantedonlecterns,makingitdifficultforthecommonpersontoownorevenreadoneofthesetechnologicallyproducedmarvels.Despitetherevolutionaryimplicationsofmechanicalbookproduction,theyremainedoutofreachformost. Howeverin1491,aSwissprinternamedJohannFrobenwouldsoonchangeallofthiswithhispublicationoftheveryfirstpocket-sizedoctavoeditionofSt.Jerome’sLatinVulgateBible.FrobenunderstoodthatthemarketforhugefolioBibleswaslimitedtowell-fundedcustomersandacademicorreligiousinstitutions.Toreallyopenupthefledglingbookmarketandgetbooksintothehandsofthemasses,heneededtocreateamuchmoreaffordableandeasilytransportablebookthatcouldbeownedandreadbythecommonman...oratleastthecommonstudentorclergyman.FromhisprintshopinthecityofBasel,whichwouldsoonevolveintoacenterof

Froben’s “Poor Man’s Bible” by Matthew S. Schweitzer

Froben Bible 1495

The Biblia Pauperum was printed several times as a blockbook in the Rhineland and the Netherlands. This image dates c. 1465. (DeHamel, C. The Book. NY: Phaidon Press, 2001, p163, ill. 111).

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RenaissanceHumanism,Froben’spressesturnedoutwhatwouldbecomeknownastheBiblia Pauperum,orthePoorMan’sBible.Forthefirsttimeever,theaverage(literate)EuropeancouldownacopyoftheBiblefortheirownpurposeswhetheritbestudyorprivatedevotion.Theresultwasprofound,andthebirthoftheoctavoformatwouldhelptorevolutionizebookproductionandsalesingeneral.Thesmallersizemeantlesspaperwasrequiredandthuslowerexpensestoproduceeachprintrun.Theirlowercostandportabilityleadtoanincreaseinbooksalesandtothepublicationofawidevarietyoftitles,religiousandsecular,asbookownershipbegantobecomefeasibletomorethanjusttherich. Thisnewexperimentinbookformathelpedcontribute,innosmallpartitisarguedbysome,totheintellectualrevolutionthatwouldoccurinEuropeduringthesixteenthcentury.Whenbooksbecamesmaller,moreaffordable,andeasiertocarry,hold,andread,thedesireforbooksgrewtremendously.FrobenwouldcontinuetoinnovateandwouldgoontomakenumerousimportantcontributionstotheprintingartduringhistenureasBasel’sleadingscholar-publisher.FrobenwasthefirsttointroduceitalicsandGreekfontsaswellaspopularizingtheuseofstandard(andeasiertoread)Romantypefaces.Froben’sfriendandfellowhumanistErasmuswouldbenefitgreatlyfromFroben’sinnovationsinprintingandwouldeventually

helphimbecomeoneofthefirstbestsellingauthorsinhistory.Erasmus’famousandgreatlyinfluentialGreek-LatinNewTestamentwouldemergefromFroben’sownprintingpressesin1516.FrobenhimselfwouldplayanimportantroleinthespreadoftheReformationthroughthepublicationanddisseminationofmanyofMartinLuther’scontroversialworks,withmanyofthemprintedininexpensivesmallformatsforeasyconcealmentfromunsympatheticauthorities. WiththesuccessofhisfirstoctavoBible,Frobenengagedtoproduceasecondeditionin1495,thistimeevenincluding

anengravedfrontispieceportraitofSt.JeromeexecutedbyAlbrechtDürer.Itisacopyofthisparticularbookwhichhasfortuitouslyfounditswayacrossthecenturiesintomypersonalcollection.TheBibleisboundinbeautifulalumtawedpigskinoverbeveledwoodenboardsandstampedinblind.Thereareremainsofbrassclaspswhichappeartohavebeenstrippedfromthebindingatsomepoint.

TheBibleisrubricatedinredandblue,thoughitappearsnotbythesamerubricatorastheworkisinconsistentthroughouttheentirevolumewithsomesectionsleftincomplete.Inparticular,theopeningpagesofGenesisandthefourGospelsaredoneinafinehand,highlightingthesectionsoftheBibleprobablydeemedthemostimportantandmostreadbyitspreviousowner.ThereareafewmarginalnotesininkwithanownershipinscriptiononthetitlepageindicatingaGermanprovenance. Theoriginalengravedfrontispieceismissing(asiscommonsinceitwasanoriginalDürerengraving!)asistheoriginalprintedhalf-title.InitsplacehoweverisanamazingpenandinkdrawntitlepagedepictingarobedfiguretramplingaserpentunderthebranchesoftheTreeofLife.AroundthetreeisabannerbearingtheLatinmottoVirtus Ad Aethera Tendit(VirtueReachestoHeaven),aquotefromtheBiblicalBookofProverbs.Itisobviousthatsomeonetookgreattimeandcaretocreatethismanuscripttitlepagewhichgivesthisparticularcopyawonderfullyuniquecharacter.TheBibleitselfisotherwisecompletewiththeexceptionofanappendixofHebrewnamesthatwasoftenboundwithit.Thisparticularcopyappearstohavebeenboundwithoutitorperhapsitwasremovedwhenthebookwasreboundlikelyintheearlyseventeenthcentury. BeingabletoholdabookcreatedatthedawnofprintingisawonderfulexperienceandthisparticularBible,beautifulandelegantinitsearlybinding,isatreasure.Aswithanyearlyprintedbooks,itisafragileyetenduringtimecapsulefromadistantageandareminderthatwhiletimeneverceasestopassonintoeternity,wecanstillexperiencealittlepartofhistorythatiscontainedinthepagesofthesebookswhichwereonceturnedandcontemplatedbymenandwomenlongcenturiesintheirgraves.Ashestoashes.Dusttodust.

The Novum Instrumentum of Erasmus prints the Bible Text in Greek beside a literal translation of Latin (DeHamel, C. The Book. NY: Phaidon Press, 2001, p227, ill. 163).

Froben Bible Pen & Ink Replacement Title Page

Rubricated page from Froben Bible

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TheromantictalesofOhio’shistoric“CoonskinLibrary”havebecomelegendary,buttherealstoryisevenmoreinteresting.TheWesternLibraryAssociation(itsformalname)wasnotthestate’sfirst“social”library;itwasprecededbyfiveotherlibraries,includingtheBelpreFarmers’Library(1796),ashort-livedlibraryatCincinnati(1802),theHudsonlibrary,formedbyDavidHudsonandGeorgeKilbourne(1802),theErieLiterarySocietyinTrumbullCounty(1803),andtheStanberyLibraryinWorthington(1803).ButtheCoonskinLibrarywasuniqueforotherreasons.First,itsmembersshowedunusualcooperation,teamwork,andingenuitytoformaninstitutioninthewildernessinthemiddleofnowhere.Second,theselectionoftheoriginalcollectionofbookswasnothappenstance;well-educatedprofessionalswhopersonallyknewthemembersofthecommunitychosethematerials.Finally,theCoonskinLibrarycirculatedbooksforfifty-sevenyears;thiswasthelongestrecordofserviceofanysubscriptionlibraryinthestate. WheredoestheamazingstoryoftheCoonskinLibraryallstart?Well,itallgoesbacktothatOhioCompanypurchaseandthatfirstsettlementatMarietta.Ifyouremember,EphraimCutlerandIsraelPutnam,Jr.traveledtogetherfromConnecticuttoWashingtonCounty,Ohio,inordertoestablishtheirhomesonlandsthatwerepartoftheOhioCompanyPurchase.Onthisjourney,IsraelPutnamtransportedthebookswithwhichhestartedOhio’sfirstlibraryatBelpre,oneofMarietta’ssatellitesettlements.Cutler,ontheotherhand,movedtoWaterford,Marietta’sotheroutlyingsettlement.Afewyearslater,EphraimlookedatamapanddiscoveredthatheownedconsiderablelandonFederalCreek,abouttwentymilesbyhorsepathsouthwestofhisplaceinWaterford.Hedeterminedtoresettlethere,andconvincedtwoofhisWaterfordneighborstojoinhim.TheseincludedLieutenantGeorgeEwing,whosettledhisfamilyatthenewplaceinMarch1798.EphraimCutlerandCaptainBenjaminBrowneventuallyjoinedEwinginMay1799.SilvanusAmescamefromBelpre(wherehehadaccesstoPutnam’slibrary)inMay1800.ThesenewsettlerspetitionedtheU.S.Congresstonametheirtownship“Ames”asamemorialtotheHonorableFisherAmes,animportantlegislatorfromMassachusetts.ItwasFisherAmeswhohadinfluencedtheUnitedStatesgovernmenttosellthewesternlandstotheOhioCompany.ThetownofAmesremainedinWashingtonCountyuntil1805,whenitbecamepartofthenewlyformedAthensCounty(namedforAthens,Greecewithhighaspirationsforthestate’sfirstuniversity;OhioUniversityhadbeenfoundedin1804by

ManassehCutlerandRufusPutnamaspartoftheOhioCompanyPurchaseagreement). Meanwhile,thesetransplantedNewEnglanderswantedtheirchildrentobeeducated,sotheybeganaschoolinAmesTownshipin1802;classeswereheldatthehomeofEphraimCutler.ThefirstteacherwasCutler’scousin,MosesEverett,followedbyEphraim’sbrother,CharlesCutler.BothteachersweregraduatesofHarvardUniversity.Butitseemedlikethecommunityneededsomethingmoreinthewayofmentalimprovementandculture;perhapsthelibraryatBelprecametothemindofthoseinhabitantswhoknewofitstreasures.Anyway,ataroadmaintenancemeetingin1803,JosiahTruesuggestedthatthelocalresidentsstartalibrary.Sincemoneywasscarceandthesettlersmostlyusedbartertogetwhattheyneeded,TruesuggestedthattheinhabitantscouldsellanimalpeltstotheagentsofJohnJacobAstorandothers,andtherebygaintheneededcashtopurchasebooks. InFebruary1804,theplannersgatheredtoadopttheLaws and Regulations of the Western Library Association, founded at Ames, February 2, 1804.Thepreambletothisdocument,writtenbyteacherMosesEverett,isasfollows:“Consideringthemanybeneficialeffectswhichsociallibrariesarecalculatedtoproduceinsocietieswheretheyareestablishedbothasasourceofrationalentertainmentandinstruction;we,thesubscriberswishingtoparticipateintheseblessingsagreetoformourselvesintoasocietyforthispurposeunderthetitleoftheWesternLibraryAssociationintheTownofAmes.”Thesharesweretobe$2.50eachwithanannualtaxoftwenty-fivecentstohelpbuymorebooks.Subscriberscouldborrowbookstothevalueoftwo-thirdsoftheirshareorshares.Anexecutivecommitteeofthree,oneservingasthelibrarian,wouldbeelectedannually. SamuelBrown,whowasreturningtotheBostonareatobringhisfamilybacktoOhio,agreedtotakethecashandfurswithhimandmakethepurchaseofbooksforthelibrary.OnApril1,1804,fivepersonspaidfortheirsharesincash.TheseincludedEphraimCutler,whowastheonlysubscribertopurchasefourshares,SylvanusAmes,twoshares;BenjaminL.Brown,oneshare;JasonRice,twoshares;andDavidBoyles,oneshare.SoBrownhadat

The Coonskin Library by Marilyn Logue

Fur traders cabin, inside view

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least$25incashandtherestofthepurchasewouldbemadewithproceedsfromthefurs. TheyoungmenhadbeenbusyallthistimecollectingpeltsforEsquireSamuelBrown’stripeast.Fifteen-yearoldThomasEwing,sonofLieutenantGeorgeEwing,laterwrotethatallhisaccumulatedwealth,tencoonskins,wentintothefund.AtthistimeontheOhiofrontiertherewasanabundanceofanimalslivingintheforests.Theseincludedbuffalo,elk,deer,bears,foxes,wildturkeys,wolves,panthers,bobcats,otters,squirrels,raccoons,andothers.Thesettlersespeciallywerefearfulofthewolvesandpanthersandeventuallydrovethemtoextinction.TheMcCuneBrothers,experthunters,weresaidtohavekilledtwelveorfourteendeerandthreeorfivebearsinaday.JosiahTrue,whohadsuggestedsellingpeltstofundthelibrary,keptadiaryinwhichherecordedthefollowing:“October15,1803,killthreeraccoon,panther,1cat;October16,killshebare;February25,1804,wenthuntin’12bares;March15,kill3raccoon;March17,killpanther;March18,killoneshebear,3cubs.” SamuelBrownleftOhiowiththefursandwithlettersofintroductiontotheRev.Dr.ManassehCutler(Ephraim’sesteemedfather)andtotheRev.ThaddeusMasonHarris.BrownarrivedinBostonsometimebeforethemiddleofAugustand,onAugust15,1804,thesetwomostqualifiedmenselectedthebooksforthelibrary.Therewerefifty-onevolumesinthepurchaseandthetotalcostcameto$73.50.Oneoftheseadvisors,authorandUnitarianpastor,Rev.ThaddeusMasonHarris,havingjustreturnedfromvisitinginhabitantsintheOhioRiverValleywroteThe Journal of a Tour into the Territory Northwest of the Alleghany Mountains, Made in the Spring of the Year 1803 With a Geographical and Historical Account of the State of Ohio, Illustrated with Original Maps and Views.HisjournalwasprintedbyManningandLoringin1805andisavailabletodayatTheOhioStateUniversityinmicroformformat.Rev.HarrishadalsobeenateacherandalibrarianatHarvardCollege;infact,MosesEverettandCharlesCutler,thefirsttwoteachersatAmes,hadbothbeenhisstudents.EvenmorevaluabletotheWesternLibraryAssociation,however,wasthefactthatThaddeusHarrishadalreadywrittenoneoftheearliestAmericandocumentsonthetopicofbookselectionin1793.ItistitledA Selected Catalogue of Some of the Most Esteemed Publications in the English Language Proper to Form a Social Library, With An Introduction Upon the Choice of Books.Thistwenty-three-pagepamphletlists277recommendedbookscategorized

intothreeclasses:memory,reason,andimagination.Onlytwooriginalcopiesseemtobeinexistencetoday,oneattheAmericanAntiquarianSocietyinWorcester,MassachusettsandtheotherattheMassachusettsHistoricalSocietyinBostonwhereHarriswasalibrarianthelastsixyearsofhislife.(Thedocument,isavailabletodaybothasanelectronicresource(throughAAS)andinmicroform.)WhileThaddeusMasonHarrisservedasHarvard’slibrarianforonlytwoyears,hisson,ThaddeusWilliamHarris,heldthatpositionfortwenty-fiveyears. Meanwhile,SamuelBrownreturnedtoOhiofromBostoninNovemberof1804withthebooksandyoungThomasEwingwaspresentfortheimportantoccasion.Helaterwrotethat“afteranabsenceofmanyweeks,he(SamuelBrown)broughtthebookstoCaptainBenjaminBrown’sinasackonapackhorse.Iwaspresentattheuntyingofthesackandpouringoutofthetreasure.There

wereaboutsixtyvolumes,Ithink,andwellselected;thelibraryoftheVaticanwasnothingtoit,andthereneverwasalibrarybetterread.This,withoccasionaladditions,furnishedmewithreadingwhileIremainedathome.”WhenThomasEwingturnednineteen,hegotajobasakeelboathandontheOhioRiver;hetraveledontherivertotheKanawhasaltworkswherehelaboredseveralmonthsatatimeonandoffforanumberofyears.ThemoneyEwingearnedenabledhimtoattendcollegeatAthensduringthemonthswhenhewasn’tworking;inthespringof1815,hebecamethefirststudentevertograduatefromOhioUniversity.HethenstudiedlawinLancaster,OhioandwasadmittedtothebarinAugust1816.Ewingbecame

asought-afterlawyer,aUnitedStatessenator,secretaryofthetreasuryunderPresidentHarrison,andsecretaryoftheinteriorunderPresidentTaylor.NotbadforapoorchapfromthebackwoodswhoreadbooksfromaCoonskinLibrary. Butlet’sgetbacktothemainstory.AfterthenewlibrarybookswerecatalogedatSylvanusAmes’shouse,theWesternLibraryAssociationmetonDecember17,1804andelectedEphraimCutlerasthefirstlibrarian.ThefirstannualmeetingwasheldathishouseonJanuary7,1805withDanielWeetheeandBenjaminBrownchosentojoinhimonthelibrary’sstandingcommittee.EphraimCutlerwouldleaveAmesinDecember1806tomovebacktoWashingtonCountyjustsixmilesbelowMariettaontheOhioRiver,wherehewouldfarmandoperateagrindstonequarry.Hecontinued,however,tobeastockholderinthelibraryatAmesuntil1846,eventhoughhenolongerlived

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there.HealsoservedthirtyyearsontheOhioUniversityBoardofTrustees,nevermissingameeting.EphraimCutlerwastrulyagreatman.In1802,asadelegatetotheOhioConstitutionalConvention,hecastthevoteattheStatehouseinChillicothethatpreventedOhiofrombecomingaslavestate.In1814or1815,hehadamajorroleinestablishingtheUndergroundRailroadinthestate;hishomeontheOhioRiverservedasastationthatguidedescapedslavestosafetyinCanada.Asamemberofthestatelegislature,heexercisedalargeinfluenceinestablishingOhio’sjudicialsystem,landtaxsystem,stateschoolsystem,statefundingforcanals,andthepropertytaxtofinancepubliceducation.HewasalsooneofthefirstOhioanstoseekbroadermarketsforthestate’sproduce,drivinghishogsandcattletoBaltimore,Maryland,forthirtyyears. Around1805,thenewOhioStatelegislaturestartedincorporatingsubscriptionlibrarieswiththeSecretaryofState’sofficewithapprovalofthelegislature.ThefirstlibrarytoincorporatebythislegislativeactwastheSocialLibraryofDayton(1805);itwasfollowedbytheGranvilleAlexandrianSocietyLibrary(1807),andalibraryatNewtowninHamiltonCounty(1808).TheWesternLibraryAssociation(CoonskinLibrary),foundedin1804,receiveditspapersofincorporationonFebruary19,1810.ThePolandLibraryintheWesternReserveterritory,whichhadbeenformedin1807,wasincorporatedbythestatein1810.Obviously,manyoftheearlylibraries,suchastheBelpreFarmers’Library,didnotapplyforincorporation,andthuswereoftennotincludedincountsofearlyOhiolibraries.Thereweretwentysociallibrariesthathadbeenincorporatedby1817.TheincorporationdocumentfortheWesternLibraryAssociationsaysthattheCoonskinLibraryisnow“abodypoliticandcorporateinlaw,capableofsuingandbeingsued,pleadingandbeingimpleadedinanycourtinthisstate.” In1830,allthelibrarybooksinAmesTownshipwerecalledinandwereequitablydividedwithDoverTownshiptotheeastwheremanyoftheoriginalstockholdershadmoved.TheDoverbookswerekeptinthehomesofJosiahTrueandhisdescendantsuntil1906,whentheportionofthelibraryremaininginDoverTownshipwasgiventotheAthensCountyPioneerAssociation.SomeoftheDovervolumesarehousedtodayintheSpecialCollectionsattheAldenLibraryatOhioUniversityinAthens.Noneofthesebookswerepartoftheinitialfifty-onevolumepurchasemadeinBostonin1804;toreceivesuchanhonor,thebooksmustbemarkedwithboththe“WesternLibraryAssociation”inscriptionandanumberfrom1to51.WhathappenedtotheoldestbooksfromthecollectionthatwerehousedinDoverTownship?Well,in1876therewasahugeCentennialExpositionatPhiladelphia

andGen.ThomasEwingofYonkers,NewYork,(sonoftheHonorableThomasEwing)andJ.P.WeetheetooksomeoftheoriginalCoonskinLibrarybooksfromDovertoputondisplayinPhiladelphia.Aftertheexposition,thebookswerereturnedtoEwing’sNewYorkhome.Mrs.MaryEwingMartin,agranddaughterofHonorableThomasEwing,wasinterviewedlateratherhomeinNewStraitsville,Ohio,aboutwhathadhappenedtothebooksandshesaid,“In1891,whensomemenweremendingaleakintheroofofmyfather’shouseatYonkers,NewYork,afire-bucketsettheroofafire.Theentireatticwasburnedawaybeforethefamilyknewofitorcouldcallforhelp.Theboxofbooks(notmorethaneightbooks,Ithinkoftheoriginalpurchase)wasintheattic.Althoughtheboxwasnotbadlyburned,thebooksweregreatlydamagedbyfireandthoroughlysoakedbywater.Itookthemoutanddriedthembuttherewasscarcelyenoughleftbywhichtoidentifythem.Ihavewhatremainsoftheminatrunksomewhereintheattic.TheyareinsuchbadconditionthatIshouldbeashamedtopresentthemtoalibraryoramuseum.” ThepartofthecollectionthatremainedatAmesTownshipcontinuedtocirculateuntilabout1861whenthedirectorssoldtheremaining208bookstothreemembersofthecommunityforpreservationpurposes;thesementhenresoldthecollectionthenextyeartoWilliamP.Cutler(Ephraim’sonlyson)for$73.50,thepricepaidfortheoriginalcollectionin1804.ThebooksweretransportedtotheCutlerfamilyhomeinWashingtonCountyonthebanksoftheOhioRiversixmilesbelowMarietta.TheywerelaterinheritedbyEphraimCutler’sgranddaughter,SarahJaneCutler,whotookgreatcareofthem,wroteaboutthem,loanedthecollectiontotheOhioHistoricalSocietyin1917,andfinallyleftthebookstothesocietyinherwill.Thebooksremaintheretoday;tenofthevolumesarefromtheoriginalCoonskinLibrary. Below,Ihaveattemptedtoreconstructalistingofthebooksthatwerepartoftheinitialpurchase.BookspresentlyheldbytheOhioHistoricalSocietyareinboldtype.ExceptfortheoriginalOHSbooks,IhavehadtofindtheapproximatepublicationdatesoftheothertitlesfromavailablecatalogingrecordsontheInternet.OhioUniversitySpecialCollectionshascontemporaneouscopiesofsomeoftheseoriginalbooksintheirCoonskincollection,whichIhavenotedinparentheseswiththeirdatesofpublication.

Coonskin Library

Adams,Hannah.Truth and Excellence of the Christian Religion.1804.---.Views of Religion.1791.(OU—1801ed.,purchased1813)Bayley,John.The Forester; or, The Royal Seat: A Drama in Five Acts.London,1798.

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Bennett,AgnesMaria.The Beggar Girl & Her Benefactors in Three Volumes. 1801ed.Blair,Hugh.Lectures on Rhetoric and Belles Lettres.1802.Burgh,James.The Dignity of Human Nature. 1802.Burney,Fanny.Camilla, or a Picture of Youth.1796.(3volumes) ---.Evelina, or a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World. 1778.(2volumes)(OU-1801ed.)Campbell,Alexander.Journey From Edinburgh Through Parts of North Britain. 1802.Chateaubriand,Francois-Renede.Atala: or, The Amours of Two Indians.1801.Clark,John.The Occasional Discourses Preached in Boston.1804. Columbus.(Biography)Cortez.(Biography)Goldsmith,Oliver.Animated Nature.4volumes.1774.(OU-Newed.,1804) ---.The Grecian History from the Earliest State, to the Death of Alexander the Great.1774.2volumes.(OU—1800,2copies)---.The Miscellaneous Works of Oliver Goldsmith.4volumes.1801. Grandpré,Louis.A Voyage in the Indian Ocean and to Bengal Undertaken in the Year 1790.Boston,1803,Harris,ThaddeusMason.Beauties of Nature.1800.---.Minor Encyclopedia.4volumes.1803.(OU—Sep.1803)---.Discourses Delivered on Public Occasions, Illustrating the Principles, Displaying the Tendencies and Vindicating the Design of Free Masonry. 1801.(BookdonatedbyEphraimCutleronJanuary1,1805) Kames,HenryHome,Lord.Sketches of the History of Man.1788.4volumes. Keir,ElizabethandSusannaHarveyKeir.Interesting Memoirs.5thed.Boston,1802.(Originallypublished1785)Lillo,George.The London Merchant: or, the History of George Barnwell.1731.(play)Morse,Jedidiah.The American Gazetteer.2nded.Revised.1804.(OUhassame.)---.The American Universal Geography.2volumes.1801.---.The New Gazetteer of the Eastern Continent or a Geographical Dictionary.1802.(OUhassame.)Necker,Jacques.Of the Importance of Religious Opinions.1791.(OU—1796) Pizarro.(Biography)Playfair,William.History of Jacobism.1796.2volumes.Ramsay,David.The History of the American Revolution.2volumes.1789.(OUhassame.)Radcliffe,AnnWard.Romance of Forest.1792.(OU—1795) Robertson,William.The History of America.Books9and10.1800. Roche,ReginaMaria.Children of the Abbey.1805.2volumes. Winchester,Elhannon.A Course of Lectures on the Prophecies that Remain to Be Filled.2volumes.1800.---.Dialogues.1800.Zimmerman,JohannGeorge.Solitude: The Effect of Occasional Retirement.1798.(OU—1793)AddendumAmes(nowcalledAmesville)hadlongbeenproudofits“mostacclaimedhistoricalevent”andwantedtodosomethingtopublicizeit.Inthemid-1980s,RobertAvery(thenprincipaloftheAmesvilleElementarySchool)formedtheCoonskinLibraryAssociationtopreserveandpromotethelibrary.Hiselementaryschooldonatedasmallstructure(formerlyaone-roomschoolhouse)behinditsbuildingin1994foraCoonskinLibraryMuseum.The

museumhousesexhibitsabouttheearlysettlers,theirlives,andtheirlibrary.Awall-mountedglasscaseholdsadisplayofafewvolumesonceheldbytheWesternLibraryAssociation;thesesacredtomesareonloantothemuseumfromtheOhioHistoricalSocietyonatemporaryrotatingbasis.Mostlylocalchildren,whovisitonschoolfieldtrips,nowusethemuseum;however,anyonemayvisitthemuseumbystoppingduringschoolhoursattheAmesvilleElementaryofficeandaskingtoseethedisplaysinthelockedbuilding.

BibliographyCoonskin Library.Webmaster:RichardDean.1November2013.http://www.ohio.edu/people/deanr/coonskin.htmlCutler,JuliaPerkins.Life and Times of Ephraim Cutler.1890.NewYork:ArnoPress&TheNewYorkTimes,1971.Cutler,SarahJ.“TheCoonskinLibrary.”OhioArcheologicalandHistoricalPublicationsvol.26,no.1(January1917).Hill,Melinda,ed.Best in the Nation: The First Two Hundred Years of Ohio Libraries.WoosterBookCompany,2003.Mayer,VinnieJ.“CoonskinLibrary.”ApaperpreparedattherequestoftheAmericanLibraryAssociationDivisionofLibraryHistory.ReadattheALAConvention.Cleveland,OH.15July1950.O’Neill,ElwinR.“AHistoryoftheCoonskinLibrary.”Amaster’sthesispresentedtoOhioUniversity,MasterofArts,1936.Shera,JesseH.Foundations of the Public Library: The Origins of the Public Library Movement in New England, 1629-1855.1949.TheShoeStringPress,1965.Venable,W.H.Beginnings of Literary Culture in the Ohio Valley.Cincinnati:RobertClarke&Co.,1891.Walker,CharlesM.History of Athens County, Ohio.Cincinnati:RobertClarke&Co.,1869.

NOTE:ThisarticlewasoriginallypublishedinTheTallowLight(WashingtonCountyHistoricalSociety,Marietta,OH)40no.3(Winter2009).

Formoreillustrationsofthelibraryandcollections,http://www.ohio.edu/people/deanr/coonskin.html

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4th Annual Pulp Fest Lecture “Riding the Pulp Trail: The Career of Paul S. Powers” presented by Laurie Powers

August7broughtwithitthefourthannualAlduspulpfictionlecturehostedatThompsonLibraryatTheOhioStateUniversity.Thisyear’sspeaker,LauriePowers,

author,donor,andpulpfictionresearcher,spokeaboutheradventuressearchingforherpaternalgrandfatherPaulS.Powers(1905-1971),aprolificshortstorywriterforbelovedandeverpopularpulpmagazines. Laurie’ssearchforhergrandfathertookheracrossthecountryfromCaliforniatoSyracuseinsearchofrecords,manuscripts,magazines,andbooks.ShejoinedforceswithherauntwhohadsomeboxesofPower’spapers.BeginningwiththecluethatPaulS.Powerwroteabook,andafewstoriesin“LittleBigBooks”,Lauriediscoveredhergrandfatherhadwrittenmorethan420shortstorieswrittenfor“WildWestWeekly.”ItturnsoutPaulS.Powerswrotehorrorstoriesandsciencefictionstories,andmanyothertalesforotherpulpmagazines.Beginningin1925with“MonstersinthePit”forWeird Tales(June1925),Laurie’sgrandfatherwroteweekinandweekout,churningoutstories,tales,andmorestoriesunderthepseudonymWardM.Stevens.TwolongrunningseriesfeaturedSonnyTaborandKidWolfofTexas.Power’snovelDocDillahayisbasedonhisfather’slifeasasmalltowndoctorinKansas. PaulS.Powers’papersincludedunpublishedmanuscripts,correspondence,papers,pay-stubs,andmore,includinga20”recordofaradioprogram.Bestofall,therewasanunpublishedbookmanuscriptentitledPulp Writer: Twenty Years in the American Grub Street whichLaurieeditedandpublished,alongwithanintroductionandbiographicalessaythroughUniversityofNebraskaPress(2007).Thisbiographyalongwithtwocollectionsofshortstories,onecontaining6publishedand6unpublished

westernsentitledRiding the Pulp Trail andasecondHidden Ghostswhichincludeshorror,noir,animal,romance,andhistoricalaccountsbothpublishedandunpublished.AllthreeofthesebooksandothersareavailableforpurchasethroughLaurie’swebsite(seebelow)andAmazon.LauriebroughtnumerousitemsfromhercollectionsandthePowersCollectionforattendeestoexamine. InDecember2013,LauriedonatedthePaulS.PowersCollectiontoOSU’sRareBooksand

ManuscriptsLibrary.Thiscollectionincludeshundredsoforiginalwesternfictionpulpmagazines,manuscripts,editorialandfancorrespondence,photographs,andotherbooksandpublicationsallrelatedtothelifeandworkofPaulS.Powers,oneofthemostprolificwesternfictionpulpwritersofthe1930s-1940s.RexHughes,metadatacatalogerforOSU’sRBMS,showedattendeesthedigitalmaterialsandfindingaidforthePaul S Powers Book and Pulp Magazine Collection.Hereisthelinktothecatalogrecordhttp://library.ohio-state.edu/record=b7557987~S7andtothefindingaidhttp://ead.ohiolink.edu/xtf-ead/. Formorepulpfiction,checkoutLauriePowers’fascinatingbloghttp://lauriepowerswildwest.blogspot.com/.

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For the purpose of this list, summer is defined not in terms of astronomical rotations but as beginning on Memorial Day and ending with our final summer activity - the Book Crawl on August 2nd. (Let the world spin, we’ll measure summer this year!) I asked Aldus members to report the best book they’ve read this summer. Here are their recommendations for you.

Blake, James Carlos. 2004. Handsome Harry: a novel. New York: W. Morrow.AnovelbasedonfactsaboutHarryPiepont,partnerincrimewithJohnDillinger.ThenovelissetintheDepressionEraofthe1930s.Blakebringsthegang’sexploitsaliveinthisgripping,fast-pacednovel.Youmightevenfindyourselffeelingsympathetictowardsthiscolorfulcastofcharacters.-RobertRockenfelder

Burroughs, William S., and Oliver Harris. 2014. The Soft Machine. The Restored Text. New York: Grove Press. Edited and with an introduction by Oliver Harris.Ireadthiswhenitfirstcameoutintheearly‘60’s-itmadeagreatimpressionontheyoungwriterIwasatthetime,anditiswonderfultoreaditagaininthisnewversion/edition.It’sagreatbook,andI’mnowstartedontheothertwotitlesinthis“Cut-UpTrilogy”asrestoredbyHarris,TheTicketThatExploded,andNovaExpress.-JohnBennett

Campbell, Jen. 2012. Weird Things Customers Say. New York: Overlook Press. Thisshortbookisfullofgreatquipsandcommentsaboutbooks.You’lllaugh,you’llcry,andyou’llshakeyourheadatthestrangequestionscustomersask.-Anonymous

Cleave, Chris. 2009. Little Bee. New York: Simon & Schuster.-CatherineBennett

Cramer, C. H. 1972. Open shelves and open minds; a history of the Cleveland Public Library. Cleveland: Press of Case Western Reserve University.Theauthor,ClarenceHenleyCramer,aprofessorofhistoryatCaseWesternReserveUniversity,wonthe1973ClevelandArtsPrizeforLiteraturefor“Twooutstandingbookspublishedwithinasingleyear.”BesidestheOpen Shelvesvolumementionedabove,Cramer’sother1972bookwasAmerican Enterprise: Free and Not So Free.-MarilynLogue

Edsel, Robert M., and Bret Witter. 2009. The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History. New York: Center Street. - LoisSmith

Forester, C. S. 1939. Captain Horatio Hornblower.

Boston: Little, Brown and Co.Re-readthisbookforthefirsttimeinseveralyears.Itisstilloneofthemostrousingseastoriesever,Ithink.-BillRich

Gabaldon, Diana. 2014. Written in My Own Heart’s Blood: a novel. New York: Delacorte Press.“InhernowclassicnovelOutlander,DianaGabaldontoldthestoryofClaireRandall,anEnglishex-combatnursewhowalksthroughastonecircleintheScottishHighlandsin1946,anddisappearsinto1743.Thestoryunfoldedfromthereinsevenbestsellingnovels,andCNNhascalledit“agrandadventurewrittenonacanvasthatprobestheheart,weighsthesoulandmeasuresthehumanspiritacross[centuries].” HowcanInotproclaimthisasmybestsummerbookwhenIhaditonpre-orderforatleast10monthsandposteditsarrivaltomyFacebooktimelineasifitwasamajorlifeevent?Thiswasnotmyfavoritebookinthisseries,butI’vespentsomuchtimewiththesecharactersthatthey’vebecomeextendedfamilyformeandeachstoryalongletterfromhome.-DebLewis

Goodwin, Doris Kearns. 2013. The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism.Thisisanengaging,wide-ranginghistory,weavingtogethertheintersectinglivesofTheodoreRooseveltandWilliamHowardTaft,alongwithprominentjournalistsoftheera.BeforereadingthisbookIwasn’tterriblyfamiliarwiththiseraormuchabouteitherT.R.orTaftbeyondthecaricaturesofbothmen.AlloftheinformationontheoriginsofinvestigativejournalisminS.S.McClure’sstableofwriters(whobecamebrandedasmuckrakers--atermRooseveltintendedforother,morecarelessimitatorsanddrawnfromacharacterin“Pilgrim’sProgress”)wasanunexpectedbonus.OnespecialnuggetprovidedearlyoninthebookisthefactthatasayounglawstudentTaftgainedapracticalunderstandingofthelegalsystembyworkingasacourtreporterforaCincinnatinewspaper.Notabadexampletofollowforjournalismstudentswhoareplanningtogoontolawschool!IdevelopedamuchgreaterappreciationforTaft,whocomesacrossasa“hailfellowwellmet,”belovedbyallwhoknewhim.HeleftthebenchinOhiotoservehiscountryinanumberofpositions,mostnotablyasGovernor-GeneralofThePhilippinesinthewakeoftheSpanish-AmericanWar.HisgoalallthroughhislifewastobeaJusticeontheU.S.SupremeCourt.YethetwicepassedupappointmentstotheCourtbecauseofhissenseofdutytoothertasksthathewasafraidwouldnotbecarriedthroughtocompletionifhemovedtotheCourt.(EventuallyathirdopportunitycameandhewasappointedChiefJusticebyPresidentHarding,althoughthatcametowardtheendofhislife.)-WesBaker

Aldus Best Books, Summer 2014

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December: Silent Auction ThegrandtraditionoftheAldusHolidayDinnerwilltakeplacethisyearonDecember11.Thisyear’sSilentAuctioncataloguehasastrongvisualandColumbustheme.Wearelookingforsomefabulousbookstobalanceouttheofferings. Alreadylinedupforyourenthusiasticbiddingare: •Abeautifulsetofvintagelinenswithaveryunusual“Buckeye”motif; •AlargeoriginalwatercolorbyColumbus’LelandMcCellandof“GeorgeBellows’BoyhoodHome”; •Agreat“superlimited,”signedprintonaThurberHousethemebytheNewYorker’sGahanWilson; •Oneofthesigned/limitedMarcSimontposterscreatedfortheJamesThurber90thBirthdayCelebrationin1984; •AneatlittlewatercolorbyColumbusartist,BillArteroftheOSUArmoryBuilding,ca.1950; •AcopyofEliotNugent’s,“EventsLeadingUptotheComedy,”signedandwithanautographletterlaid-in; •AEudoraWelty“firstdaypostalcover,”withtheauthor’sautograph; •Twobeautifulvintagemagazineswith“Thurbercovers”:Atlanticfrom1956andTIMEMagazinefromJulyof1951;and •Awonderfullinen-backedOhioRailwayMapfromtheearly20thCentury. Weneedsomemoreunusualitems!Perhapsyouareanartistyourselforhaveaspecialtalenttoshare?OrmaybeabookthatyouhaveenjoyedforalongtimethatyoujustknowyourfellowAldusmemberswouldlustafterorcherish!ContactNancyCampbell,KassieRose,orEdHoffmanwithquestionsaboutpossibledonationsandtoarrangeforpickup!

Heredia, José-María de. 1893 [1937 printing]. Les Trophées. Paris: Librairie Alphonse Lemerre. HerediawasaCubanpoetwholivedmuchofhislifeinFrance,andwroteinFrench.LesTrophéesisreallyhisonlybook,acollectionofwellover100sonnets,writteninFrench.Manypeople,asdoI,considerthesetobesomeofthebestsonnetseverwritteninanylanguage.ConsideredaParnassianbyfolksconcernedwithsuchclassifications,hiswork,inmyopinion,goesfarbeyondanystylisticcategorization.DonotconfusehimwiththeotherJoséMaríaHeredia,alsoCuban,andoneofthegreatRomanticpoets.Hewroteinthelate19thcentury,traveledintheUnitedStates,andspentmuchtimeinMexico.-JohnBennett

Kinney, David A. 2014. The Dylanologists: adventures in the land of Bob. New York: Simon & Schuster.-GeoffSmith

Olson, Lynne. 2010. Citizens of London: the Americans who stood with Britain in its darkest, finest hour. New York: Random House. Thebehind-the-scenesstoryoftherolethreekeyAmericanpersonalitiesplayedasliaisonswithChurchillandRoosevelt,war-shyUSpublicopinion-makers,andallianceforgersstationedinacityperilouslyonthebrinkofsurrender.Theauthorportraysthedetermination,principalsandpassionateloveaffairsofjournalistEdwardR.Murrow,millionaireplayboyAverellHarrimanandUSAmbassadortoBritainJohnGilbertWinantinacity,thoughplaguedwithdangerandintriguewaswhere“everyone”wantedtobein1941throughthewar.-PatriciaGroseck

Owens, Delia, and Mark Owens. 1992. The eye of the

elephant: an epic adventure in the African wilderness. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. From1986to1991DeliaandMarkOwnslivedinthewildsofAfricawherethekillingofelephantsfortheirtusksandothervaluablebodypartsbyillegalpoachingwasrampant.WithstubborndeterminationthiscouplebroughtkillingofAfricangametoanearstandstill.Thisremarkablestorygraphicallyportrayshowtwopeoplewhobelieveandhavefearlessrefusaltoquitcan,anddid,makeadifference.-EmersonGilbert

Perry, Anne. 2001. The Whitechapel conspiracy. New York: Ballantine Books.PartofPerry’sVictorianmysteryseriesthatfeatureThomasandCharlottePittandalwaysincludeabitofhistoryorhistoricalfiction.ThisoneweavesintheJacktheRippermurdersandinvolvesthePrinceofWalesandhissontheDukeofClarence.-PatriciaGroseck

Queenan, Joe. 2012. One for the books. New York: Viking. -GeorgeBauman

Richards, Keith, and James Fox. 2010. Life. New York: Little, Brown and Co.-BillEvans

Semple, Maria. 2012. Where’d you go, Bernadette: a novel. New York: Little, Brown and Company. AwackybutrewardinglookatalifeinSeattle.-NancyCampbell

Stevenson, Fanny, R. L. Stevenson, and Charles Neider. 1955. Our Samoan adventure: with a three-year diary by Mrs. Stevenson now published for the first time, together with rare photographs from family albums. New York: Harper. -LaniHeilman

Aldus Program Schedule for 2014 - 2015September 11, 2014: Dr. Jarrod Burks of Ohio Valley Archaeology, Inc. - JarrodwillsharehiscollectionofrarebooksaboutearlyOhioarchaeologyandtellushowtheysupporthisjobasaworkingarchaeologisttoday.

October 9, 2014: Nancy Down - Ms.DownistheheadlibrarianattheBrownePopularCultureLibrary,BowlingGreenStateUniversity.Thelibraryhousesbooksandmagazines,vintagecomicbooks,videos,toys,gamesandawidevarietyofotherpopular-cultureitemsthatmakeitthelargestcollectionofitskindinthenation.Nancywillbefocusingonsomeofthelibrary’sinterestingprintcollections.NOTE: If you love pulp fiction and enjoyed Power’s Pulp Fest talk, you don’t want to miss this talk.

Fall 2014: Field trip to Dayton - WewillvisitpartoftheStuartRoseCollectionondisplayattheUniversityofDayton.Watchthelistervfordate,time,andtransportationinformation.

November 13, 2014: justAjar Design + Press - BobbyandSaraRosenstockhavelandedinMarietta,OH,wheretheyarebusydesigning,printing,workingontheirhomeandcollectingoldtypefromlocalantiqueshops.SarateachesgraphicdesignatMariettaCollegewhileBobbyrunstheletterpressshopinthecity.

December 11, 2014: Holiday Dinner

January 8, 2015: Aldus Collects - ContactGeorgeBaumantovolunteertoshareyourfavoritebooksortopics.

February 12, 2015: Tony Clark -TonywilltalkabouttarotcardsandreferencebooksabouttheminTarot’s Transition: Egypt to Connecticut.

March 12, 2015: Ron Ravneberg Lecture - WilliamNoelwillspeakontheArchimedesPalimpsestProject.NoelisDirectorofTheKislakCenterforSpecialCollections,RareBooksandManuscriptsandTheSchoenbergInstituteforManuscriptStudiesattheUniversityofPennsylvaniahttp://schoenberginstitute.org/.Heisco-authorofThe Archimedes Codex.

April 9, 2015: David Lynn - Davidwilldiscussthehistory,mission,andachievementsofThe Kenyon Review,oneofthenation’spremierliteraryjournals.

May 14, 2015: Beth Whittaker - Bethwillshare“StoriesfromtheSpencer.”Wewillhearaboutcollections,collectors,donors,exhibits,classes,lessonslearned,andvariousotheranecdotesfromtheperspectiveofMs.Whittaker’spositionasheadoftheUniversityofKansas’sSpencerResearchLibrary,ararebooksandmanuscriptslibrary.

Join Thurber House for the Fall 2014 season of Evenings with Authors!

Wednesday,August27:SusanElizabethPhillips,Heroes Are My WeaknessMonday,September29:KathyReichs,Bones Never LieTuesday, October 7: Simon Winchester, The Men Who United the States: America’s Explorers, Inventors, Eccentrics and Mavericks, and the Creation of One Nation, IndivisibleTuesday,October21:NicholsonBaker,The Paul Chowder Chronicles: The Anthologist and Traveling SprinklerMonday,November24:GarthStein,A Sudden LightTickets and more information available at www.thurberhouse.org or 614-464-1032 x.11!