Illustrated - Art, Photography, Architecture
The Illustrative Processes: Engraving
Engraving has suffered from an identity crisis, perhaps born from its ubiquity. Humans have used engraving as a tool for expression in every era and every place, from prehistoric cave… Read more
Literature, Moderns
Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged
“Who is John Galt?” With this question, Ayn Rand began her final novel, Atlas Shrugged, one of the most controversial, influential, and bestselling books of the 20th century. It’s a… Read More
Civil War, History
General Grant and Mark Twain: The Story Behind Grant’s Memoirs
As changes in fortune go, the swings experienced by Ulysses S. Grant during the final chapters of his life are somewhat legendary. From an early age Grant was preoccupied… Read More
Children's Lit
Beatrix Potter: Nature, Love and Success
Ducks, mice, kittens, and of course, rabbits. A menagerie of small creatures inhabits the pages of Beatrix Potter’s books. As a young girl, she loved nature, feeling more at… Read More
Religion
Rare Acquisitions to Remember the Papal Visit
Here in Philadelphia, Bauman Rare Books’ hometown, a lot of people are still celebrating Pope Francis’ visit, which capped his first trip to the United States. The open-air mass he… Read More
Rare Books
5 Great Books to See in Las Vegas
Currently on display is a presentation copy of the limited deluxe first edition of Ernest Shackleton’s Heart of the Antarctic and The Antarctic Book: signed by him and all… Read More
Literature, Rare Books 101
Collecting Camelot: Rare Arthurian Books, Part 2
Someday, I’d like to play King Arthur in a production of Lerner and Loewe’s Camelot. I long ago memorized all of Arthur’s songs and a lot of his dialogue—including… Read More
Literature, Rare Books 101
Collecting Camelot: Rare Arthurian Books
When I visited Walt Disney World, one thing I really wanted to do was tug at the Sword in the Stone, right next to the Fantasyland carousel. I’d heard the… Read More
Rare Books 101
The Personal Library: Beach House
The Jersey Shore was my beach. If you can imagine New Jersey as a woman sitting with her legs crossed, I grew up where the calves are. We chased the… Read More
Literature, Moderns
Culture Beat: Highlights of the Harlem Renaissance
Looking to escape the summer heat? You can’t beat a blissfully cool day exploring MoMA’s current show, “One-Way Ticket: Jacob Lawrence’s Migration Series and Other Works.” Jacob Lawrence’s masterful… Read More
Literature, Moderns
Greater than Gatsby? Why Tender is the Night might be Fitzgerald’s “intended masterpiece.”
The sick and tired adages regarding the relationship between art and the artist are rarely more evident and appropriate than in the curious case of F. Scott Fitzgerald and his… Read More