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WhiteDevilPress

Might Stick Around
Just finished "Some Sort of Epic Grandeur", Mathew Buccoli, an F. Scot Fitzgerald Biography and reading "Life of Billy Dixon, Olive K. Dixon.
I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Bruccoli twice: he was one of the instructors at the old AE Bookman's Weekly rare book seminar I attended in Colorado (pre-internet days). He had a vast knowledge of all things literary, but upon our second encounter when he visited my bookstore in Georgia, I expanded his familiarity with Arthur Szyk, whom I was collecting at the time. He seemed appreciative to learn something he didn't know (a rare occasion), and I learned he passed away not long after. Book people are almost as interesting as pipe people! puffy
 

brian64

Lifer
Jan 31, 2011
9,602
14,666
Just finishing Maury Terry's book The Ultimate Evil, the Search for the Sons of Sam.

All I can say is, if anyone can read it and still believe the official narrative that Berkowitz acted alone, they have a terminal case of normalcy bias.

Will be moving on next to an obvious follow up to Ultimate Evil...but don't know if it will be as good or as convincing or as well documented:

 
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mawnansmiff

Lifer
Oct 14, 2015
7,385
7,295
Sunny Cornwall, UK.
Finished up this one, about how societies adapted to the end of the Roman world. Very interesting.

View attachment 164591

I'm about halfway into this one now. Very eye opening about how Canada and Canadians dealt with the memory of the Second World War

View attachment 164592
'The Inheritance of Rome' is now added to my booklist*...thanks (again) Mike!

*I'm trying not to buy anymore books until I have made my housemove....I already have three piles of unread books and the more books I have, the pricier the removal costs :rolleyes:

Regards,

Jay.
 
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Dec 3, 2021
4,791
40,288
Pennsylvania & New York
I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Bruccoli twice: he was one of the instructors at the old AE Bookman's Weekly rare book seminar I attended in Colorado (pre-internet days). He had a vast knowledge of all things literary, but upon our second encounter when he visited my bookstore in Georgia, I expanded his familiarity with Arthur Szyk, whom I was collecting at the time. He seemed appreciative to learn something he didn't know (a rare occasion), and I learned he passed away not long after. Book people are almost as interesting as pipe people! puffy
Small world!

I only met Matt Bruccoli once at one of the ABAA book fairs in New York years ago—I was wearing a Ross Macdonald t-shirt and he said, “I want one!” I corresponded with him via e-mail briefly in subsequent years; one of his children was living in Brooklyn and I hoped to see him in person again, but never did. I have a number of his Fitzgerald books, bibliographies, and Kenneth Millar/Ross Macdonald books in my collection(s).

I have several copies of The New Order by Arthur Szyk (at least one 1st in jacket that is signed by him) that are part of my caricature book collection.
 

mawnansmiff

Lifer
Oct 14, 2015
7,385
7,295
Sunny Cornwall, UK.
'An History of the Ciuill VVarres of England betweene the two howses of Lancaster and Yorke' by Giovanni Biondi (Monmouth translation) 1st. ed. 1641.

This is a fascinating account of the struggle twixt the two royal houses for regal supremacy. Sir Giovanni Biondi (1572-1644) was an Italian diplomat & historian wrote the first part in 1637 and Henry Carey, 2nd Earl of Monmouth (1596-1661) translated it into English in 1641.

It details the history of both contenders from their earliest days until their last. Much of the story is set in France along with the many battles on French soil (of which part was then under the English yoke). All the alliances, marriages of convenience, battles, deceits, murders are all in this very revealing history.

It is slightly difficult to follow in places unless one is used to the style of the written word of this era but even a novice would certainly learn a whole load from reading this.

Beautiful frontispiece.....

book 7.jpg


book 9.jpg

All books of this era had a grovelling dedication to the current monarch...King Charles I in this case....

book 11.jpg

The original author, Giovanni Francesco Biondi...

Sir_Giovanni_Francesco_Biondi.jpg

Regards,

Jay.
 

huntertrw

Lifer
Jul 23, 2014
5,219
5,338
The Lower Forty of Hill Country
Re-reading James Bassett's Harm's Way. The main character, United States Navy Captain (later Rear Admiral) Rockwell Torrey, is a pipe-smoker.

This is the novel upon which the 1965 John Wayne movie In Harm's Way was based. The movie was good; the novel simply excellent.
 
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mawnansmiff

Lifer
Oct 14, 2015
7,385
7,295
Sunny Cornwall, UK.
Re-reading James Bassett's Harm's Way. The main character, United States Navy Captain (later Rear Admiral) Rockwell Torrey, is a pipe-smoker.

This is the novel upon which the 1965 John Wayne movie In Harm's Way was based. The movie was good; the novel simply excellent.
I've often found that the book is better than the film.

I remember reading 'Carrie' by the great Stephen King and thoroughly enjoyed it. When the film was shown on TV I made a point of watching it....and was rather disappointed, it just didn't have that 'something' that the book had.

Regards,

Jay.
 
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