Rare Book Monthly
Articles - February - 2010 Issue
<i>In The News:</i> "Tome Raider" In Jail Again, Book Returned 90 Years Late, New Publications
Limited edition (500 copies) book on Charles Gesmer.
The Champaign (Illinois) Public Library found a pair of overdue books recently in their return bin. "Overdue" is something of an understatement. They were about 90 years late. They were returned anonymously with a note of explanation. There is good reason the returner, who said they were in a trunk at that person's mother's house for 60 years, kept anonymous. Based on the two cents per day fine in place at the time, the fine would now be $1,300. The books were United States History and Constitution and Benefits Forgot: A Story of Lincoln and Mother Love. Both books are in deplorable condition and probably not worth one day's worth of fines, let alone 90 years. Library Director Martha Grove was quoted as saying that she thinks the library must be close to the record for receiving the longest overdue return. She should just be thankful she got her books back so fast. Washington and Lee University recently had a book returned 145 years late, taken during the Civil War.
We have received notice of two recently published books, and while we have not read, nor likely could fully appreciate them as they are in very finely targeted niches, here they are for anyone interested in Charles Gesmar or mushrooms. Gesmar was a French artist noted for his posters. He was greatly admired by the writer Jean Cocteau. The book is Charles Gesmar 1900-1928, and author Angelo Luerti has conducted painstaking research into the short life of the artist such as is unlikely to have ever been done before. If you are interested in Gesmar, here is a link to a PDF (downloadable) file describing the book: http://www.delabelleepoqueauxanneesfolles.com/Photos/Quartino%20CHARLES%20GESMAR%2010-03.pdf.
The second item is actually a catalogue, and it comes from Christian Volbracht of German bookseller Antiquariat MykoLibri. Volbracht is the author of a bibliography on books about mushrooms, and the most extensive one of which we are aware (though we admit to not having done much research). MykoLibri is likely the only bookseller dealing exclusively in books about fungi, selling only through catalogues and their own website. Though a German seller, their website is available in the German, English, and French languages. Here is a link to the English version, but you can click at the bottom to switch to either of the other languages: http://www.mykolibri.de/?lang=en.
