RARE BOOK GUIDE - THE RUNNERS, THE RIDERS & THE ODDS

01 April 2007

Cruel month for Baedekers and other plans...


Among the books I am thinking of doing in the cruellest month are a Baedeker or two, 'A Lume Spento' a great Pound rarity, the Book of Buttons, a photo book by skull-capped fashion snapper Bruce Weber, a Hull Grundy anatomy book of fiendish rarity, a LeFanu ghost book, a weird conspiracy book Imperium: The Philosophy Of History And Politics (1948) by Varange, a disturbing photobook by Chris Killip 'In Flagrante' and an 'Aggie' - possibly Roger Ackroyd + that rare book stalwart Sir Winston Churchill, possibly one of his elusive pamphlets like 'Mr Broderick's Army' or 'For Free Trade.' Maybe 'Chamber of Secrets' for the muggles punters and Rodenbach's Bruges-le- Morte for the whey faced decadents. Don't hold me too it. I have a formidable stack of books that I have to price with a pencil and put in boxes- so blogs may be intermittent, but not for long. Talking of Baedekers and Pound, when he was in Venice in 1907 he made a little walking around money writing the entry for Venice in the 'Baedeker für Kinder' that was published exactly 100 years ago today - to the day. The "Baedekers for Children" (or 'Baby Baedekers' as they are sometimes known) have become rare and are often overlooked as they are half the size of normal Baedekers and are pink rather than red...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

this is a wind up surely? have never seen these little baedekers--sir, you jest!

Sister Ray said...

i have a Baby Baedeker! Will never sell. It's a guide to Erewhon. The pink cloth is slightly faded.