My absolute favorite part of this lovely 1979 book published in London that was gifted to me by Lew is the handwritten additions to the resource booksMy absolute favorite part of this lovely 1979 book published in London that was gifted to me by Lew is the handwritten additions to the resource books listed in the back. The last 62 pages of the book are taken up with a comprehensive (at the time) listing of bird books published in Britain since 1875 - BUT whoever owned this copy did not find that sufficient and added many titles dating back to 1853 written in their own hand with notes about what pages are most important to their own learning. The distinction in the book between those field guides and other books as a result of BIRDWATCHING versus BIRDKILLING was a fascinating component of the changing ethics of birding and bird knowledge acquisition. The person who owned this copy marked by hand each book they read or collected - adding up to 781 books specifically about birds, their behavior, their habits, and watching them. They added 11 books to just the section on Eggs and Nest, and corrected a mistake in the list created by the author.
A 100 Euro listing at a rare book dealer in London of a signed 1st edition states that this book is, "An extremely useful survey of British bird books from the late nineteenth century onwards, including bibliographical lists, short biographies and detailed discussion of individual books and the overarching history of ornithological publishing."
I kind of think that my copy is even more valuable. What a joy to get this glimpse into some birder from years past who lovingly (and meticulously) hand-wrote notes detailing the books they bought and read about birds. Their handwritten entries include, " The Scottish Ospreys, Brown, Phillip and Waterston, George, 1979 Collins" and an even more thorough notation of H. Seebohm's book Eggs of British Birds from 1904, noting that 104 copies were made, and that " The same eggplates that were in his History of British Birds, 4th Volume" are used.
This is the kind of book that makes me want to write ANOTHER book about the person who owned it, used it, made notes in it, learned from it, and LOVED birds so much that they owned and read more than 700 books about them - and how that book then ended up in Denver's oldest independent bookstore, The Hermitage Antiquarian Bookshop, where my partner's wonderful reading uncle, Lew, found it and knew it would be bring me joy, so purchased it and had it sent as a surprise to my home. THE JOURNEY this book has taken, ya'll. It fascinates and delights me....more
Foster is a deceptively simple yet affecting novella that lingers far beyond its brief pages. Told through the perspective of a young girl sent to livFoster is a deceptively simple yet affecting novella that lingers far beyond its brief pages. Told through the perspective of a young girl sent to live with distant relatives for the summer, the story thrives in what remains unspoken鈥攍ove, loss, and quiet transformations unfolding in the spaces between words.
Keegan鈥檚 prose is economical and somehow every sentence pulses with emotion. Silence plays a powerful role, not just in the characters鈥� relationships but as a reflection of the larger cultural backdrop of Ireland. Hints of hardship, grief, and even possible abuse are woven subtly into the narrative, left for the reader to intuit. The novel鈥檚 restraint is its strength, making its final moments all the more heart-wrenching....more
Loading...
