Tag: George Macy

Book Edition Reviews, Book Reviews, Books

Camille, by Alexandre Dumas, fils, Curwen Press (1937) and Garamond Press (1955) for the Limited Editions Club

La Dame aux Camélias (Camille), by Alexandre Dumas, fils, is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most famous of love stories in the Western canon. As mentioned by the Limited Editions Club (LEC) Monthly Letter (ML), “the story is simple enough. It is that of an enamored courtesan who, not to ruin the life of the man she loves, gives him up and dies of a broken heart.” As Henry James aptly says … Continue reading Camille, by Alexandre Dumas, fils, Curwen Press (1937) and Garamond Press (1955) for the Limited Editions Club

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Book Edition Reviews, Books

Lysistrata, by Aristophanes, Illustrated by Picasso, Limited Editions Club (1934)

Aristophanes (446 BC – 386 BC) was the greatest comic playwright of ancient Athens, who arguably remains unsurpassed, with the exception of Shakespeare, as the greatest comic playwright of all time. His ridicule could be scathing, his criticisms influential, and his insight into the world he lived was second to none. He is known to have written at least 30 plays, with eleven of them surviving through the ages in a nearly complete … Continue reading Lysistrata, by Aristophanes, Illustrated by Picasso, Limited Editions Club (1934)

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Book Edition Reviews, Books

The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym, by Edgar Allan Poe, Limited Editions Club (1929)

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), as one of the greatest and most influential of American writers, needs little introduction.  His influence on Romanticism and within the  Gothic, mystery, detective and science fiction literary genres, is tremendous. During his lifetime, he was nearly as famous for being a sharp and biting literary critic (especially his dis-like for  transcendentalism) as for being an author. He became tremendously popular in Europe in the 19th century, especially in … Continue reading The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym, by Edgar Allan Poe, Limited Editions Club (1929)

Chris T. Adamson6 Comments
Book Edition Reviews, Book Reviews, Books

Letter from Birmingham City Jail, by Martin Luther King, Limited Editions Club (2008)

As a sometimes over-exuberant lover of fine press books, I often wax rhapsodic about works that you see here on Books and Vines. Be it decades old editions from classic fine presses of yesteryear, or more recent publications by today’s fine presses, there is something to enjoy about almost all works that stem from centuries old traditional book-making techniques, especially those well-designed and executed. Occasionally, works turn out to … Continue reading Letter from Birmingham City Jail, by Martin Luther King, Limited Editions Club (2008)

Chris T. Adamson1 Comment
Book Edition Reviews, Books

Green Mansions, by William Henry Hudson, Limited Editions Club (1935)

Some books are simply fun and entertaining to read. Some books are good to read because of their mastery of language and form. A few books manage both. Green Mansions: A Romance of the Tropical Forest, written by William Henry Hudson (1841–1922), is one such work. While its entertainment value led to it being a huge sales success upon initial publication in 1904, its lasting power and inclusion into … Continue reading Green Mansions, by William Henry Hudson, Limited Editions Club (1935)

Chris T. Adamson2 Comments
Book Edition Reviews, Book Reviews, Books

The Decameron, by Giovanni Boccaccio, Limited Editions Club (1930 & 1940 editions)

Despite having read many of the stories from Giovanni Boccaccio’s The Decameron over the years, I had never read it cover to cover. Thankfully, I embarked on doing so a couple months back and was amply rewarded for the effort. It is one of the most enjoyable books one could hope to entertain themselves with, and I cannot believe I waited until my forty-ninth year … Continue reading The Decameron, by Giovanni Boccaccio, Limited Editions Club (1930 & 1940 editions)

Chris T. Adamson5 Comments
Books, Misc.

Random Thoughts – The Undervaluing of George Macy and The Limited Editions Club

There have been a number of times over the years, when talking with various ‘fine’ and antiquarian book dealers and collectors, where a certain snobbery against George Macy and his works from the Limited Editions Club (LEC) became evident. Sometimes timid (“I do not pay much attention to those“), others more explicit (“Macy and his LEC is not fine press” or even “not much more than a … Continue reading Random Thoughts – The Undervaluing of George Macy and The Limited Editions Club

Chris T. Adamson8 Comments