Fine Books and Collections Magazine's first Annual announced.

I'm pleased to announce the debut of the "2010 Fine Books Compedium & Bookseller Directory":

This delightful guide to fine books features writing from Nicholas Basbanes, Scott Brown, Erica Olsen, Derek Hayes, Ian McKay, and many others. Stories include coverage of the Grolier Club conference on the future of the book trade; million dollar books; magazine collecting; collecting in Norway; fine maps; fine presses; and much more.

Also included is the 2010 Gift Guide for the book minded and the 2010 Bookseller Resource Guide, a listing of more than 700 bookstores and book-related institutions worldwide.

As most of you know, FB&C ceased their usual print issues and went digital only about a year ago. They have, quite brilliantly, decided to issue an annual print volume that will put most of the annual digital content into ink on paper in a lovely, shelvable, volume. I encourage you to reward this decision by purchasing a copy.

Two great blogs here in Portland (and a new book shop)...

I offer for your amusement and enjoyment two great new(ish) blogs. The first is

The Green Hand - Specializing in horror, mystery, and esoterica...best of all, just across the lane from Nancy. We're heading to a nice biblio-density level here on the West End. In Michelle's own words:

Hello everyone! It's official -- The Green Hand bookshop has secured its new shopfront space at 661 Congress Street, across Longfellow Square from our friend Nancy at Cunningham Books, and across the street from our compatriots in cultural intrigue, The Fun Box Monster Emporium and Coast City Comics.

Not only will we strive to provide a pleasant atmosphere and an ever-intriguing book selection, but also we are bringing into the fold the inimitable Loren Coleman's own International Cryptozoology Museum.

The other is the quite excellent foodie blog, "Portland Food Coma". It is not your usual food blog. Irreverent, debauched and...well...sometimes patently offensive (you are warned re the bacon cross tattoo-and/or the horror below it). All this notwithstanding, perhaps because of it, it is one of the great reads on and about food. Enjoy.

Final day of my two week(ish) journey...and more books

We started the day at the MARIAB Northampton Book. I arrived at just about 10 am and the place was pleasingly busy. There were a good number of dealers present...pretty much the same as past years...with some fresh blood stepping into a handful of empty slots.

I saw a handful of things I'd have liked to secure, but few things that really jumped out at me. this was, most likely, the result of too much buying in the days previous and possibly my lack of sleep. I did manage to see a number of the dealers I really look forward to seeing at this fair.

Lisa found a few interesting things. I caught up with Forest Proper and others and everyone seemed to be having a good time. I had a number of people ask why I was not doing this fair...I told them the truth: that I just can't bring myself to do fairs where I spend more time setting up my booth than the fair is open (my issue, not the fair's). On the other hand, I had a nice compliment in that one dealer told me that someone had asked if I was at the showl. As an added bonus, I had a quick nice chat with Thurston Moore (founder of Sonic Youth and, pleasingly, a collector).

We left the fair in mid-afternoon and ran a few errands and picked up a very quick bite to eat. The errands gave me a chance ot stop in at Raven Used books. Interesting shop...a lot of new material, very aggressively price.

We then headed over to Art Larson's wonderful Horton Tank Graphics. Three of the images are from Art's. The first

is an amazing type case...both for its overall size and condition, but also as it came with complete sets of early woodblock type.

Art showed us his various presses (one included tot he side). It is pretty wonderful to think that some of Leonard Baskin's greatest books came off these press.

We spent a bit of time talking about printing and coloring techniques and Art showed us some raw pigment used to create some of the wonderful colors that come off his presses. Show here are Azure and Malachite in raw form. Very cool. Art also gave us a tour of Wild Carrot Press (downstairs).

After that Lucretia and I went back to the house and regrouped for a few minutes (might have looked at a few

books. We joined Lisa for dinner at the Great

Wall (remember, White Menu for the Good Stuff).

We headed back to the house and settled in for the night. More books. This time, Lisa took me (us) on a whirlwind tour that touched bindings (publishers and fine), girl books, early books and just wonderful things in interesting stories. Lisa is everything I love in a passionate book lover--she can pull any book of the shelf (and there are 10s of thousands) and tell you what the book is, where she bought it and why it is special. It would be impossible to avoid becoming excited looking at books with her...even were they were not exceptional examples (or associations, etc). It is a simply remarkable collection in many different ways.

It is late and we have to be on the road reasonably early to get back to Portland. More to follow as I begin to be able to process this adventure...

How to spend a great day (or two) in the Northampton area (before a book fair)

Stage Three of my epic fall journey began as soon as I arrived back in Portland. Having survived, barely, the Seattle to Maryland trip, I spent a few days doing things in the MD area and visiting my in-laws. Fun was had by all. We left on Thursday, arriving back in Portland at about 430pm or so.Lucretia picked us up at the airport and brought us to the house where we unloaded, I gazed longingly at my bed while repacking and then we (just LB and I, The Suz had conflicting obligations) were off to the Northampton area for the weekend.

The principle reason for the journey is the annual MARIAB book fair in Northampton. That said, it was the invitation to attend the opening of The Clark exhibit of "Raven and Crow" (Manet/Poe & Baskin/Hughes) and stay with Lisa and Lucretia that forced me to forgo my own bed (and other plans) for another weekend away. Friday saw us spend most of the day at the Clark. It is a small and wonderful exhibit at a gem of a museum in the middle of pretty much no where [N.B. the founders of The Clark sited it (in the early 1950s) where it is found because it was the least likely to be nuked there]. We spend the late afternoon and evening at the house/shop of Second Life Books...great conversation, great books and (later) a nice Indian dinner together.

We woke at a reasonable hour on Saturday and had a nice breakfast (Lucretia brought down some smoked salmon and I sautéed some with onion and eggs...the other highpoint being Lisa's insanely good blueberry jam). I had a tour of the print shop and studio in the morning and then we hit the road. After a quick stop at an antique shop, we visited Michael Kuch (Double Elephant Press) in his newly build print shop. We had a very nice visit, most of which revolved around him pandering to my desire to look at his simply exceptional work (including his newest and his next). Images of his books do not come close to doing them justice. I am really looking forward to seeing more (and seeing what he does over the next few years and decades).

We left Michael and his family (and Hosie and several of his) to explore Troubadour Books. TB is a general stock shop...but with genuine flair, taste, and quality. It is rather well organized, the books are in generally great condition and the subject matter is legion. I picked up interesting things from erotica to drug culture, photographic monographs to fine press missives-the crowning item, discovered after I'd already cashed out once, being a simply wonderful 1930 alphabet block print volume, each plate signed by the artist/printer. There are many great shops in the Northampton area...but do not miss Troubadour if you are out this way.

Lucretia and I came back around 6pm and spent the next two hours (before dinner) looking at several Gehenna Press books. We then joined Lisa, Hosie, John Waite, Jim Arsenault, and a few others for a great dinner at The Great Wall in Florence. We started with two Peking Ducks and went from there. I'm told that they have two menus: one that is for the unadventurous, the other for those who want more authentic fare....ask for the white menu.

We arrived back at the house around 10 or so and stayed up until about 2am looking at more books. There are so many books. So many truly great books. I want to write about the books...but I can't. I need to think about them more first. Maybe later...if I can find the context.

One thing, as an example: I absolutely love Leonard's exceptional Moko Maki. Tonight I explored a unique set of the images, each printed on vellum. Remarkable.

Book fair tomorrow. More books. A wonderful weekend emerging.

Day Three in Seattle-Pack up and Pearl Sake...

Just a quick post as I am in no condition to...well...be conscious. The final day of the fair was great. Seattle is really a pretty wonderful book town. Lots of people genuinely interested and engaged in a broad range of material. It is really a treat to be out here. The fair was well attended pretty much all day. Best of all, an ok fair (marginal/fair sales, great buying) ended strong with a very nice sale in the last half hour. The next few weeks will let us know just how good it was as those with interest percolate on things and...with luck...will call.

Packed up quickly and got everything to FedEx before they closed at 6pm. We then headed to Dragonfish again for Sushi and Sake Sunday...food and drink specials early...and even better deals later. We spent about 4 hours there. It is probably a sign to leave when your very wonderful waitress tells you that they are out of the pearl sake you've been drinking all evening. Luckily, they have 23 other types. It was a wonderful evening...book[wo]men are just great fun.

Back in the room now...redeye tomorrow evening. Bookshopping (and Utilikilts) during the day.

Day Two in Seattle [or: The Lament of the Oversexed Emu]

Day two in Seattle was great. This is a great book fair town. The crowd, slow at the very start, ramped up rapidly and stayed strong and steady nearly all day. A lot of people, engage, interested, inquisitive and, on occasion, buying. If 20% of those who left saying they wanted to see if x, y or z was already on their shelves return and buy tomorrow (as I expect), this tomorrow should be interesting.

It is great to have done this fair long enough that people stop in that you remember (admittedly, this is a slow process for me) and, more importantly, remember you and seem genuinely pleased to see you again.

There is some genuinely great material in the Hall. I have decided to try to control myself...and be amused. The first book I purchased was "Photography for Perverts" (signed by the author). I think I am going to book-end the fair by buying a remarkable collection of William Black images. For some reason, this amuses me to no end. I also found a wonder fine press work titled "Notorious Ex Libris"...bookplates that should have been for the likes of Al Capone, Vlad the Impaler, John Waters and Martha Stewart. A student press project, brilliantly designed and executed.

After the show, I joined the fine folks of Wessel and Lieberman for their annual Saturday night dinner and shop tour. Dinner was at the Collins Pub. The margarita's were very good, dinner was very good...the entertainment was epic. The Kent had just finished regaling us with a tale of SLC man who "loved an emu to death". As we were coming to grips with the implications of this rather horrifying tale, the evening's entertainment began...a quartet of "experimental saxophone" players. They played, 5 feet from us, a long and loud, atonal work that...I am CERTAIN...was title, "The Lament of the Oversexed Emu". One, clearly bleating out its tortured tale while its three family keened in support. It was brilliant. Brian, I am so, so sorry you were not here...

We retired to W&L's shop where there was nibbles and drink waiting for us and their wonderful stock (including a great section of unpriced material that beckoned nearly all). There is no commerce to be done, by strict rule...it would be wrong to get one's friends liquored up and then set them loose in one's shop...but you can make piles to be dealt with at a later time . I found a handful of things that pleased me...my favorite being a little toad woodcut with a brilliantly hand-colored eye.

Tomorrow runs from 11 to 4. I'll then pack up and get the cases off to the shipper. Fingers crossed for a great day.

Seattle Set-uo and the Great North-West Kibitz

The trip was about as good as a day's air travel could be. Virgin America was a genuine treat. I will, whenever possible, fly them cross country. Not only are the planes nice (seats have adjustable headrests, soft, strangely purple lighting, etc)...and have WiFi and good food options (that you order from you seat on the slick little touch screen)...but EVERY SEAT has a POWER OUTLET. When you are traveling across the country, a power outlet is quite possibly the best thing I've seen on an airplane...frankly, better than WiFi.

Arrived in Seattle and made my way to the B[a]P Cave. The Cave is great. I have my own little suite, complete with fridge, micro and COFFEE MAKER. Only miss is that The Suz is on the East Coast, heading to see her family on Saturday (I'll be meeting them on the Easter Shore on Tuesday).

We dropped off our cases at the Hall and headed off to dinner. We had a great dinner at The Dragonfish. They do a nightly special (after 9pm) with small plate sushi rolls for $1.95 to $2.95...great price, great rolls. Also had specials on various saki's...had a really nice unfiltered.

Set-up today (all previous was yesterday) went smoothly given I did not have my extra brain (and hands)...on the other hand, I only had to tend to half a booth. There is some outstanding material at the fair. I'll try to take row images tomorrow and, perhaps, capture some of the gems.

Jeanne's assistant is a lovely 19 yr old (old family friend). She has been great help on all fronts. She is "not a collector". Today, however, she bought a lovely copy of Snow White from me. She is, officially, a book collector...having spent pretty much all her money for the weekend on a single book. I'm giving her a good discount...probably for the rest of her life .

Dinner tonight at an Irish pub with many good friends. Truly, selling books at a fair is good thing...but seeing and spending time with other sellers is really what it is all about. Great people...great fun. Images of the fair and dinner party (all tagged as all every single dealer there is on FaceBook...from Josh and Sunday to Michael Thompson) can be found on my Facebook Page. Set-up/pre-show exploring starts at 8am...open to the public at 10. Come if you can.

The Seattle Book Fair Adventure Begins

315an. I'm on a nice Trailways bus direct to Ligan Airport. Pillow
under my head, movie (Witch Mountain remake) playing, next stop Virgin
America (still think there should be a sister company, Debauched
America). Cases arrived yesterday and are waiting for me at Book
Prowler's secret hideout. Now to see if I can catch a bit more sleep.