Average American reading habits

Click on the title to read the entire article article....where do you place in number of books read? I have 4 being read right now...lol

WASHINGTON (AP) -- There it sits on your nightstand, that book you've meant to read for who knows how long but haven't yet cracked open. Tonight, as you feel its stare from beneath that teetering pile of magazines, know one thing -- you are not alone.

Women are more avid readers than men, a new poll says.

One in four adults say they read no books at all in the past year, according to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll released Tuesday. Of those who did read, women and seniors were most avid, and religious works and popular fiction were the top choices.

Antique Oxford

My newest pride and Joy, the Oxford book of English verse, 1907, original blue cloth binding on india paper.
This lovely volume has become a bit of an obsession for me. Not only can I peruse 13th century poetry at my leisure,but the book has a story and a life of it's own.
I'd love to say I discovered in my grandmothers attic, or tucked away in a homey old brownstone bookstore, but I found it on Ebay.



On it's own it stands as a beautiful volume, obviously well loved by it's previous caretaker, but tucked within it's pages is a wealth of information. Whoever loved this book as much as I do tucked everything from newspaper clippings to a funeral announcement and even a love letter in it's pages. The vast majority of the newspaper clippings are of poetry from the New York Times during the mid 1930's.
To whoever Mary E.V Hanks is, I thank you. More then likely you have gone to the great library in the sky, but I feel honored to have your book in my hands.
I shall cherish this volume, and when I grow old, pass it along with newspaper clippings and poetry from my area...along with a note of who I was, who Mary may have been, and the story of how this book crossed so many miles.
Your book is in safe hands Mary Hanks.

The Oxford book of english verse

Browsing history

http://www.rarebookroom.org/

I am in love. Yes, with a website, or rather it's contents. Care to browse antique Shakespearian volumes on your lunch break? Well..now you can, and that in itself is a beautiful thing.

click on the title "browsing history" to visit this lovely site

The mystery of the rose, a bottle and Poe

More Doubt
Poe Museum Curator Disputes Historian's Claim That He Began Grave Site Ritual of Roses, Cognac

By William Wan
Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, August 18, 2007; B01

He sneaks into the cemetery every year at night in the dead of winter,the mysterious man in black, to pay his respects at the grave of Edgar Allan Poe. And in his wake, he never fails to leave three roses and a bottle of cognac.

For decades this mystery has drawn thousands to the famed poet's grave in the heart of Baltimore and spawned much speculation. Why the black garb? Why cognac? And just who is this man?
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To continue reading, click on the post title

The exploration of John Donne

My most recent addition. Recently I heard a lovely poem of John Donne's, so I felt compelled to read more of his works. This is a very nice binding, my only complaint is that the black area on the spine rubs off. Instead of looking at that as a flaw, I'll look at it as giving this volume a well loved look as I read it.
Thus my exploration of John Donne begins...wish me luck.

Ahhh, Yeats

Books on demand

A recent news story intrigued me, the story was about an ATm type machine that prints books on demand, from thousands of literary choices.
Now I adore my old books, but should I need a hard to find volume the possibility of having it in minutes is exciting to me.
Should I win the lotto, this shall be installed in my home. Dangerous, very dangerous.

click here

and an online store

available here