My own journey collecting items from the Byrdcliffe library began when I found a leather-bound set of Dryden offered on the web, complete with Byrdcliffe bookplate. Which immediately created a mystery. How could a set whose title paged clearly stated that it was published in 1821 find itself in the collection of a collector who […]
What They Read at Byrdcliffe — or Of Research And Rabbit Holes II
by Jo Walton Superlatively imaginative (This review originally appeared on the New York Journal of Books) The cover copy of Jo Walton’s Lent promises that it is “a historical fantasy thriller set in Renaissance Florence and in Hell.” And in fact this latest novel from the extraordinary talented and erudite Jo Walton is nothing less.
One of the peculiar joys of being a historical writer is running down rabbit holes. Okay, maybe some people would prefer the term ‘psychosis.” But the fact remains, if you’re me, there’s no greater pleasure (okay, I admit it, no better excuse for procrastination) than trying to find the answer to the question, what would
Well, here’s how I put it last night – and I meant it: Two reactions follow in rapid succession when you let it slip that you are in the process of giving 582 mystery novels the same respectful consideration you would like to see your own work receive. First, comes the shock and awe that
The Horseman’s Word Thanks to Encircle Publications and Deirdre Wait for the gorgeous cover.
They say not to judge a book by its cover, but I would argue that judging a book by its title is a whole different thing. Trust me, I’m not one to resist a title like Edward Everett Hale’s Practical Christianity Applied to the Manufacture of Woolens. It was, in fact, the first book I
According to local legend, the Byrdcliffe Arts Colony was born when Bolton Brown, Hervey White, and Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead chose Woodstock, N.Y. to build their utopian Arts and Crafts community – mostly because the light was judged to be exactly the same as that of Provence. Construction began in the winter of 1902, and by
What They Read At Byrdcliffe: Welcome to my New Blog
by Adam O’Fallon Price An ambitious, skillfully written book. (This review originally appeared on the New York Journal of Books) In “The Typology of Detective Fiction,” Tsvetan Todorov demonstrated that the classic Golden Age mystery story was a text about reading and writing narratives. In his model, the detective and reader join forces to reconstruct
by Heather Dixon Wallwork An enjoyable and engaging novel. (This review originally appeared on the New York Journal of Books) Like many familiar fairy tales, the original version of The Nutcracker, E. T. A. Hoffmann’s novella, Nussknacker und Mausekonig, is far darker and more complex than the holiday classic beloved by generations. Tchaikovsky’s ballet is
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