Friday, December 14, 2018
Look what Fast Company said about independent bookstores, including us
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
Everything in the store under $100 on sale!
This sale isn't just about books. It's also about prints, maps, photographs, and ephemera. From now until December 29, it's all on sale for half off the marked price. (We're closed Sunday and Monday, so December 30 and 31 are out.) But until then, you've got plenty of opportunities to take advantage of this spectacular sale. We're open Tuesday through Saturday 10 to 5. So come on in. This sale applies only to in-store purchases. Gotta be here.
Thursday, November 15, 2018
Our Small Business Saturday lasts a week
Don't miss this great opportunity to save money at Lighthouse Books, ABAA. We're always glad when we can offer such amazing in-store savings and we know you are, too. So be sure to visit us on Small Business Saturday or in the following week to take advantage of this terrific sale.
Monday, October 29, 2018
What's Mike the Elf doing on the shelf?
Mike the Elf isn’t up on the shelf for nothing. He’s there to remind you that the perfect gift for the book lovers on your list are Lighthouse Books Gift Certificates. You can select the amount that's right for you. They're custom prepared for you specific needs. What's more, they fit neatly into a card so you don't even have to wrap them. They’re the perfect gifts because they acknowledge your gift-giving expertise plus give your recipients the opportunity to find the perfect treasure. Well done!
Thursday, October 25, 2018
Rare Book Moment: Here's a suggestion for book collectors: Learn about where you live
No. 27: Rare book appraiser Michael Slicker discusses a suggestion for book collectors no matter what their special interest is: collect some local history in your area and learn about the place you live. Michael Slicker, a recognized authority on antiquarian books, has owned Lighthouse Books, ABAA in St. Petersburg, Florida, for more than 40 years. Michael Slicker's Rare Book Moment is recorded at Lighthouse Books, ABAA. Music by Jack Payne: Back to Those Happy Days
Friday, October 12, 2018
Rare Book Moment: Here are ways to consider the relationships in your collection
No. 26: Rare book appraiser Michael Slicker discusses three sets of books about military training from three different periods in history to illustrate a "relationship" way for thinking for collectors who want to make their collections interesting and fun. Michael Slicker, a recognized authority on antiquarian books, has owned Lighthouse Books, ABAA in St. Petersburg, Florida, for more than 40 years. Michael Slicker's Rare Book Moment is recorded at Lighthouse Books,
ABAA. Music by Jack Payne: Back to Those Happy Days
Monday, October 8, 2018
A day in D.C. with Sarah and Q. Boy, we saw a lot in a short time
By Sarah Smith
Q and I had the great pleasure of exhibiting, this year, at the Washington Antiquarian Book Fair, managed by Beth Campbell and housed in the Holiday Inn Rosslyn, in Arlington, Virginia.
The hotel is located just a couple of miles from downtown D.C., and is only two blocks from the Rosslyn Metro station. This fantastic location, and the several large conference rooms on the second floor, made the hotel an ideal spot for the book fair, which has been serving the book loving community for forty-three years.
When our travels brought us into D.C. a day earlier than anticipated, I purchased two-day passes for the Metro, and we set out to enjoy as much of the city as we could cram into a day! (Click on the photos to make them larger.)
We began our adventure at the Rosslyn Metro Station, with its bustling morning crowd and 195 foot decent to the lower platform. i put Q in what he might describe as a “chokehold” and what I would refer to as “a lifesaving grip,” as we rode the fifth longest continuous span escalator in the D.C. metro system. We were only moments into our journey, and already I felt that I’d earned a badge of honor, when we alighted on the lower platform and found our way to the intimidating metro map, with its spaghetti-like mass of lines and stops. My death grip on Q paid off, since he was forced to stare at the map with me and saved the day by figuring out that the meatball sized dot labeled “McPherson Square” was our best bet for getting close to the White House.
We crammed our way onto a car headed that way. Q loved the challenge of balancing himself while the train rushed along, and I forced myself to relax my grip on his shirt a bit while I listened hard to interpret the mechanical sound of garbling coming from the train’s loudspeaker.
We finally figured out how to exit McPherson, a few minutes delayed, since I ignored my son’s protests and headed us both in the wrong direction. The fresh air and natural lighting were so welcomed that I determined to walk as much of the rest of our way as possible, and ignore the cold drizzle that was starting to snake its way past our shirt collars.
I worked hard to remember details about the White House’s architecture and history as we headed toward those auspicious halls; I found that my memory fell dismally short, and determined to find some good books on the subject to share with Q when we got home. One of the most precious resources of homeschooling is that great institution, the Public Library, and I was reminded, with gratitude, just how badly I was in need of its services!
From the White House, we walked past The Ellipse and took in the National Mall in its entirety, from the Lincoln Memorial to the United States Capital, visiting the many hauntingly beautiful monuments along the way.
Q’s favorite was the Lincoln Memorial, and we spent some time exploring it and the museum located at its base.
The World War II monument was my favorite, with its 56 pillars, triumphal arches, and fountains.
The most beautiful part of the National Mall experience for us both, though, were the many people, from all over the world, visiting alongside of us. During our walk, we met and spoke with families from Germany, the United Kingdom, Missouri, Illinois, and Venezuela. Each was eager to talk about their trip, and all stood and compared notes and maps with us while we worked to figure out what “must see” parts of D.C. we should fit into our day.
Our wonderful experiences with the people around us gave me added courage to venture back underground, this time into the Smithsonian Metro Station, where we hopped a train to Metro Central to grab the red line to Chinatown, where I hoped to provide us both with some by now much needed nourishment!
At street level, we were greeted by the shouts of food truck drivers offering free samples of their wares; these tantalizing tidbits were enough to drive a hungry Q into a veritable frenzy of anticipation. I talked him into waiting, however, for what I’d read to be the best chance for an authentic Chinese meal available outside of China. I asked a couple of people we passed for help, and eventually received directions to the nebulous heart of Chinatown. We learned that the historic neighborhood had undergone a number of changes in recent years, beginning in the 1990s, when much of the area was torn down to make room for the Capital One Arena; as a result, the historic neighborhood, with its Chinese owned businesses, was much smaller and harder to define.
We did find a small shop selling traditional Chinese Moon Cakes, and Q is still talking about the tasty treats!
(This shopfront, with its intriguing display of waving cats, was one of the more exciting Chinatown finds).
After humoring me by walking about twenty blocks to find that elusive treasure, a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown, Q confessed that he’d much rather go back to one of the food trucks that had offered him a particularly good sample. His favorite flavors of the day came from a lamb stuffed gyro we purchased for him from a food truck located about ten steps outside of the metro station we’d emerged from so long ago. We slipped back underground, this time with the National Zoo in mind.
What had been a steady drizzle increased, somewhat, in fervor, and by the time we made our way from the Cleveland Park stop to the to the zoo’s entrance, we were both soaked.
The more intelligent residents of this national treasure were, very sensibly, nowhere to be found. We can only assume that they were tucked snugly into their dens, out of the freezing rain, where they probably peeked out at us and wondered about the strange habits of humans.
Our wanderings did, however, turn up a couple of hardy bison, one rodent like animal from Chile, and several seals. I’ve since learned that the Institute cares for about 1,800 animals representing 300 species, so the six animals we actually laid eyes on were probably not the best representation of all that the zoo has to offer.
We stopped at a charming Cakepop shop located just across the street from the zoo, with windows filled with tempting and delectable treats. The subsequent rush of sugar was enough to convince us to seek animals less likely to escape our clutches – those stuffed specimens at the Museum of Natural History.
As we made our way, in that by now ever present rain, to the Woodley Park Metro Station, Q stopped to clean up some hotdog wrappers that he noticed had been left on a bench. We’d discussed, at the zoo, how human garbage was affecting animal habitats (this was at the start of the zoo, when I was still feeling perky and enthusiastic about the park’s conservation efforts), and he was feeling determined to make some changes. He got some positive reinforcement when his efforts uncovered a crumpled $5 bill lying on the ground just under the mess. He immediately suggested that we use the unexpected riches to purchase hot drinks at a nearby Starbucks; an idea that made us both feel infinitely better about our cold, wet surroundings.
The entrance escalators at Woodley Metro Station descend 102 feet, and are the longest in D.C. I am not sure that this photograph properly conveys the terrifying reality of these escalators. Let’s all just be thankful that I was able to get my cramping, clinched fists to release Q’s shirt at the end.
Notice Q’s relaxed pose. By this point, he was quite confident about the metro system and a bit patronizing about my Metro-panic.
We switched trains at Metro Central and headed back to the Smithsonian Metro Station.
We both loved all the exhibits at the Natural History Museum!
This African elephant greeted us in the Rotunda. He stands 14-feet tall and weighs 12 tons. He's something of an institution there, since his debut almost 60 years ago. The exhibit calls attention to the plight of the elephant in the modern world and the threats the species faces today. It traces the evolution of the elephant from its predecessors to three modern-day types.
Q promptly fell in love with the giant chunk of quartz we found in the GeoGallery. Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals, found all over the world. It's made of oxygen and silicon, and is colorless in its pure form. When iron creeps in, it takes on purple hue, like this one. We call it amethyst, and jewelry makers often use it in their creations.
This display was Q’s favorite; although, frankly, each new display of gems was quickly declared to be his “favorite!” Maybe he’ll end up becoming a gemologist ;-)
The dinosaur wing was, of course, another favorite. We could have spent hours in that wing alone, but were run out of the museum for closing time at 5:30 p.m.
Another frolic in the rain took us back to the Smithsonian Station, where we made our last train transfer to get back to Rosslyn Station and, finally, our hotel.
It took a bit of negotiating to get Q back into the rain for dinner. Since we left Florida at around 100 degrees, the swiftly dropping temperatures in D.C. felt positively frigid. I had a fantastic parking place for load-in the next morning, however, and there was no way that I was going to lose it over the less-than-a-mile walk to the nearest restaurant. Q was a very good sport when we noticed, upon our soaking wet and rather dispirited return to the hotel, that the parking lot had emptied considerably and we would have our pick of parking places ;-)
Snug in our hotel room, we were both asleep by 9 p.m. I feel so grateful for our D. C. adventures, and for this little boy who calls me, “Mom.” My heart is full!
Sara Smith works at Lighthouse Books, ABAA and is manager of the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair.
The hotel is located just a couple of miles from downtown D.C., and is only two blocks from the Rosslyn Metro station. This fantastic location, and the several large conference rooms on the second floor, made the hotel an ideal spot for the book fair, which has been serving the book loving community for forty-three years.
When our travels brought us into D.C. a day earlier than anticipated, I purchased two-day passes for the Metro, and we set out to enjoy as much of the city as we could cram into a day! (Click on the photos to make them larger.)
We began our adventure at the Rosslyn Metro Station, with its bustling morning crowd and 195 foot decent to the lower platform. i put Q in what he might describe as a “chokehold” and what I would refer to as “a lifesaving grip,” as we rode the fifth longest continuous span escalator in the D.C. metro system. We were only moments into our journey, and already I felt that I’d earned a badge of honor, when we alighted on the lower platform and found our way to the intimidating metro map, with its spaghetti-like mass of lines and stops. My death grip on Q paid off, since he was forced to stare at the map with me and saved the day by figuring out that the meatball sized dot labeled “McPherson Square” was our best bet for getting close to the White House.
We finally figured out how to exit McPherson, a few minutes delayed, since I ignored my son’s protests and headed us both in the wrong direction. The fresh air and natural lighting were so welcomed that I determined to walk as much of the rest of our way as possible, and ignore the cold drizzle that was starting to snake its way past our shirt collars.
I worked hard to remember details about the White House’s architecture and history as we headed toward those auspicious halls; I found that my memory fell dismally short, and determined to find some good books on the subject to share with Q when we got home. One of the most precious resources of homeschooling is that great institution, the Public Library, and I was reminded, with gratitude, just how badly I was in need of its services!From the White House, we walked past The Ellipse and took in the National Mall in its entirety, from the Lincoln Memorial to the United States Capital, visiting the many hauntingly beautiful monuments along the way.
Q’s favorite was the Lincoln Memorial, and we spent some time exploring it and the museum located at its base.
The most beautiful part of the National Mall experience for us both, though, were the many people, from all over the world, visiting alongside of us. During our walk, we met and spoke with families from Germany, the United Kingdom, Missouri, Illinois, and Venezuela. Each was eager to talk about their trip, and all stood and compared notes and maps with us while we worked to figure out what “must see” parts of D.C. we should fit into our day.
Our wonderful experiences with the people around us gave me added courage to venture back underground, this time into the Smithsonian Metro Station, where we hopped a train to Metro Central to grab the red line to Chinatown, where I hoped to provide us both with some by now much needed nourishment! 
At street level, we were greeted by the shouts of food truck drivers offering free samples of their wares; these tantalizing tidbits were enough to drive a hungry Q into a veritable frenzy of anticipation. I talked him into waiting, however, for what I’d read to be the best chance for an authentic Chinese meal available outside of China. I asked a couple of people we passed for help, and eventually received directions to the nebulous heart of Chinatown. We learned that the historic neighborhood had undergone a number of changes in recent years, beginning in the 1990s, when much of the area was torn down to make room for the Capital One Arena; as a result, the historic neighborhood, with its Chinese owned businesses, was much smaller and harder to define. 
We did find a small shop selling traditional Chinese Moon Cakes, and Q is still talking about the tasty treats!(This shopfront, with its intriguing display of waving cats, was one of the more exciting Chinatown finds).
After humoring me by walking about twenty blocks to find that elusive treasure, a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown, Q confessed that he’d much rather go back to one of the food trucks that had offered him a particularly good sample. His favorite flavors of the day came from a lamb stuffed gyro we purchased for him from a food truck located about ten steps outside of the metro station we’d emerged from so long ago. We slipped back underground, this time with the National Zoo in mind.
What had been a steady drizzle increased, somewhat, in fervor, and by the time we made our way from the Cleveland Park stop to the to the zoo’s entrance, we were both soaked.
The more intelligent residents of this national treasure were, very sensibly, nowhere to be found. We can only assume that they were tucked snugly into their dens, out of the freezing rain, where they probably peeked out at us and wondered about the strange habits of humans.
As we made our way, in that by now ever present rain, to the Woodley Park Metro Station, Q stopped to clean up some hotdog wrappers that he noticed had been left on a bench. We’d discussed, at the zoo, how human garbage was affecting animal habitats (this was at the start of the zoo, when I was still feeling perky and enthusiastic about the park’s conservation efforts), and he was feeling determined to make some changes. He got some positive reinforcement when his efforts uncovered a crumpled $5 bill lying on the ground just under the mess. He immediately suggested that we use the unexpected riches to purchase hot drinks at a nearby Starbucks; an idea that made us both feel infinitely better about our cold, wet surroundings.
Notice Q’s relaxed pose. By this point, he was quite confident about the metro system and a bit patronizing about my Metro-panic.
We switched trains at Metro Central and headed back to the Smithsonian Metro Station.
We both loved all the exhibits at the Natural History Museum!
This African elephant greeted us in the Rotunda. He stands 14-feet tall and weighs 12 tons. He's something of an institution there, since his debut almost 60 years ago. The exhibit calls attention to the plight of the elephant in the modern world and the threats the species faces today. It traces the evolution of the elephant from its predecessors to three modern-day types.
Q promptly fell in love with the giant chunk of quartz we found in the GeoGallery. Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals, found all over the world. It's made of oxygen and silicon, and is colorless in its pure form. When iron creeps in, it takes on purple hue, like this one. We call it amethyst, and jewelry makers often use it in their creations. This display was Q’s favorite; although, frankly, each new display of gems was quickly declared to be his “favorite!” Maybe he’ll end up becoming a gemologist ;-)
The dinosaur wing was, of course, another favorite. We could have spent hours in that wing alone, but were run out of the museum for closing time at 5:30 p.m.
Another frolic in the rain took us back to the Smithsonian Station, where we made our last train transfer to get back to Rosslyn Station and, finally, our hotel.
It took a bit of negotiating to get Q back into the rain for dinner. Since we left Florida at around 100 degrees, the swiftly dropping temperatures in D.C. felt positively frigid. I had a fantastic parking place for load-in the next morning, however, and there was no way that I was going to lose it over the less-than-a-mile walk to the nearest restaurant. Q was a very good sport when we noticed, upon our soaking wet and rather dispirited return to the hotel, that the parking lot had emptied considerably and we would have our pick of parking places ;-)
Sara Smith works at Lighthouse Books, ABAA and is manager of the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair.
Friday, October 5, 2018
Exhibiting at the Washington Antiquarian Book Fair, a Sarah and Q adventure
By Sarah Smith
Q and I are grateful for our time at the Washington Antiquarian Book Fair. Q was a big help and is becoming quite a bookseller.
It was a pleasure to spend time with Beth Campbell, director of the WABF, and with so many of our antiquarian book colleagues. The WABF was at the Rosslyn Holiday Inn in Arlington, Virginia, across the Potomac River from downtown Washington, D.C. About sixty dealers and a steady stream of book lovers from all over the region enjoyed three large conference rooms on the second floor of the well-located hotel.
This was the first book fair I’d ever attempted on my own, and I felt quite anxious about it. From the moment I walked into set-up, however, the thoughtfully managed details, courtesy of Beth Campbell; along with the congeniality of our wonderful trade members, worked to put me at ease. Seeing many familiar faces from the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair was a delight, and I was grateful for the kindness showered on Q and I from all of the businesses represented at the fair.
As soon as Q realized that the Sanftlebens, of Read ‘Em Again Books, were exhibiting, he raced to their booth and began asking after their charming granddaughter, his “old friend,” from several past book fair adventures with Granddad Slicker.Arrangements were made and the two pals got an entire Saturday to explore the fair together. Renowned bookbinder and conservator Jill Deiss, of Cat Tail Run Bookbinding, gave several riveting demonstrations during Saturday’s show. Q and his “old friend” were rapt, and Q is still showing off the gold-leaf initials Ms. Deiss generously allowed him to apply to his wallet!
One of the most pleasurable and edifying aspects of this trip were the engaging conversations I enjoyed during the fair. I had the luxury of being surrounded by many more experienced members of the trade, and each was incredibly generous in offering insight and imparting wisdom gained from their years of experience. In addition, I enjoyed talking with visiting collectors from all over the region, who were each remarkably knowledgeable.
Talking “shop” with Beth Campbell over our shared experiences in book fair management was delightful! Conversations over the weekend ranged from pricing and consignment agreements to childrearing and circus animal care, hitting upon children’s literature, D. C. driving conditions, and the direction of the antiquarian book trade along the way!
I returned from D.C. feeling grateful for the opportunity. The trip was a real joy, made wonderful by the thoughtful hospitality we were met with in the city and by the many kindnesses we experienced from colleagues and Beth Campbell and her staff. We can’t wait to return in 2019!
Sarah Smith works at Lighthouse Books, ABAA and is manager of the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair.
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
Rare Book Moment: Why a collector examines from various points of view
No. 25: Rare book appraiser Michael Slicker discusses a book that came out in 1740 that deals with sexual harassment in an English manor house, and how it might fit into a collector's consideration. He uses Pamela or Virtue Rewarded as an example of how smart collectors analyze their books and other items to expand their collections in interesting ways. Michael Slicker, a recognized authority on antiquarian books, has owned
Lighthouse Books, ABAA in St. Petersburg, Florida, for more than 40
years.
Michael Slicker's Rare Book Moment is recorded at Lighthouse Books,
ABAA. Music by Jack Payne: Back to Those Happy Days
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
Rare Book Moment: This is how a collection begins -- serendipity offers a fine example
No. 24: Rare book appraiser Michael Slicker discusses some new map acquisitions and how they could form the basis for a collection. It is a prime illustration of the organic nature of collections, whether they be of books, ephemera, or in this case, maps. Items for your collection may present themselves in unusual and unexpected ways.
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Rare Book Moment: The letters behind the name and why they're important for you
No. 23: Rare book appraiser Michael Slicker discusses the various booksellers associations, such as the Florida Antiquarian Booksellers Association, and the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America, and their significance to the book trade and to book lovers. Michael Slicker, a recognized authority on antiquarian books, has owned Lighthouse Books, ABAA in St. Petersburg, Florida, for more than 40 years. Michael Slicker's Rare Book Moment is recorded at Lighthouse Books, ABAA. Music by Jack Payne: Back to Those Happy Days
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
It's your chance to win 25 Lighthouse Dollars. Just complete the crossword puzzle.
Pro Tip 1: The answers are hidden in plain sight on the Lighthouse Books, ABAA website or in the store. All you have to do is look.
Pro Tip 2: Some answers may be multiple words. Just run them together.
Pro Tip 3: Click on the image to enlarge it before you photograph it.
Sorry, there were no winners for our first Lighthouse Books crossword but try again
Tuesday, June 5, 2018
Enter our new Puzzler to win Lighthouse Dollars! You can't win if you don't play
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
Microcosm of London volumes contain beautiful examples of 19th century printing
If you want to learn more about this beautiful set, please call Mike Slicker at (727) 822-3278 or send him an email at lighthousebooksabaa@gmail.com.
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Flannery O'Connor wrote many short stories of very odd characters in the Deep South
It is the birthday of Southern writer Flannery O'Connor (1925), whose odd characters and themes of theology have won her a passionate following in literary circles. O'Connor was a devout Catholic surrounded by Southern Protestantism in Georgia. She wrote numerous short stories but only two novels, Wise Blood (1952) and The Violent Bear It Away (1960). Her short story collections include A Good Man Is Hard to Find (1955), Everything That Rises Must Converge (1965), and The Complete Stories (1971), which won the National Book Award. She died from lupus in 1964 at the age of 39.
Friday, March 23, 2018
French writer Roger Martin du Gard won the Nobel Prize, wrote of middle class family
It is the birthday of French writer Roger Martin du Gard (1881), who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1937. Du Gard's best known work is The World of the Thibaults, the story of two brothers from a well-to-do middle-class French family and their reactions to life in France before and after World War I. It is a multi-volume sweeping saga in the Tolstoy tradition, following the family throughout their lives and deaths.
Thursday, March 22, 2018
Louis L'Amour, among the world's most popular writers, wrote of the American West
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Norwegian poet Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House more performed than Shakespeare
It is the birthday of Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen (1828), who is considered one of the founders of Modernism in theatre. Ibsen's play A Doll's House (1879) is the most performed play in the world, beating out even Shakespeare's works for the distinction. The three-act drama concerns a woman who is leaving her husband to discover herself. Though it has become a favorite in feminist circles, Ibsen claimed no intention to write propaganda. He described his work as a "description of humanity."
Monday, March 19, 2018
Sir Richard Burton translated The Arabian Nights and The Kama Sutra into English
It is the birthday of British explorer Sir Richard Francis Burton (1821), who may be best remembered for translating the Arabian Nights stories from Arabic and, with linguist Foster Fitzgerald Arbuthnot, the Indian love guides, the Kama Sutra (1883) and the Ananga Ranga (1895) from Sanskrit. Burton also explored East Africa and the Lake Tanganyika region and wrote Lake Regions of Equatorial Africa (1860).
Sunday, March 18, 2018
John Updike won the Pulitzer Prize for two of his famous Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom novels
It is the birthday of novelist John Updike (1932), whose series of novels about Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom drew a picture of Protestant, middle class, small-town America. Four novels and a novella told the story of the angst-filled suburban life of a former high school basketball star in modern society. Updike won the Pulitzer Prize for each of the final two novels, Rabbit is Rich (1981) and Rabbit at Rest (1990). The others in the series were Rabbit, Run (1960), Rabbit Redux (1971), and Rabbit Remembered (2001), a novella.
Saturday, March 17, 2018
Here's to Ireland's James Joyce, who lived abroad but returned to Dublin in his mind
For St. Patrick's Day, we take note of one of Ireland's greatest writers, James Joyce, whose experimental modernist novel, Ulysses, is considered one of the most important works in the movement. Joyce's character, Leopold Bloom, makes quite an epic day of it in Dublin in an adventure that cleverly mirrors Odysseus' travels in The Odyssey. Joyce spent most of his adult life living elsewhere, but his literary efforts drew on his native Dublin. Hoist one today for James Joyce.
Friday, March 16, 2018
Madame de La Fayette wrote France's first historical novel, about 16-year-old heiress
Thursday, March 15, 2018
Lady Augusta Gregory helped establish Ireland's Literary and Abbey theatres
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Max Shulman wrote popular novels, plays, and created the TV hit comedy Dobie Gillis
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
English novelist Sir Hugh Walpole wrote popular British romances in 1920s, 1930s
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| Hugh Walpole |
Monday, March 12, 2018
Happy birthday to Beat writer Jack Kerouac: The only people for me are the mad ones ...
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| Jack Kerouac, Beat poet and author |
Thursday, March 8, 2018
Newspaperman Gene Fowler wrote screenplays, biographies, and memoirs
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| Gene Fowler |
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Maurice Ravel's Boléro was originally written for a ballet but was used in three movies
It is the birthday of French composer Maurice Ravel (1875), whose Boléro (1928) was once held in disdain by critics and described as "a piece for orchestra without music." Ravel's Basque heritage (on his mother's side) influenced his music. His father was Swiss. Ravel toured the United States in 1928 and received an enthusiastic reception. He greatly admired jazz and included some elements in his works. He also admired George Gershwin, whom he met in New York. Boléro was originally written as a ballet for Russian ballerina Ida Rubinstein in 1928. It was also featured in Carole Lombard's 1934 film, Bolero, in the 1957 Mexican film, Raquel's Bolero, and in the 1980 Bo Derek film, 10.
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
One of Ring Lardner's short stories told of a couple's 1920s train trip to St. Petersburg
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| Ring Lardner, Sr. |
Monday, February 12, 2018
Collection of a completist: Many editions of prolific Indiana writer Gene Stratton-Porter
Completists, whether in books or other collectibles, tend to want to find every conceivable version of whatever their passion might be. We've recently acquired the handiwork of a completist of the works of Indiana writer Gene Stratton-Porter, whose writing and activism led to the protection of wetlands and other natural areas as well as wildlife in the Hoosier State.
Gene Stratton-Porter is probably best known for her novels like A Girl of the Limberlost (1909) and The Magic Garden (1927). In this collection, there are copies of her first credited novel, The Song of the Cardinal (1903), as well as one titled Strike at Shane's, which some scholars think was actually her first novel. It was published anonymously in 1893, and it was never acknowledged by Statton-Porter herself. Still, our earnest collector added it to inventory.
We're having a marvelous time poring over the various editions as well as the non-fiction works. There's even a bibliography included in the collection as well. If you're a fan of Gene Stratton-Porter, or even if you think you might want to become one, we urge you to come by and take a look at this amazing collection. There are a couple of photos below that give you but a glimpse of what we have.
Statton-Porter was an honored daughter of Indiana, and remains so today, though in her later years she ventured out to Hollywood, set up a movie studio to produce her stories on film, and built a home there that she never lived in because of an untimely death after a traffic accident with a streetcar in Los Angeles.
Saturday, January 27, 2018
See you at the Pilot Club of Jacksonville Antiques and Vintage Show & Sale
Florida history and Southern writers are well received at this show, so we’ve got plenty of selections as well as leather-bound books, antique books, and beautiful antique maps. We have a huge selection of maps in our map room, which is also our children’s library and our Civil War library. (Our regular visitors know exactly what we’re talking about.) Anyway, if you love antique maps (as we do) you owe it to yourself to come in and see our collection.
One thing patrons of the Pilot Club show always anticipate is the delicious desserts offered every year. It’s a side attraction to the antique furnishings, paintings, and, of course, antique books and maps, but sometimes you’d think it was the main attraction. We’ve seen otherwise reasonable antiquers come through the doors and make a beeline for the dessert table before looking at anything else. Oh, well! Life’s short! Eat dessert first.
German chocolate cake is always a favorite and we’ve no reason to believe that this year will be any different.
The Pilot Club of Jacksonville was chartered in 1934. The name was inspired by the riverboat pilots of the day “who represented leadership and guidance, staying on a steady course.” After all these years, looks like the Pilot Club has lived up to that inspiration.
Monday, January 8, 2018
Dollars to donuts, this will be popular! (There's nothing here about donuts, though.)
We're launching something new for the new year. Well, it really isn't new at all. We've had Lighthouse Dollars for years. You might have some stuffed in your wallet or tucked away in a book as a book mark. The old ones were blue. The new ones are red. The old ones are still good. The new ones are shiny and new, and they're good, too. What's new besides the design is that we're going to try to remember to give them to you when you are checking out.
Here's how it works: When your purchase in our shop is $20 or more, you get one Lighthouse Dollar. If it's $40 or more, you get two. If it's $60 or more, you get three, and so on. (One for every $20 purchase.) You stuff them in your wallet or wherever you want to keep them and then bring them back for your next purchase. Your Lighthouse Dollars can be applied to your purchase.
It's like a rewards card, only without the card. You just get the rewards when you shop at Lighthouse Books, ABAA.
In the picture above, Mike is holding an enlarged version of one of the new red Lighthouse Dollars. Below is a copy of a sign similar to what we've put up in the store. You can see the new red Lighthouse Dollars and the old blue Lighthouse Dollars. And we're serious, if we don't tell you about Lighthouse Dollars, then ask us. You'll be dollars ahead if you do.
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