Three Things You Should Know About Literature...This Week

Discoveries, Old and New

1.  Rare Copy of A Shakespeare Folio Found In France

          Shakespeare died in 1616.  The printing industry then, wasn't exactly like it is today.  Though   the printing press had been around for several hundred years, publishers could not create thousands of copies of a book with the push of a few buttons.  So how were the plays of Shakespeare preserved for our enjoyment?  An edition of Shakespeare's plays, now known as the "First Folio," was published seven years after he died.

  

     This article from the New York Times explains how rare a first folio is and tells the story of how sometime in the last few months, a librarian in France found a first folio in his small, country library.

     

     How valuable is a first folio edition of Shakespeare's plays?  One sold in 2006 for $5.2 million.  

     

2.  Found: Long-lost Literary Letter With Lowell Ties (How's That For Alliteration?!)

     This one is interesting, in part, because it involves one of the most celebrated twentieth century authors to come out of our region of the country.  Ever heard of Jack Kerouac?  There's a memorial park dedicated to him over in his hometown of Lowell,  just down the road from here.  

    

      Lovers of Kerouac know  that much of his writing was inspired by the influence  of his friend, and fellow "beat writer," Neal Cassady.  Over the years, Kerouac told many friends about the letter, and this article claims that he once called the letter "the greatest piece  of writing I ever saw, better'n anybody in America, or at least enough to make Melville, Twain, Dreiser, Wolfe, I dunno who, spin in their graves." This letter has been found and is now up for auction. The auction will take place on December 17. 

     

     Many of Kerouac's characters were colorful free-spirits like Cassady, himself.  If Kerouac sounds familiar, maybe it's because Kristen Stewart, of Twilight fame, recently starred in the movie version of Kerouac's most famous book, On The Road.  

3.  It's Best Books Of The Year Time

     The editors of the New York Times Book Review have selected the best 100 books of 2014.  A list like this, which includes poetry, fiction, and non-fiction, is a reminder of the fact that, despite rumors to the contrary, books aren't dead yet!  Think about it.  Here is a list, not of the best 100 books of the decade, or century, or of all time.  This is a list of the best 100 books of the last twelve months. We do not find much evidence of a rich publishing industry as we observe popular culture, yet thousands of books--intended to educate, entertain, and provoke thought--were published this year.  

     Take a look at the list to see if there are any of interest to you.  Here are two selections that I'm interested in: one fiction (see the title and you'll know why I'm interested), one non-fiction (Ha! Again, see the title).