February 07, 2005

Our wonderful campus bookstore

is having a sale this week and I picked up a book I had been eyeing — fingering, even — for a little while now: Thomas Wharton's beautifully produced The Logogryph: a bibliography of imaginary books, compact in its handsome little slipcase. Apart from its sheer loveliness, the description reminded me of "The Library of Babel" by Jorge Luis Borges, a story I read ages ago and have never forgotten:

In a small town in the mountains, a young boy is given a suitcase filled with battered old books. So begins a lifelong pursuit of the elusive creature known as the logogryph. Describing imaginary books and alternate realities, Wharton explores the mysterious alchemy called reading, and along the way summons a cast of characters that includes duelling margin scribblers, a dislodged protagonist, and an unforgettable family that becomes one man's mythology.

"Duelling margin scribblers." I can hardly wait.

Just as importantly,

This book is a Smyth-sewn paperback with a jacket and full sleeve. The text was typeset by Andrew Steeves in Caslon types and printed on Rolland Zephyr Laid paper. The jacket was printed letterpress. The inside features illustrations by Wesley Bates.

And what serendipity to also find, at the same sale, a copy of In the Stacks: short stories about libraries and librarians edited by Michael Cart, which includes "The Library of Babel" as well as stories by Italo Calvino, Ursula LeGuin, Alice Munro, and a host of other luminaries.

Wharton wrote the marvellous — in both senses — Salamander, about an eighteenth-century printer who attempts to print an infinite book. A memorable, wonderful novel.

Scribbled at February 7, 2005 09:06 PM AST | Hmmm? (3) | TrackBack (2) | Link Cosmos | More? book art, books/reading




Here's what others have to say about Our wonderful campus bookstore:

» books, notebooks, and cars from detrimental postulation
Given that every-one is having luck with book sales this week, I am pleased to report that, even though the postage Gods are still not with me (2 parcels this morning, both for my housemates: how fair is that?), my trek to look for a birthday present f......[read more]
Tracked: February 8, 2005 03:09 PM

» The Logogryph from Matthew G. Kirschenbaum
Via Miriam: Thomas Watson's The Logogryph: A Bibliography of Imaginary Books, apparently just published. Especially apropos as we're doing Don Quixote this week in Technologies of Writing. Miriam mentions Borges; the premise also reminds me of Mark Dan......[read more]
Tracked: February 9, 2005 12:17 AM