I was going to post this Monday in the spirit of the meme, but I had a really, really, REALLY bad day at work. But, I'm not going to focus on the negative. Thanks to a tag by Kira, I have been challenged to determine which 10 books or sets of books I would most wish to find under my Christmas tree (or insert your own winter solstice holiday object). Get creative - whether it's a signed first edition or a illuminated manuscript, anything goes!
1. Funny the meme mentions hand-illuminated. I talked about the Roycrofters in another meme, and sometime I'll have to do a history post on them. Suffice it to say now that the Roycrofters were an example of the Arts & Crafts movement during the early 1900's--a rejection of industrialization and a return to hand-crafted, simple, beautiful objects. Mission-style furniture and Tiffany lamps hail from this period. But, I digress. I couldn't find an example to post, but my first choice would be a hand made, tooled leather, illuminated book produced by the Roycrofters.
2. Keeping with the Arts & Crafts theme, a copy of The Canterberry Tales published by the Kelmscott Press and William Morris, the founder of the Arts & Crafts Movement.
3. Are you getting the sense I'm a collector type? Hmmm. It's not the value of these things which intrigues me. It's the rarity and the impact they have. So add A Message to Garcia as originally published in the Philistine magazine (again, the Roycrofters). This essay (which I'm sure you never heard of) happens to be one of the most published works of all time.
4. A first edition of Moby Dick.
5. A first edition of A Christmas Carol.
6. My wife told me about a young adult book she loved as a teenager. If you wished really hard and did certain things, a witches spell book would appear in a tree outside your window in the morning. I'd like to wake up and find it there (move this request to Halloween so as not to offend anyone).
7. A copy of the 90 or so pages of a novel I started (The Forsaken) when I was 15. I lost track of those pages years ago. They would be fun to read now.
8. A copy of my work in progress (see my updated profile), which I will furiously finish and revise in time for Christmas. Not.
9. An example of a medieval work done by a scribe on vellum and preferrably written in Latin (I'm getting out of practice).
10. A history of the area pictured in my previous post (the confluence of the East and West Branches of the Delaware River, called Chehocton, the wedding of the waters, by the Leni Lenape.
I'm too exhausted to tag anyone else! If you'd like, give it a go!
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16 comments:
I would like to have an autographed copy of John Steinbeck's East of Eden.
I'd like Richard Matheson to autograph my copy of Bid Time Return. I'm not sure, but I think he's dead. :-)
Tanya
BeadinggalinMS, Sarah, and Tanya,
Curious how we all want some special mark upon our favorite books: an autograph or a first edition, which we imagine was held by a true believer, not someone who just picked up the book after the 17th printing.
I would like a first edition of THE BACKWARDS PATH please.
Terri, I would be honored to have that opportunity!
Kewl list! Personally, I'd like an autographed copy of anything by Poe...sigh...don't think Santa can deliver THAT request! LOL
Robin, can't hurt to ask him. :)
1. Clive Barker's "Scarlet Gospels".
2. Stephen King's "The Dark Tower" box set.
3. "Night Of The Living Dead: London" Vol 1 & Vol 2 (Graphic Novel).
4. Neil Gaiman & Terry Prachett's "Good Omens".
5. Joe R. Lansdale's "Bubba Ho-Tep".
6. Richard Matheson's "I Am Legend".
7. Frank Miller "The Dark Knight Strikes Again" (Graphic Novel).
8. Alan Moore "From Hell" (Graphic Novel).
9. Alan Moore "Watchmen" (Graphic Novel).
10. Alan Moore "V For Vendetta" (Graphic Novel).
Not sure if all of these qualify, since you might argue that 'Graphic Novel' is just a fancy way of saying 'comic for people who shouldn't be reading comics anymore', but I challenge anyone to read "From Hell" and call it anything less than superb.
Tsavo, I'm not familiar with Alan Moore. I'll have to check him out.
I would love to have the Dead Sea Scrolls--photocopied, not the originals...I don't like flaking papyrus...or cracked sheepskin.
Latin huh?
OK, lets refresh:
What did the time traveler say to the Roman senator?
Omnes(`) amiciuntur semper togis quasi convivium agitaturi.
Trans: Everyone is always dressed for a toga party.
What did the drive say to the State Trooper who pulled him over?
Certe mihi licet vehi in orbita seposita curribus repletis. Ecce, non solus sum. Legio mihi nomen est, quia multi sumus.
Trans: I am too allowed in the car pool lane! See, I'm not alone. I suffer from multiple personality disorder.
And to all these bad jokes, you can say:
Merae fabulae sunt, et esse tales scis!
Which means: That's a load of bull, and you know it!
Now, Jason, don't you feel better?
And you really need to look at that book..I still think its halarious!!
Jason,
Not familiar with Alan Moore? Well, I believe you may be in for a treat if you choose to track down any of the works I listed, or "The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen". The cinematic adaptations of "From Hell" and "The League..." were, in my opinion, beautifully rendered variations on a theme, so if you enjoyed either film you should find the source material... very interesting.
Interestingly Moore himself has publicly disowned the film adaptations of his work (including the upcoming "V For Vendetta" with Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman). A man of both genius and integrity.
And, in keeping with the emerging Latin theme, the inscription on my Coat of Arms will read: semper febicus sumus, sole profundis variat.
My old physics teacher taught me that years ago claiming that it reads as "We're always in the s**t, it's just the depth that varies", which may or may not be correct.
Anyone care to advise me if he was telling the truth?
Michele, without a dictionary (I really am rusty) some of the translation was beyond me. I tested myself before I looked at your translation. On one of them, however, I think you missed some of the joke. The one about being pulled over by the police: Ecce, non solus sum. Legio mihi nomen est, quia multi sumus. I would translate that as: "Look, I'm not alone. My name is Legion, because we are many." Isn't that an allusion to The Exorcist? Better to let the demon off with a warning I think! =D
Tsavo, I couldn't find the word "febicus" online, so I can't be sure. Literally it means: "We are always [ ], only the depth varies." I imagine your transation is probably accurate, but that word needs to be nailed down.
LOL, Jason.
If I missed the "joke", I wouldn't know..I only went by the book and made up my own jokes to go with the saying,
Soooo, that means the "Joke" is on me!!!
*giggle*
It's fun though.
Thanks for answering my comment. Always a thrill.
Mark 5:9: And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. (KJV)
It is an Exorcist reference (if want to take it that way) but it's primarily a biblical reference. It's also a Red Dwarf reference, but only if you're familiar with it (same source material though).
If memory serves it relates to the exorcism performed by Christ. Upon asking the possessed man the name of his possessor the above response is given, thus suggesting that the man is in fact possessed by several demons. The demons were cast out and possessed a herd of pigs, which promtly drowned themselves in the Sea of Galilee.
Wow! Tsavo, you are a plethora of info!
But the pigs? I'll have to recheck Mark..haven't read that in a while..into the Corinthians 1 & 2 right now.
Thanks!!
Tsavo and Michele, now that you mention it, I do remember that the demons went into the pigs in the bible story. That would be some sizzlin' bacon.
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