Wednesday, January 8, 2014

“Sparks to the Dry Tinder in the Mind” -- A. Edward Newton’s The Amenities of Book-Collecting



Few collectors have ridden the book collecting hobby harder or with more enthusiasm than A[lfred]. Edward Newton (1864-1940).  Indeed, none have been able to infuse into others a virulent contagion for the grand sport like Newton did through his writings.  Even now, almost 100 years later, his wide-ranging biblio-essays continue to provide inspiration and entertainment.  His first and most famous contribution to bibliophilic literature was The Amenities of Book-Collecting and Kindred Affections (1918).  This diverse collection of essays reflects Newton as a man and as a collector.  The book would go through eight printings in his lifetime and be honored with a separate edition in the Modern Library series.