A new book of essays from the Fisher's long-time former Director, Richard Landon, has been released by Oak Knoll Books. A Long Way from the Armstrong Beer Parlour: A Life in Rare Books brings together a selection of Richard's writings during his tenure at the Fisher, including lectures, exhibition catalogues and other publications. The writings were chosen and edited by Richard's partner, in both life and rare books, Marie Elena Korey.
Beginning with a piece on R.B. McKerrow's An Introduction to Bibliography as an inspirational book, the first section forms a sort of autobiography, with contributions from The Halcyon, the newsletter of the Friends of the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library; memoirs of antiquarian bookseller Franklin Gilliam and Fisher Library benefactors Edgar and Elizabeth Collard; and A Personal Miscellany from Bibliophilia scholastica floreat, a celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections at the University of Toronto.
Under 'Bibliography and Book History' are essays on topics such as the bibliography of Canadian literature in English; the work of Canadian graphic artist Thoreau MacDonald; the narratives of Canadian political exiles in Australia; the textual complexities of Charles Darwins publications; literary forgery; the career of Richard Garnett; and the history of bibliography.
'Collecting and the Antiquarian Book Trade' includes papers on James Edwards and James Lackington and the antiquarian book trade in England in the eighteenth century; the development and disposition of the collections of Thomas Grenville, Lord Amherst of Hackney, William Morris, and Frederick Locker-Lampson; the collecting of the history of science as exemplified in the Galileo collection of Stillman Drake and the Hannah collection in the History of Medicine, both at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library; and the significance of provenance research.
Books can be ordered directly from the Oak Knoll Book web site.