Tolkien's Gown and Other Stories of Great Authors and Rare Books

by Rick Gekoski

Hardcover, 2004

Status

Available

Collection

Reading/Books

Genres

Publication

Constable (2004), Edition: 1st Edition, 256 pages

Description

In Tolkien's Gown, a book based loosely on that hugely successful radio series, Rick Gekoski discusses twenty great works of modern literature as both texts and objects. At once erudite and funny, the essays give a publishing biography of each book, together with comments about the author's involvement with first editions of the works. 'What is the value of a book?' he asks. The answers are both critical and financial, involving appraisals of the literary qualities of the works, together with an account of their (sometimes surprising) value in the rare book trade. His stories are fascinating and diverse, and involve memorable encounters with, among others, Graham Greene, William Golding, J.D. Salinger, Ted Hughes, Salman Rushdie, Julian Barnes and Harold Pinter. Relations between book dealers and authors can be uneasy: J.D. Salinger threatens a law suit, William Golding produces a parody of the author, Ted Hughes thinks he has been overcharged. While Graham Greene is simply delighted to have done business. For anyone who loves books,Tolkien's Gown offers a wealth of amusement and instruction, and enough literary anecdotes to last a lifetime.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member skinglist

I quite enjoyed this book, but it made me realise how woefully under-read I am. I've got a reading goal now and that's to read everything from this book that I haven't read, which sadly is most. Some thoughts:

At first reading a book may satisfy or disappoint, surprise or irritate, cause tears or

laughter. But whatever happens is irrevocable: Little Nell will always die, James Bond will continue to defeat the forces of evil, Pooh will keep his paw in that honeypot.

So so true and 100% agreed. At the same time there's something comforting about re-visiting an old favourite. Knowing that whatever else is topsy turvy in the world, old favourites will remain constant.

Such is the pathology of ambition: a goal having been attained is merely redefined

Again, so so true. I look at this with my own life. Wanting to work overseas and I've done that. Now what, it doesn't seem enough though I know by any standards, including my own ten years ago it's plenty.

And now for my reading list for the next...I don't know. No timeline. Just books I think I really need to (re)read:

Lolita
The Hobbit (read this but only in Spanish, suppose I should try English)
Lord of the Flies (read this in high school, would love to reread)
The Picture of Dorian Gray
On The Road (Actually tried this last year, couldn't get into it)
Ulysses
Sons and Lovers (had a copy for a bit, it never caught my interest)
The Catcher in the Rye (reread this one recently)
Seven Pillars of Wisdom
The Colossus
A Confederacy of Dunces
Brideshead Revisited
The Tale of Peter Rabbit (must have read this as a child)
Three Stories and Ten Poems
After Two Years
Animal Farm
The Satanic Verses
Poems (1919)
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - I'm really in two minds about whether this book belongs on such a list. I like Harry Potter but it's fluff
High Windows

Passed the book on to iAteaBreakfast and then Ute has asked to read it so it will be doing the Osaka rounds for a bit.

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LibraryThing member jhhymas

A delightful romp through the tales connected with ten important rare books which provides an understanding of the trade and a lot of GREAT literary anecdotes, Highly recommended.

LibraryThing member debnance

Rick Gekoski has met so many wonderful authors that I’d almost think he was lying. He’s a used book dealer and his job has put him in contact with the amazing copies of the works of Graham Greene and Evelyn Waugh and J. R. R. Tolkien. A nice little ride with a collector.

LibraryThing member dono421846

Here was all the good stuff that was missing from his later book, "Outside of a Dog." Neither book describes how he moved from being a college professor to a top tier bookman, but at least we're hearing now some interesting anecdotes about the "story behind the book", all engagingly written.

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