Kipling’s Original Jungle Book

Kipling’s Original Jungle Book The release of a new film about The Jungle Book has generated a good deal of interest in Rudyard Kipling’s tales of the jungle and allows an opportunity to reflect on the original story and influences behind this classic tale. Inspiration: It seems as if becoming a father inspired Kipling to write … Read more

What makes a rare book?

What makes a rare book? A question that is often asked. Why do some books sell for hundreds of thousands of pounds, while others are valued for pennies? Does that box in the attic contain collectable books that are worth anything? Firstly, from a book collectors point of view a rare book has to be … Read more

The First Treasure Island Illustrations

The First Treasure Island Illustrations The thought of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island conjures up images of pirates and buccaneers of the sea. You would imagine that illustrations would be an essential addition to entertain readers of the book. In fact, the first publication of the story of Treasure Island contained only one illustration. This was … Read more

Harper Lee’s First Editions of To Kill A Mocking Bird

Harper Lee’s First Editions of To Kill A Mocking Bird The recent death of Harper Lee on February 19th brings the classic American novel, To Kill a Mocking Bird, to attention. The novel handles issues of race and bigotry in the American South and remains on school reading list to this day. Collecting a first edition of … Read more

The First Editions of The Nursery Alice

The First Editions of The Nursery Alice Alice in Wonderland is traditionally thought of as a children’s book (although many adults secretly read it!). Yet it’s original appeal was not to the younger aged child. Maybe Lewis Carroll thought to amend this after seeing the 1874 Dutch simplified copy of Alice in Wonderland. He subsequently … Read more

Rudyard Kipling – A Very British Author

Rudyard Kipling  A Very British Author Arguably one of the great 19th Century British authors is Rudyard Kipling. He was born in 1865 in Bombay, India to British parents. After an education at the United Services College, Bideford, England he returned to India pursue a career in writing. Kipling was an avid writer producing his first book, … Read more

The Fascination with Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock Holmes, the fictional detective with powerful observation and deductive qualities, is dramatised on the BBC television again over the festive period. The famous detective stories have stood the test of time and remain as popular today as they were when first published between 1887 and 1926 by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. To own a … Read more

A Christmas Carol Tradition with Rackham and Dickens

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens with illustrations by Arthur Rackham. The story of Scrooge is arguably one of the most famous stories that is retold over the festive period. Written by Charles Dickens, it was published just before the Christmas of 1984 and sold out immediately. The novel describes the wealthy miser, Scrooge, whose unsociable … Read more

The Story Behind A First Edition Book – The Time Machine.

Often the story behind a first edition is untold – how a novel ever reaches publication can be a story in itself! The Time Machine has an interesting start in life. The author’s, H. G. Wells, childhood was spent reading extensively yet he was only able to pursue his literary career in young adulthood. He had … Read more

Item added to cart.
0 items - £0.00