Looking forward to this. The job certainly feel to the right
Twainiac -- our man on the ground and in the house. Congratulations, Steve!
On 12/13/2011 12:42 PM, K. Patrick Ober wrote:
> I agree!
>
> I had the good fortune of revisiting the house in October, for the first ti=
> me in many years. I read the first half of the book on the way there, and t=
> he second half on the way back. The text is delightful, and Kevin is right.=
> No matter what you think you know about Mark Twain and his family and his =
> house, you will learn new things. The pictures are remarkable. Unlike Kevin=
> , I didn't contribute anything at all, except words of gratitude to Steve C=
> ourtney for writing this!
>
> Pat Ober
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mark Twain Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kevin Mac Don=
> nell
> Sent: Tuesday, December 13, 2011 12:17 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: New book on the Hartford house
>
> FYI, I am writing a review of Steve Courtney's book for the Forum, which I=
> =20
> hope to have ready before Christmas. But a brief preview might be=20
> appropriate--
>
> The book's engaging narrative is nicely framed around an account `Mother'=20
> Fairbanks wrote of a tour she was given of the house in 1874 by the=20
> architect, Edward Tuckerman Potter. The illustrations are copious and=20
> stunning, with interior views taken during Twain's lifetime comingled with=
> =20
> magnificent color images that show the house in its full glory today. There=
> =20
> is also a good account of the sometimes hair-raising history of the house=20
> after it was sold by Twain. If you've taken a tour of this home this book=20
> will make you want to go back and see it again. If you've never seen the=20
> house in person and never have the chance to see it, this book is the=20
> next-best thing. For Twain scholars, no matter what you think you know abou=
> t=20
> the Hartford home, you will learn something you didn't know by reading this=
> =20
> book. And unlike most books about historic structures this book is=20
> well-indexed and solidly sourced. It conveys the "heart and soul" that Twai=
> n=20
> spoke of when describing his beloved home.
>
> Full disclosure: p. 75 has a previously unpublished 1875 photo of Susy and=
> =20
> Clara sitting on the ground outside the home with their German nursemaid,=20
> courtesy of yours truly, but the book is 144 pages long so there are 143=20
> other reasons to get a copy.
>
> This book won't fit in a stocking (or on a Kindle), but it would make a=20
> welcome gift for any Twainian.
>
> Kevin
> @
> Mac Donnell Rare Books
> 9307 Glenlake Drive
> Austin TX 78730
> 512-345-4139
> Member: ABAA, ILAB
> *************************
> You may browse our books at
> www.macdonnellrarebooks.com
>
> ----- Original Message -----=20
> From: "Steve Courtney"<[log in to unmask]>
> To:<[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Tuesday, December 13, 2011 10:38 AM
> Subject: New book on the Hartford house
>
>
> Greetings!
> =3D20
> I'm taking my one free shot at self-promotion today to push my new book=3D2=
> C =3D
> 'The Loveliest Home That Ever Was': The Story of the Mark Twain House in Ha=
> =3D
> rtford=3D2C published by Dover. It tells the house's story and includes mar=
> ve=3D
> lous new photos by John Groo=3D2C and a Foreword by Hal Holbrook (who tells=
> m=3D
> e he likes the book).
> =3D20
> Dover approached us late last year about doing this=3D2C and asked us if we=
> h=3D
> ad a writer on staff -- somehow they came up with me=3D2C so I spent the f=
> ir=3D
> st few months of this year putting this together -- a lot more quickly than=
> =3D
> I've ever had to do such a thing=3D2C even in my newspaper days.
> =3D20
> But it seems to have come out all right. As you can imagine=3D2C it's selli=
> ng=3D
> well here. The book=3D2C a large-format paperback with lavish color illust=
> ra=3D
> tion=3D2C is 20 bucks and available through the usual outlets=3D2C includin=
> g=3D2C=3D
> of course=3D2C the Mark Twain Museum Bookshop here: http://shop.marktwainh=
> ou=3D
> se.org/.=3D20
> =3D20
> Dover's catalogue description is here: http://store.doverpublications.com/0=
> =3D
> 486486346.html
> =3D20
> My emails to the Forum tend to get broken up with strange equal signs and o=
> =3D
> ther impedimenta=3D2C no matter what plain-text format I send them in=3D2C =
> so I=3D
> hope this is relatively legible!
> =3D20
> All best=3D2C
> Steve
> =3D20
> =3D20
>
>
>
> Steve Courtney
> 7 Union St.
> Terryville=3D2C CT 06786
> 860-589-6412 =3D
>
>
>
> -----
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 2012.0.1873 / Virus Database: 2108/4677 - Release Date: 12/12/11
>
>
>
>
> -----
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 2012.0.1873 / Virus Database: 2108/4677 - Release Date: 12/12/11
>
|