The world is full of people who love books. People who not only love to read, but who love to possess and collect books. Since the fifteenth century truly devoted collectors have commissioned their own bookplates, known also as ex libris. Some are straightforward ? a simple label bearing the owner?s name. Others are impressive works of art in miniature. Whether plan or fancy, book plates give an owner a special sense of proud proprietorship. Even more important, they assure that if a cherished book is lent, it has a decent chance of being returned. They are an indulgence of the rich and famous, certainly. And, ?The art of the Bookplate? includes many owned by prominent people such as George Washington, Charlie Chaplin, John F. Kennedy, Joan Crawford J.P. Morgan, Walt Disney, Grace Allen, Otto Bismarck, Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, Harry Houdini, Sigmund Freud, Charles Dickens, and Anita Loos. But other bookplate patrons are unknown to us, like Mabel Bishop, whose charming ex libris shows a young woman tending her garden, or Lucius Fisher, whose bookplate, naturally enough, features a fish. In this delightful book James P. Keenan, Director of the American Society of bookplate collectors & Designers, shares many of his favorite bookplates. He explains the history behind each, and discusses the artists ? some as famous as Rockwell Kent and Claes Oldenburg, others as unknown or not ex libris owners are passionate about keeping their book collections intact. As one very old bookplate proclaims, ?Steal not this book for fear of shame. For here you see the owner?s name.? The Art of the Bookplate is a book to be treasured and, of course, kept in your possession. --

Endlessly diverse and appealing, bookplates are small decorative labels pasted inside a book's cover to express personal ownership. This volume explores the various sources of "ex libris" inspiration, including designs by C.R. Ashbee, Eric Gill, and Rudyard Kipling.

An amazing journey through the thriving worlds of fantasy and gaming What could one man find if he embarked on a journey through fantasy world after fantasy world? In an enthralling blend of travelogue, pop culture analysis, and memoir, forty-year-old former D&D addict Ethan Gilsdorf crisscrosses America, the world, and other worlds—from Boston to New Zealand, and Planet Earth to the realm of Aggramar. “For anyone who has ever spent time within imaginary realms, the book will speak volumes. For those who have not, it will educate and enlighten.” —Wired.com “Gandalf’s got nothing on Ethan Gilsdorf, except for maybe the monster white beard. In his new book, Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks, Gilsdorf . . . offers an epic quest for reality within a realm of magic.” —Boston Globe “Imagine this: Lord of the Rings meets Jack Kerouac’s On the Road.” —National Public Radio’s “Around and About” “What does it mean to be a geek? . . . Fantasy Freaks andGaming Geeks tackles that question with strength and dexterity. . . . part personal odyssey, part medieval mid-life crisis, and part wide-ranging survey of all things freaky and geeky . . . playful . . . funny and poignant. . . . It’s a fun ride and it poses a question that goes to the very heart of fantasy, namely: What does the urge to become someone else tell us about ourselves?” —Huffington Post

This unique homage to bookplate art illuminates over 320 of the craft's finest examples. A breathtaking variety of black-and-white designs embrace a multitude of styles: woodcuts, engravings, lithographs, typography, and more.

"Teaches how to draw and paint pictures, and shows illustrations of the best pictures by artists of the present and the past"--Coventry Public Libraries

This Little Golden Book was originally published in 1948 and stars Dopey, Bashful, Grumpy, Sneezy, Sleepy, Happy, and Doc from the classic film Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs! Find out how Snow White's friends the Seven Dwarfs--Sleepy, Happy, Bashful, Sneezy, Grumpy, Doc, and Dopey--find their delightful little cottage in this classic Disney Little Golden Book. Originally published in 1948, this story features beautiful vintage artwork that will delight girls and boys ages 2 to 5, as well as collectors of all ages!

Pulitzer Prize-winning Berkeley Breathed's first illustrated novel about a group of unlikely underdogs "Breathed, through words and lush illustrations, tells a story that will charm many readers."--The New York Times Sam the Lion is actually a priceless dachshund, bred to be a show dog. More important, he is Heidy's best friend, and she needs one like never before. Living with her reclusive uncle is hard, but Sam has a way of making her feel soft and whole. Until the day Sam is framed by the jealous poodle Cassius, and is cast out by Heidy's uncle, alone on the wild streets, where he is roughed up by a world he was not bred for. Sporting a soup ladle for a leg, Sam befriends other abandoned dogs and journeys all the way to the Westminster Dog Show, where his plan for revenge on Cassius takes an unexpected turn when he and Heidy spot each other after years of being apart.