Juxtabook

Janeites

" ‘Jane? Why, she was a little old maid ’oo’d written ’alf a dozen books about a hundred years ago. ’Twasn’t as if there was anythin’ to ’em, either. I know. I had to read ’em. They weren’t adventurous, nor smutty, nor what you’d call even interestin’—all about girls o’ seventeen (they begun young then, I tell you), not certain ’oom they’d like to marry; an’ their dances an’ card-parties an’ picnics, and their young blokes goin’ off to London on ’orseback for ’air-cuts an’ shaves. It took a full day in those days, if you went to a proper barber...'"

The Janeites by Rudyard Kipling

A Beautiful Annotated Edition of Moby-Dick

This is nothing whatsoever to do with my business but I thought the publishing idea so innovative, and the academic worth so tremendous, that I'd share this with you. I know academic Chris Routledge only from twitter and the blogosphere but he has done something quite remarkable in attempting to use Kickstarter to bring a beautifully produced annotated edition of a literary text into being. There is a film about the whys and wherefores of this, and you can pledge funds toward the publication (and receive copies of the book at certain levels of donation) on the Moby Dick Kickstarter page here. I am tempted by the limited edition hardback! I love the cover painting that first appears to be just sky ...

If other academics have similar projects, or new editions coming out with smaller presses that don't have the big publicity machines, then please let me know  and I'll flag up the books in the newsletter. If you're interested in such book news you might want to like my Facebook page where I highlight such things, or sign-up to get my books newsletter.

Booksellers should note that there are a couple of multiple purchase tiers (paperbacks, and limited edition hardback and paperback combo) that are priced for reselling and include a bit of free advertising for indie booksellers who support the project.