Timeless Pages: A Vintage Book Collection

I have always loved most things vintage, but I have to define “vintage” in case you happen to be about the age of one of my kids. Vintage for them might be circa 1980 or 1990, and they may think vintage for me would be circa 1880 or 1890. Not so.

• Vintage, by my definition, is back in my day, the 1950s and 60s, or anything before that, but still in the 1900s.

Are we clear? Good!

One of my favorite things is “library trash”. Books that some public libraries throw away as trash because they do not have enough room on their shelves and have to make space for the “new”.

In my dictionary: old books = vintage books.

Of course, if it is left up to chance and you are searching for a specific book, the odds are not in your favor, and you may be waiting a while – wishing and hoping for that particular reading material to end up on the pile. Not all awesome vintage books are tossed by the head librarian.

Fortunately, there is a bookstore called Vintage Books, that has been around since 1954. It is physically located in New York, New York, but thanks to the wonders of information technology, you can peruse their bookshelf online. There are books listed by the usual genres from Art to History to Mystery to Travel. But you might find the selected works categorized in the Vintage Series worth examining. There are 5 different series: Civil War, Classics, Contemporaries, Departures, and International.

Vintage books are priceless additions to your own personal library and are great gift ideas. What is also great is that these published works are not very expensive, come in paperback or hardcover, as well as audiobook format or in the Kindle edition.

(NOTE: Vintage Books is part of the Random House/Knopf Doubleday network of book selling sites.)

Book Selections From the Vintage Series

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The Civil War Dictionary by Mark Boatner
(Vintage Civil War Library)

For almost thirty years The Civil War Dictionary has been the most complete, authoritative, and handy reference book on what has been called the Second American Revolution, 1861-1865.

Where Angels Fear to Tread by E. M. Forster
(Vintage Classics)

A young English widow takes off on the grand tour and along the way marries a penniless Italian. Her in-laws are not amused.

The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez
(Vintage Contemporaries)

A love story woven into a novel about hopes and dreams, and redefinition of what it means to be American.

Cuba in Mind: An Anthology
(Vintage Departures)

Explorer Christopher Columbus described Cuba as “the most beautiful country that human eyes have ever seen”. 31 writers – poetry, fiction and nonfiction – agree.

Bombay Stories
(Vintage International)

1930s Bombay provided the author with the inspiration for this collection of short stories.

Thanks for visiting!

If you’re gifting vintage books, might as well throw in some vintage bookends and a desk! :)

Sauder Graham Hill Desk, Autumn Maple Finish

Decorative Heavy Duty Bookends – Metal Large Book Ends – Vintage Tall Books Stand

NOTE: Content previously published elsewhere on the web, however, the site shut down. 

Middle-earth Treasures: Unique Gifts for Tolkien Fans

Anyone who has done even scant research on John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892 – 1973) knows that even though he was a very private man, there is no shortage of biographical information about this famous British writer and medievalist. Hardcover, paperback, digital and audio books, letters, and other materials abound. 

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His son, Christopher Tolkien, was and still is extremely protective of the legacy of his father, and has only ever authorized one official biography. His father is highly respected as a literary hero and a myth maker, and he wants to keep it that way! Understandable, however, that did not stop others from publishing their unauthorized unofficial versions. (Even moi! Tried my hand at publishing an unauthorized biographical sketch.) 

These unapproved life stories (see listing below) are just as appreciated by Tolkien fans as the approved biography written by Humphrey Carpenter. Furthermore, the commercialization of “all things Tolkien” may have started with the success of the “Lord of the Rings” books, but when these works were adapted to film, Tolkien fever infected the masses around the world. A loyal Tolkien-ite can not only build their own personal library, but can purchase puzzles, games, collectibles, and more!!

Tolkien: The Authorized Biography

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Unauthorized Tolkien Biographies ( Name of Author )

• J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century ( Tom Shippey )
• Tolkien: Man and Myth, a Literary Life ( Joseph Pearce )
• J. R. R. Tolkien: The Making of a Legend ( Colin Duriez )
• Mythmaker: The Life of J.R.R. Tolkien, Creator of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings ( Anne E. Neimark )
• J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator ( Wayne G. Hammond )

More Gift Ideas for the Tolkien Enthusiast!💟

Asmodee The Lord of The Rings The Fellowship of The Ring Trick-Taking Game - A Cooperative Card Adventure! Strategy Game for Kids & Adults, Ages 10+, 1-4 Players, 20 Minute Playtime

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Take a look at this Lord of the Rings Collector Chess Set.

– The 32 playing pieces made in fine pewter bear an amazing resemblance to the characters in the film. The top of the board is plexi-glass; the rest of the board is made out of cold cast porcelain. Hero pieces have a green ring around the bottom and villain pieces have a purple ring around the bottom. A map of Middle-earth is mounted below the playing surface. Board measures 15 x 15 x 4.5 in.

Who would not want to keep this magnificent chess set in the family and treasure it for generations? Is it not the perfect gift for a collector, and an avid chess player who is also a devoted Tolkien follower?

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Memorable Quote:  "Even the smallest person can change the course of the future." — J.R.R. Tolkien

NOTE: Content previously published elsewhere on the web, however, the site shut down. 

The Dickens Junction Mysteries: Cozy Fun Reads: Crimes with Dickensian Twists

Are you an admirer of Charles Dickens and also a loyal reader of murder mysteries? The two books mentioned below come highly recommended by many readers, book club members, and book review bloggers who love murder and suspense thrillers and fictional crime series. These particular books are categorized under a genre known as “cozy mystery” or “cozies”.

• They are part of the Dickens Junction Mystery Series by Christopher Lord.

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BOOK 1: The Christmas Carol Murders

(less than 300 pages)

BOOK 2: The Edwin Drood Murders

(less than 200 pages)

Both are quick reads, and based on book reviews published by bloggers like mysterysequels.com and travelingwitht.com, you probably won’t want to put the book down once you get started.

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The Mystery of Edwin Drood is a TV miniseries adapted from the work by Charles Dickens. The good thing about the Dickens Junction Mystery Series is that you don’t even have to know anything about Charles Dickens. The writer, Christopher Lord, puts a contemporary twist or spin on Dickens-style tales and his fun writing style and character creations seem to be the reason the books are gaining in popularity.

* Trivia: Charles Dickens last novel, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”, is an unfinished work. More details can be found at charlesdickensinfo.com.

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Charles Dickens is of course, famous for “A Christmas Carol”. Many don’t know that’s not the only ghost story that he wrote. He has written several ghost stories which are perfect for the holiday season …
from Halloween to Christmas!

Complete Ghost Stories of Charles Dickens (Wordsworth Classics)

glitter-graphics.com

NOTE: Content previously published elsewhere on the web, however, the site shut down. 

TV Movie: BBC Masterpiece Contemporary: Page EIght (2011)

Do you fancy BBC Masterpiece Contemporary Mystery movies or television series?

The BBC political thriller titled “Page Eight” is about a British intelligence analyst who refuses to compromise his integrity.

What happens to him is what usually happens when civil servants will not budge on their principles and ideals of Right versus Wrong, and their principles and ideals do not line up with their boss, i.e., the chief executive leader who says: I know what is best for our country and I am the one in charge, with the authority!

In his case, Mr. Worricker (the character masterfully played by Bill Nighy) butts heads with the British Prime Minister. He found some real information on page 8 of an intelligence report that points a finger in the direction of the Prime Minister and … Oh dear!

He has to leave his job? No. Rather he chooses that it is time for him to resign from the MI-5 service and move on. To spice up this not “atypical” political thriller plot, he meets a young woman (played by Rachel Weisz) that he has the power to help because of his access to confidential official government secrets. Does he help her? But of course! She helps him as well. In his line of work, it’s really hard to find someone you can trust.

This BBC political thriller is “Page Eight” is actually part of a trilogy. If it hooks you, you’ll probably want to watch the entire triology: Masterpiece: Worricker Trilogy Collection (Salting the Battlefield; Turks & Caicos; Page Eight)

Page Eight

Worricker: Page Eight

Worricker: Turks & Caicos

Worricker: Salting the Battlefield

Original source

Books for Children: The Roman Mysteries by Caroline Lawrence

Think you might like reading a historical mystery book series set in ancient Rome?  (Written for young readers but nobody has to know you’re an adult. One of my guilty pleasures is reading children's books.)  Here is a recommendation. This series has won awards. It’s called The Roman Mysteries and was written by Caroline Lawrence. Her goal for undertaking this task was to entertain children while reading and educate them about this ancient civilization. She succeeded. In fact, her books received praise from teachers and parents, as well as awards and recognition. This is not the only mystery series she has written but since it deals with life in ancient Rome which is one of my favorite topics, it is being suggested for mystery lovers who also have an interest in the Roman Empire.

Set in 1^st century A.D., Book 1 of the series is titled “The Thieves of Ostia”. The last of the series, Book 17 is “Man from Pomegranate Street”. The reading material targets ages 10 through 14 and the novels are available in various formats: hard copy, audio, digital, etc.
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The books were adapted to film and you can watch the episode on YouTube.  Below is the complete Roman Mysteries book series:

The Thieves of Ostia (1)

The Secrets Of Vesuvius (2)

The Pirates Of Pompeii (3)

The Assassins Of Rome (4)

The Dolphins Of Laurentum (5)

The Twelve Tasks Of Flavia Gemina (6)

The Enemies Of Jupiter (7)

The Gladiators From Capua (8)

The Colossus Of Rhodes (9)

The Fugitive From Corinth (10)

The Sirens Of Surrentum (11)

The Charioteer Of Delphi (12)

The Slave-Girl From Jerusalem (13)

The Beggar Of Volubilis (14)

The Scribes From Alexandria (15)

The Prophet From Ephesus (16)

The Man From Pomegranate Street (17)

The Slave-Girl From Jerusalem

This exciting adventure recreates the siege at Masada.

Caroline Lawrence has also written other historical mysteries. View Her Author's Page.

Source:  Webnuggetz.com