The Penguin Modern Classics Book and other November Notes
Those who attended the talk by Henry Eliot at our virtual AGM will already have the 18th November marked as a red letter day. If you have missed the announcements, this is the date of publication for The Penguin Modern Classics Book, a companion tome to the big red Penguin Classics that was published a little while ago. In PCS terms, the latter came out after our Reading AGM when we were lucky enough to have Henry talk in the flesh, rather than to camera, and it was a pity that it could not have been the case again this year. However, things being what they are, I know all those that attended enjoyed the advance look.
The blurb from Henry runs thus: "It's an illustrated atlas of twentieth-century literature, from Achebe and Alexievich to Zamyatin and Zweig “ and the companion volume to The Penguin Classics Book (2018). It features over 1,800 books by more than 600 authors “ every title published in the first sixty years of the Penguin Modern Classics series “ with thousands of cover photographs, reading lists, pull-out boxes and unexpected facts."
Some of the unexpected facts are wonderful examples of how easy it is to disappear down the rabbit-hole
- On Russell Hoban's birthday each year “ 4 February ” fans write quotations on sheets of yellow paper and leave them in public spaces. This annual international occurrence is known as the Slickman A4 Quotation Event (SA4QE).
- Carson McCullers once introduced Marilyn Monroe to Karen Blixen over lunch.
- Charles Webb's son, a performance artist, once cooked and ate a copy of The Graduate with cranberry sauce.
If you want more fun facts, plus of course the wonderful illustrations and a wealth of information, you will have to visit your local bookseller!
Earlier this year Henry also wrote an interesting short piece on George Orwell covers which appeared on the Penguin Books website. I know that there are very divided views on the Orwell cover art that has appeared over the years and it is interesting to see how many of the 'greats' of Penguin design took a stab at it.
If, like me, you missed Helen Day's Wonderful World of the Ladybird Artists that was hosted by Gloucester Museum over the summer, you may be closer to its current incarnation in Great Yarmouth. This link also details where it will travel in the future. To book tickets visit the Time and Tide website.
Tom Etherington has kindly worked on some of our Penguin Collectors and I came across this piece about one of Tom's recent projects, Green Ideas. The article is featured on the Creative Boom website and is by Dom Carter.
Also on design, a blog entitled Penguin Series Design which is by an Australian art, design and photography teacher named Greg Neville. The most recent articles are on Romek Marber and Erwin Fabian but as I scroll down the page there are many more to enjoy including one on Orwell and another on the Modern Classics series - a neat tie in to the above. The pieces date back to at least 2017 including a piece on Robert Jonas and the American Penguins so it is worth persevering!
In the past I have linked the Penguin Cover Design Award and I do so again. The 2022 award is in its early stages at the moment but if you know anyone who might be interested in a six month mentorship with a designer perhaps you could pass it on. This year, for the first time, Penguin are widening the offer to all aspiring designers and illustrators over 18 regardless of their higher education status.
Finally, some Book Fair information:
PBFA London Christmas Book Fair
PBFA Book Fairs for early 2022
The Christmas online Book Fair
