Jo’s Boys, And How They Turned Out, by Louisa May Alcott. Boston: Roberts Brothers 1886. From The Carolyn Davis Collection of Louisa May Alcott at University of Maryland Libraries

This month we celebrate the March family and their creator, Louisa May Alcott. 

“Prosperity suits some people, and they blossom best in a glow of sunshine; others need the shade, and are the sweeter for a touch of frost.” -Louisa May Alcott, Jo’s Boys, Chapter 2.

Here is the news from FABS for March:

New in the FABS Blog: If you are interested in collecting Kazuo Ishiguro, Ian McEwan, or other modern authors, check out Mark Warner’s essay this month in the FABS blog. This avid collector in Tasmania not only compiled his own bibliographies, complete with detailed information and photos, but he is extending an invitation to others interested in adding to the list of authors covered on his website. This is a great example of how collectors can put their knowledge to work to benefit the Republic of Books. Bravo Mark!

The Grolier Photography Group Newsletter link in last month’s issue did not work properly. Here is the correct link. Enjoy their informative mix of events, announcements, auctions, articles and other news for photography enthusiasts. https://preview.mailerlite.io/preview/545452/emails/142154471415219444

Does your club have news to share, or are you a club member with big news? Would you like to blog about your collection? Please contact Jennifer Larson at info@fabsocieties.org

Here's our list of March bookish events from FABS member societies:

March 10: The Biblioteca Amazónica, a library located in Iquitos, Peru, houses the second-largest collection of Amazonian maps, images, and texts in the world. Dr. Amanda Smith and Dr. Sydney Silverstein will discuss their work creating an open access digital archive of materials housed in the Biblioteca Amazónica through the lens of an alternative, feminist ethics of care for endangered peoples and cultures. (Book Club of California; The American Trust for the British Library)

March 10: FABS Handpress Era Zoom Group. Dr. Martha Driver, expert on English early printed books and co-founder of the Early Book Society, will present “Mandeville in the 21^st Century,” with illustrations from Medieval manuscripts, handpress-era printed works, and a 21^st century fine press example. All are welcome to join us for the presentation and discussion. To join the mailing list contact Jennifer Larson (info@fabsocieties.org)

March 11: On the Polyphonic Motets of Lassus, by Sherlock Holmes. An Abbreviated History of English Poetry, by Humbert Humbert. The Murderer’s Vade Mecum, by Lord Peter Wimsey. Reid Byers, author of (for real) The Private Library, will speak about his wildly successful Grolier Club exhibition “Imaginary Books: Lost, Unfinished and Fictive Works from the Collection Of Reid Byers.” (Baltimore Bibliophiles)

March 12: Paul F. Gehl, Curator Emeritus at the Newberry Library, will speak on Robert Hunter Middleton: pioneer in the Thomas Bewick revival, type designer for the Ludlow Typograph Company in Chicago, and a man who embodied (and wrote about) the relationship between fine press printing and mass-market, industrial-scale design. (The Caxton Club)

March 12: Hematologist and book collector Dr. David Wolf speak on "Pioneers in 20th-Century Hematology featuring Drs. Janet Vaughan and George Minot." Minot was a Nobel laureate and Dr. Janet Vaughan organized the emergency blood transfusion service during the Blitz. (Bay Area History of Medicine Society; The Grolier Club)

March 14: “So, are you going out with that Aldus guy again?” “I don’t know. Not sure I like that type.” If Aldus Manutius is your type of guy, don’t miss this talk by Dr. Oren Margolis of the University of East Anglia in Norwich. Margolis created an exhibition called “Aldus Manutius: The Struggle and the Dream” at Oxford’s Bodleian Library and is the author of Aldus Manutius: The Invention of the Publisher (2023). (The Caxton Club)

March 17: “Imaginary Books: Lost, Unfinished, and Fictive Works Found Only in Other Books.” Exhibition opening with remarks by Reid Byers, livestreamed on Zoom. A cross between a book exhibition and a conceptual art installation, this exhibition consists of a collection of books that do not really exist. (The Book Club of California)

March 17: FABS Bindings Zoom Group. Join us for a presentation and discussion by Lang Ingalls on design bindings from European makers. Lang will show several bindings with visually engaging elements. Attendees are invited to share interesting bindings of their own. To receive a link and join the mailing list for this group, contact Jennifer Larson at info@fabsocieties.org

March 20: FABS 19^th Century Zoom Group. Join us for convivial conversation about all things bookish and 19th century! We meet on the third Thursday of the month, 4:30-5:30pm Pacific/7:30-8:30pm Eastern. To receive announcements and links, contact Jennifer Larson (info@fabsocieties.org).

March 25: FABS Living With Books Zoom Group. Hosted by The Private Library author Reid Byers, this group meets on Zoom, on the fourth Tuesday of each month. This month's topics: Real and Dream Libraries Redux, and Library Seating. All are welcome to participate. To receive links and announcements, contact Jennifer Larson (info@fabsocieties.org)

March 26: In connection with the public exhibition “A First-Class Fool: Mark Twain and Humor, from the collection of Susan Jaffe Tane,” which runs at The Grolier Club until April 5, 2025, Kevin Mac Donnell will speak on the history of Mark Twain collecting, beginning in the 1880s down to the present day. (The Grolier Club)

Stay tuned to the FABS Calendar, as more events are sure to be posted soon.

Contact: Jennifer Larson, info@fabsocieties.org