News, Features & Interviews

Our News page includes interviews with librarians, book dealers and others from the book trade, as well as details on events, announcements and developments from the literary world.

View the latest Stories below, or search for past entries.

  • Big Read: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

    News Story

    The Arts Institute of the University of Plymouth came up with a splendid way to alleviate the dolours of lockdown: to get forty of the world’s best and brightest authors and artists to read, in turn, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

    Jeremy Irons and Glenn Brown led the way, followed by Jeanette Winterson and Lisa Wright, and in number forty (‘A...

  • Sammy Jay Peter Harrington Catalogue, In Other Worlds

    News Story

    Peter Harrington's latest literature catalogue "In Other Worlds - Fantasy, Science Fiction and Beyond" focuses on genres that seem a lot more real to us after spending three months in lockdown. During this strange time, many of us thought occasionally that we are living in a world we used to read about in books and many of us escaped this new...

  • Video: Joseph Banks Florilegium

    News Story

    Join Type & Forme’s Dr Anke Timmermann FLS to explore how Joseph Banks and his associates gathered, processed, described, and drew plants from around the world on the Endeavour voyage of 1768-1771.

    This is the first part of a two part video created by Type & Forme as part of their 'Banks Month' celebrations. 

    All engravings from the videos...

  • Lilly Library turning 60

    News Story

    At 60 the Lilly Library is one of the younger, important libraries in the United States.The Book Collector has an especially strong connection with it as it has been home to our founder Ian Fleming's book collection since 1970.

    This week's podcast, read by English actor Rupert Vansittart, is part of our Contemporary Collectors series. In it,...

  • Restoration through Devotion

    News Story

    This week, book shops and libraries across the UK are opening their doors to the public for the first time in three months.

    The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked economic havoc across the nation, and the book industry has been affected as much as anyone. With bookstores and libraries forced to close, fairs cancelled and events postponed, book...

  • Podcast: Count de Fortsas

    News Story

    This week book shops across the UK are opening for the first time in three months.
    To celebrate we have decided to share an account of an extraordinary phantom book sale.
    Titled, 'The Library of Count de Fortsas, 1840', this article was published in number 6 of The Book Collectors Quarterly, in June 1932. It was written by William Blades, the...

  • News Story

    If you missed Spencer Stuart's wonderful webinar back in April - Lifecycles: Collecting and Collections, based on his three-part Lifecycles program - here is your chance to take part. The next Lifecycles virtual presentation will take place on 26th June 2020, at 1pm EDT / 6pm BST.

    Registration for the June session is reflecting a diverse cross-...

  • News Story

    All The Book Collector Podcasts are special, but this one may be more special than others.


    It is Mark James, reading Anke Timmerman's article relating to Joseph Banks, the famous explorer and naturalist whose death 200 years ago is being remembered worldwide.


    'A Palimpsest of Naturalists: The Manuscripts of the Linnean Society of London...

  • News Story

    This week The Norman Rockwell Museum released a powerful letter from the Museum Director/CEO, Laurie Norton Moffat, titled 'Hope in the Time of Despair'. The letter invites readers to join in a "conversation with the community on race and healing" with a virtual Four Freedoms Forum on 11th June 2020.

    "Please come together to share your thoughts...

  • News Story

    In 1966 a devastating flood swept through the city of Florence, destroying homes and livelihoods, and killing 101 people. 

    Thousands of priceless books, papers and manuscripts were reduced to mulch in the space of a few hours. 

    This article from our Spring 1967 issue (which was dedicated to Florence) is a first hand account from Mario Witt,...