Last week Ann and I went to New York, spent time with friends at the long Baker Street Irregulars Weekend, and came home with new friends – the books I bought.
We didn’t hit the antiquarian bookstores, and I’m not a collector, so there was nothing rare or hard to get in my suitcase. But there were these delights, in order of purchase:
Golden Age Detective Stories, edited by Otto Penzler (Penzler Publishers). It’s always fun visiting Otto’s legendary Mysterious Bookshop, where I bought this. Although I’ve read most of the 14 stories in this 430-page book, it’s a treat to have them in one volume with Otto’s inscription in the front. I look forward to spending time again with Nero, Ellery, Perry, and their colleagues.
Sherlock Holmes in 221 Objects, Curated by Cathy Miranker and Glen S. Miranker (The Grolier Club). This is the catalog for an incredible exhibition we visited on Thursday at the Grolier Club, displaying a fraction of Glen Miranker’s collection. Although I’m not a collector, I’m glad that he is and that he shared some of his gems with the rest of us. How else would I ever get to see hand-written manuscript pages of The Hound of the Baskervilles or original illustrations by Sidney Paget?
The Finest Assorted Collection: Essays on Sherlock Holmes and Collecting, edited by Peter Eckrich and Rob Nunn, BSI (Gasogene Books). Peter’s inscription to me says “Become a collector!” No thanks, Peter. But I’m already quite a few essays into this book and it’s full of fascinating stories of how and what Sherlockians collect. (Not sure I want to read “The Game’s Adult,” though.)
A Masterpiece of Villany, edited by Ross E. Davies, BSI (Baker Street Irregulars Press). Part of the BSI’s manuscript series, this one is a facsimile of “The Norwood Builder” with an introduction, annotations, and a dozen essays. I have most of the Manuscript Series and plan to get the rest. There is something special about seeing the story in the author’s handwriting, and the essays are always enlightening.
Referring to My Notes: Music and the Sherlockian Canon, edited by Alexander Katz, BSI, and Karen Wilson, BSI (Baker Street Irregulars Press). Everything you ever wanted to know about Holmes and music, even if you didn’t know that you wanted to know it. Part of the BSI’s excellent Professions Series.
Author/editors Rob Nunn and Karen Wilson were invested into the Baker Street Irregulars on Friday, to no one’s surprise. Congratulations to them!
If you are a Sherlockian, and you have never been to BSI Weekend, there’s always next year. Mark your calendar for the first weekend of January 2023 and look at the Baker Street Irregulars website for details as they unfold.
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