Book ‘em

I have fantastic news! It’s book week! Not only does the annual ABAA Bookfair open in Manhattan on Thursday, but there’s also a Modern Literature auction at Pacific Book Auctions in San Francisco at the end of the week. Isn’t life grand?!

There are two major bookfairs throughout the year, one in San Francisco and one in New York. Most of the books are priced well beyond the realm of affordability, but you have to go just to look around. It’s the world’s best rare book museum, except you can buy shit. How would you like to examine a Shakespeare first folio up close? The opportunity doesn’t come up all that often. Let me give you some perspective; think about the one material object in your life that brings you the most joy. The one thing that you’re crazy-obsessed with. Now, imagine walking into the Park Avenue Armory on 68th Street and seeing it filled to the rafters with your one special obsession. I get woozy just typing that sentence.

The PBA auction will feature a cornucopia of Beat and 20th Century literature, including a unique copy of Bukowski’s first chapbook from 1960 (est. $8K-12K) and a first edition of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Tender is the Night” with the super-rare dust jacket (est. $10K-15K). Take a look at the design on that jacket. Beautiful! Can you stand it?!