Bird Homes

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Arthur Radclyffe Dugmore published his Bird Homes book in 1902. It is illustrated with his photographs of nests and young birds – one of the earliest books on the topic with photographic illustrations. The book was published in the same year that he was elected to The Camera Club of New York and was noticed by Alfred Stieglitz (according to the Wikipedia article). The book is well worth browsing on Internet Archive. (There are also other books by this author available on Internet Archive.)

Bird Homes: The Nests Eggs and Breeding Habits of The Land Birds Breeding in the Eastern United States

 I was curious about what happened to Dugmore later in his life. He lived to 1955 but didn’t publish after 1930. I found an article about him from the Boone and Crocket Club but it didn’t document that period of his life either. Perhaps the gas injury from the trenches of World War I incapacitated him later in his life or maybe he decided that The Autobiography of a Wanderer (his book published in 1930) was a good finale.

Ships eBook from the late 1920s

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Cecil J. Allen and John R. Hind’s My Book of Ships was published in 1928 in London – well after the Titanic sank in 1912. It is interesting that the Titanic is not mentioned in the book although page 47 is damaged (it appears that half a page was cut out) and is in the chapter about wrecks and salvage.

The book is illustrated with photographs and color illustrations. It is all history now but at the time it was published it was a little history but focuses on the state of the art for ships. It is well worth browsing!

My book of ships: their building and the wonders of navigation; illustrated and described for children

eBontanical Prints – May 2024

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Twenty-one more books were added to the botanical print collection in May - available for browsing on Internet Archive. The whole list of 2,883 botanical eBooks can be accessed here. Click on any sample images to get an enlarged version…and the title hyperlink to view the entire volume on Internet Archive. Enjoy the May 2024 eBotanical Prints!

The set is unusual because the oldest book was published in 1928. Most months the books are from earlier decades/centuries. Another aspect that is unusual is that 19 of the books are from the same source (American Plant Life Society) and published over many years (1938 – 2006).

The Marine Algae of Florida with special reference to the Dry Tortugas * Taylor, William Randolph * sample image * 1928

The American species of Crepis, their interrelationships and distribution as affected by polyploidy and apomixis * Babcock, Ernest Brown * sample image * 1938

Herbertia V 1-5 (1934-1938) * American Amaryllis Society * sample image * 1938

Herbertia V 6-10 (1939-1943) * American Amaryllis Society * sample image * 1943

Herbertia V 40 (1984) * American Plant Life Society * sample image * 1943

Herbertia V 41 (1985) * American Plant Life Society * sample image * 1985

Herbertia V 42 (1986) * American Plant Life Society * sample image * 1986

Herbertia V 43 N1 (1986) * American Plant Life Society * sample image * 1987

Herbertia V 43 N2 (1987) * American Plant Life Society * sample image * 1987

Herbertia V 44 N1 (1988) * American Plant Life Society * sample image * 1987

Herbertia V 46 N1-2 (1990) * American Plant Life Society * sample image * 1990

Herbertia V 47 (1991) * American Plant Life Society * sample image * 1991

Herbertia V 48 (1992) * American Plant Life Society * sample image * 1992

Herbertia V 49 (1993) * American Plant Life Society * sample image * 1993

Herbertia V 50 (1994-1995) * American Plant Life Society * sample image * 1995

Herbertia V 51 (1996) * American Plant Life Society * sample image * 1996

Herbertia V 52 (1997) * American Plant Life Society * sample image * 1997

Herbertia V 53 (1998) * American Plant Life Society * sample image * 1998

Herbertia V 54 (1999) * American Plant Life Society * sample image * 1999

Herbertia V 59 (2004-2005) * American Plant Life Society * sample image * 2005

Herbertia V 60 (2005-2006) * American Plant Life Society * sample image * 2006

Fine Art History (collection on Internet Archive)

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This ‘book of the week’ post features a collection found on Internet Archive that includes slideshow collections of art works from artists around the world and different time periods. There is a lot to browse in this collection and I will probably feature it again from time to time since I enjoy the images and learning about the artists. I have chosen 20 for this post…hopefully the sample images will provide enough of an incentive to look at these artists and the rest of the collection. Enjoy!

Fernand Léger (1881 - 1955)

John Hoyland (1934 - 2011)

Korean Art History eBooks

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Internet Archive had 14 of the 15 volumes of the Chōsen koseki zufu – published beginning in 1915 in Japanese and full of illustrations of Korean antiquities. It was the result of the Japanese work to systemically organize and investigate cultural assets and sites throughout the Korean Peninsula after they annexed the country in 1910.

Most of what I know about Korea is in the context of the Korean War of the 1950s and, more recently, the products from South Korea that are exported to the U.S. These books enlarged my understanding of the deep history of the country via the pictures (although I probably would have gotten even more from the books if I could read Japanese!). I have selected a sample image from each volume…but there are many more in the books…well worth the time to browse.

Volume I. Sites of excavations, pottery, bronzes, inscription on stone, ancient metallic mirrors, etc. Chōsen koseki zufu V1

Volume II. Continuation of first volume, frescoes and other details of paintings from the tombs. Chōsen koseki zufu V2

 Volume III. Photographs and plans of sites excavated details of sculpture, beads, smaller bronzes etc. Chōsen koseki zufu V3

 Volume IV. Antiquities of the Silla period in Korea. Chōsen koseki zufu V4

 Volume V. Continuation of Volume IV (not on Internet Archive)

Volume VI. Antiquities of Koryo period. Chōsen koseki zufu V6

 Volume VII. Continuation of Volume VI. Chōsen koseki zufu V7

 Volume VIII. Pottery. Chōsen koseki zufu V8

 Volume IX. Metallic mirrors, bronzes, jewelry, household utensils. Chōsen koseki zufu V9

 Volume X. Temple architecture, including some details of decoration. Chōsen koseki zufu V10

 Volume XI. Continuation of preceding volume, sculpture. 1951. Chōsen koseki zufu V11

Volume XII. Temple architecture. Chōsen koseki zufu V12

 Volume XIII. Temple architecture. 1933. Chōsen koseki zufu V13

 Volume XIV. Painting. 1934. Chōsen koseki zufu V14

 Volume XV. Pottery. 1935 Chōsen koseki zufu V15

James W. VanStone – anthropologist

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There are 16 eBooks in this week’s feature – authored by James. W. VanStone from 1979-1998 while he was Curator of North American Archeology and Ethnology for the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. These books have many illustrations – drawings and photographs – and are well worth browsing to glimpse of the cultures of the northern part of North America. VanStone’s research in the area started in the 1950s and he was a prolific scholar throughout his career. Enjoy the sample images (click on the image to see a larger version)…but there are so many more in the books themselves – all freely available on Internet Archive.

Material culture of the Davis Inlet and Barren Ground Naskapi: the William Duncan Strong collection -1985

The Bruce collection of Eskimo material culture from Kotzebue Sound, Alaska -1980

An ethnographic collection from northern Sakhalin Island -1985

Ingalik contact ecology : an ethnohistory of the lower-middle Yukon, 1790-1935  -1979

Then and Now – Books

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Books – and other reading material – have changed a lot between the 1960s and now.

In the 1960s they were all physical – printed on paper. There were already paperbacks, but I remember hard backs more – textbooks and reference books along with fiction. Now those physical formats still exist, but there are digital forms available too. I have shifted almost entirely to digital forms (Kindle and Internet Archive mostly) for my reading. Most of what I read is something I will only read once so there is no reason to have the book permanently. Another reason I like digital books: the weight of the device I use for reading is less than one book; I can access a lot of books with no additional weight!

In the 1960s, we had sets of general references like encyclopedias at home; now we either use a search of the internet or sites like Wikipedia to get that type of information – i.e. digital vs a physical book. And the wed sites are usually free rather than purchased. There is also the added advantage that the information is refreshed frequently (although we do have to become more adept at accessing the quality of the information provided). In addition, many references I use now come in the form of apps (for example, Cronometer for calorie/nutritional information about foods, Merlin for bird identification, iNaturalist for other organism identification, and NPS for details about national parks).

It seemed like books were expensive in the 1960s; there were some we bought but most of them we checked out from libraries (school or public) or they were provided during the school year. My mother bought children’s books for my sisters and me prior to us becoming proficient reader; some of those books still exist – distributed primarily to her grandchildren over the years. Kindle books are available from my library…but I buy one occasionally. And Internet Archive has older books that are freely available and newer ones that can sometimes be checked out for 14 days (or for 1 hour which is ideal if it is a needed reference). It still is probably true that physical books are popular with young children/new readers.

Finding a particular book in the 1960s was done with card catalogs or a ‘books in print’ reference. Today I search the Amazon site; books are easy to find and then purchase. I don’t remember going into book stores in the 1960s, perhaps because we lived in a small town rather than a city….or my parents deciding that libraries should fulfill our need for books as we became good readers.

As I was growing up it always seemed like there were never enough books near at hand to read. That set the stage for me to start buying books – new and used – as an adult (past the 1960s) so that I would always have a substantial pile of books at home, ready to read. When digital forms of books became able – it was like a dream come true. At first, I printed some of the eBooks so that I could read them offline. Gradually, I began reading more and more books entirely online. These days I never lack for reading material…and I donated most of my physical books. We have a lot of empty bookcases.

Previous Then and Now posts

The Natural History of British Birds

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This week’s eBooks are the 10 volume The Natural History of British Birds by Edward Donovan. They were first published in the late 1700s and are available on Internet Archive. The author did not travel but described and illustrated species based on collections of other naturalists.  It is obvious in some of the illustrations that he never saw the living bird! Still – the illustrations were my motivation to browse the books – thinking about how the numbers of these birds are reduced from when he worked…and how this author’s books are a natural history snapshot of birds (and insects) that were collected/available to him.   

The natural history of British birds V1

The natural history of British birds V2

The natural history of British birds V3

The natural history of British birds V4

The natural history of British birds V5

The natural history of British birds V6

The natural history of British birds V7

The natural history of British birds V8

The natural history of British birds V9

The natural history of British birds V10

eBontanical Prints – April 2024

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Twenty more books were added to the botanical print collection in April - available for browsing on Internet Archive. The whole list of 2,862 botanical eBooks can be accessed here. Click on any sample images to get an enlarged version…and the title hyperlink to view the entire volume on Internet Archive. Enjoy the April 2024 eBotanical Prints!

There are two books from the 1500s written by Otto Brunfels – one of the ‘fathers of botany.’ He relied more on his own observations than ancient authors and the woodcuts in his books (done by Hans Weiditz) were also done from life.

Contrafayt Kreèuterbuch * Brunfels, Otto * sample image * 1532

Herbarum vivae eicones * Brunfels, Otto * sample image * 1532

Rembert Dodoens’s Historia frumentorum, leguminum, palustrium et aquatilium herbarum acceorum, quae eo pertinent is also from the 1500s…and he is another ‘father of botany.’

Historia frumentorum, leguminum, palustrium et aquatilium herbarum acceorum, quae eo pertinent * Dodoens, Rembert * sample image * 1566

This month continues the Hortus Malabaricus volumes published in the 1600s that document the varieties and medicinal properties of the flora of the Malabar coast. Note the different scripts/languages that label the plants; they are Latin, Malayalam, Konkani, Arabic, and English.

Hortus Indicus Malabaricus V2 * Reede tot Drakestein, Hendrik van * sample image * 1679

Hortus Indicus Malabaricus V3 * Reede tot Drakestein, Hendrik van * sample image * 1683

Hortus Indicus Malabaricus V4 * Reede tot Drakestein, Hendrik van * sample image * 1683

Hortus Indicus Malabaricus V5 * Reede tot Drakestein, Hendrik van * sample image * 1685

Hortus Indicus Malabaricus V6 * Reede tot Drakestein, Hendrik van * sample image * 1686

Hortus Indicus Malabaricus V7 * Reede tot Drakestein, Hendrik van * sample image * 1688

Hortus Indicus Malabaricus V8 * Reede tot Drakestein, Hendrik van * sample image * 1688

Hortus Indicus Malabaricus V9 * Reede tot Drakestein, Hendrik van * sample image * 1689

Hortus Indicus Malabaricus V10 * Reede tot Drakestein, Hendrik van * sample image * 1690

Hortus Indicus Malabaricus V11 * Reede tot Drakestein, Hendrik van * sample image * 1692

Hortus Indicus Malabaricus V12 * Reede tot Drakestein, Hendrik van * sample image * 1703

2 books were from the 1700s that documented plants from Peru and India respectively.

Hortus Peruvanius medicinalis * Petiver, James * sample image * 1715

Icones plantarum incognitarum quas in India Occidentali * Swartz, Olof * sample image * 1794

I found 4 more volumes of Gartenflora that I hadn’t seen before – from 1878 to 1915.

Gartenflora - 1909 (BD 58) * Regel, Eduard (editor) * sample image * 1909

Gartenflora - 1915 (BD 64) * Regel, Eduard (editor) * sample image * 1915

Gartenflora - 1912 (BD 61) * Regel, Eduard (editor) * sample image * 1912

Gartenflora - 1878 (BD 27) * Regel, Eduard (editor) * sample image * 1878

Images of Lincoln

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Earlier this year, I browsed two books that were full of images of Abraham Lincoln. Photographic technology had progressed enough to leave us a relatively rich group of pictures; we can see him aging over time. There is some overlap in the two books but also unique images. I was surprised at how many of them seemed familiar; these might be some of the most reused images in the world! Both books are available from Internet Archive. (click on images to see a larger version)

Gallery of Famous Lincoln Portraits (1911)

L'art Vietnamien (ebook)

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L’art Vietnamien was written by Louis Bezacier, a French archaeologist and art historian. It was published in 1955.

L'art Vietnamien

As I browsed the book, I found myself wanting more illustrations; the ones that were there acted to stimulate my interest but not satisfy it. I also wondered how much of Vietnam’s art history was damaged or destroyed in the battles that followed. The author first began his work in Vietnam in 1935 and published for at least 20 years after that…but this book is the only one that is currently on Internet Archive.

The Art and Architecture of Ancient Egypt

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W. Stevenson Smith’s The Art and Architecture of Ancient Egypt was published in 1958 and is available on Internet Archive. It has 192 black and white plates which are well worth browsing. There are familiar images of Egyptian artifacts/ruins, but the ones I enjoyed the most were either new-to-me or a different view of something familiar.

For example, the different perspective of the Ramses II statue and Tutankhamon’s chair and chariot drew my attention (click on the sample images to see a larger version).

Many statues and smaller items like axe heads were shown large enough to make out details. It is also evident that the author included images of artifacts from many museums.

The architecture of ancient Egyptian sites is shown at locations and via reconstructed versions (models and drawings).

Enjoying browsing the images that are grouped after the text of the book! Research and excavation continue in Egypt so keep in mind the vintage of this book.

eBotanical Prints – March 2024

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Twenty more books were added to the botanical print collection in March – available for browsing on Internet Archive. The publication date range for this group is over 400 years: 1569 to 1993 with 4 volumes in the 1500s, 4 volumes in the 1600s, 4 in the 1700s, 1 in the 1800s, and 7 in the 1900s.

The whole list of 2,842 botanical eBooks can be accessed here. The volumes are shown by centuries this month…making it a bit easier to compare the state of the art in botanical print making. Click on any sample images to get an enlarged version…and the title hyperlink to view the entire volume on Internet Archive. Enjoy the March 2024 eBotanical Prints!

The 1500s:

Florum, et coronarianum odoratarumque nonnullarum herbarum historia * Borcht, Petrus van de,; Dodoens, Rembert; Plantin, Christophe * sample image * 1569

Purgantium aliarumque eo facientium, tum et radicum, conuoluulorum ac deleteriarum herbarum historiae * Dodoens, Rembert; Plantin, Christophe * sample image * 1574

Caroli Clusii Atrebat Rariorum alioquot stirpium per Hispanias observatarum historia * Christophorus Plantinus; Clusius, Carolus * sample image * 1576

Caroli Clusii Atrebatis Rariorum aliquot stirpium * Bejthe, Stephan.; Christophori Plantini.; Clusius, Carolus, * sample image * 1583

The 1600s:

Histoire des simples medicamens apportes de l'Amerique, desquels on se sert en la medecine * Colin, Anthoine; Pillehott, Iean; Monardes, Nicolas; Orta, Garcia de * sample image * 1619

Hortus Eystettensis * Besler, Basilius * sample image * 1640

Horti medici amstelodamensis rariorum tam Orientalis quam Occidentalis India * Commelin, Johannes; Blaeu, P. & J;Commelin, Caspar; Kiggelaer, Franz; Moninckx, Johan; Moninckx, Maria; Ruysch, Frederik,1638-1731; Someren, Abraham * sample image * 1697

Hortus Indicus Malabaricus V1 * Reede tot Drakestein, Hendrik van * sample image * 1678

More of this series in April. There are 12 volumes in all. The Wikipedia entry for Hortus Malabaricus says that “it is believed to be one of the earliest printed works on the flora of Asia and the tropics” and is a “cultural storehouse of the incidental sociological situation and social affinities carried by the flora of those times.”

The 1700s:

Hesperidum Norimbergensium, sive, De malorum citreorum, limonum, aurantiorumque * Volkamer, Johann Christoph; Brückmann, Franz Ernst et al * sample image * 1713

Praeludia botanica ad publicas plantarum exoticarum demonstrationes, dicta in horto medico * Commelin, Caspar * sample image * 1715

Herbarium amboinense V5 * Rumpf, Georg Eberhard; Fransicum Changuion * sample image * 1747

Herbarium amboinense V6 * Rumpf, Georg Eberhard; Fransicum Changuion * sample image * 1750

The 1900s:

Etudes et commentaires sur le code de L'Escluse * Clusius, Carolus; Istvanffy, Gyula * sample image * 1900

Studies in American plants, III  * Gibson, Dorothy N. * sample image * 1972

Pteridophyta of Peru - Part I * Tryon, Rolla M.; Stozle, Robert G. * sample image * 1989

Pteridophyta of Peru - Part II * Tryon, Rolla M.; Stozle, Robert G. * sample image * 1989

Pteridophyta of Peru - Part IV * Tryon, Rolla M.; Stozle, Robert G. * sample image * 1991

Pteridophyta of Peru - Part III * Tryon, Rolla M.; Stozle, Robert G. * sample image * 1992

Pteridophyta of Peru - Part V * Tryon, Rolla M.; Stozle, Robert G. * sample image * 1993

Fine Art History (collection on Internet Archive)

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This ‘book of the week’ post introduces a collection found on Internet Archive that features slideshow collections of art works from artists from around the world and different time periods. There is a lot to browse in this collection and I will probably feature it again from time to time since I enjoy the images and learning about the artists. I have chosen 5 for this first post…hopefully the sample images will provide enough of an incentive to take a look at these artists and the rest of the collection.

Peter Beard (1938 - 2020)

Arctic Sculpture

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The 4 eBooks for this ‘books of the week’ post are from Canadian Arctic Producers Co-operative published in 1980 and include sculpture from Inuit artists in 1979-1980…grouped by village. I enjoyed the figures of the Arctic as a place and culture.

Pangnirtung, recent sculpture

Igloolik, recent sculpture

Clyde River sculpture

Coppermine : Sculpture

 I found these 4 eBooks by accident but recently did a comprehensive search for the publisher and found a lot more books so there are more to browse – which I will do over the coming months! These books are a great way to become more familiar with modern Inuit art. There is a Wikipedia entry for the Co-op too.

Houses of Wealthy in 1880

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Alexander Francis Lydon provided the illustrations for Francis Orpen Morris’ 6 volumes that document the great houses of Great Britain and Ireland as they were in 1880. Some of the houses were already old and the families were scrambling to maintain them. Others were benefiting from new wealth from industry or colonies either through marriage or new owners. These are easy books to browse!

A series of picturesque views of seats of the noblemen and gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland. V1, V2, V3, V4, V5, V6

The books are interesting from several historical perspectives. Here are some thoughts these books prompted for me:

They show the publishing technology of the time to produce color illustrations. It was new and expensive…and the publisher folded not long after these books were published.

The weapons of war that would destroy buildings from the air in World War I and World War II had not been invented in 1880. The books include houses that had survived for years because the weapons of war were not sufficient to destroy them in an instant.

Transportation was improving (trains and canals) but travel was still relatively slow, so the wealthy required large county houses for guests that stayed awhile.

The industrial revolution was in full swing, but many wealthy families were still clinging to agricultural streams of income from their lands. Country houses were not just a place to live; they were also the center of the family enterprise.

Lyndon (the illustrator) was not credited on the cover page. Why? He had worked with Morris on several projects before so their collaboration must have been a profitable one for him. He was evidently a successful artist, illustrator and engraver that supported a family with his work.

The author of the text (Morris) was an Anglo-Irish clergyman that had broad interests. He published books about birds and insects and heritage buildings! He was active in the movement to protect birds from the plume trade. His occupation as a vicar must have allowed sufficient free time for him to indulge his wide-ranging interests….and enjoy his family (9 children). He lived a relatively long time (82 years old when he died) and must have enjoyed what he did.

eBotanical Prints – February 2024

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Twenty more books were added to the botanical print collection in February – available for browsing on Internet Archive. There are 4 books about medicinal plants, and 2 about Yuccas…but all the books are worth browsing!

The publication date range for this group is over 400 years: 1532 to 1902 with 2 volumes in the 1500s, 4 in the 1700s, 13 in the 1800s, and 1 in the 1900s.

The whole list of 2,822 botanical eBooks can be accessed here. The list for the February 2024 books with links to the volumes and sample images is at the bottom of this post.

Click on any sample images in the mosaic below to get an enlarged version. Enjoy the February 2024 eBotanical Prints!

Flore forestiere illustree arbres et arbustes du centre de l'Europe * Kirkwan, C. de * sample image * 1872

Flore Medicale V1 * Chamberet, Jean Baptist Joseph Anne Cesar Tyrbas de; Chaumeton, Francois Pierre; Panckoucke, C. L. F.; Panckoucke, Ernestine; Poiret, Jean Louis Marie; Turpin, P. J. F. * sample image * 1833

Flore Medicale V2 * Chamberet, Jean Baptist Joseph Anne Cesar Tyrbas de; Chaumeton, Francois Pierre; Panckoucke, C. L. F.; Panckoucke, Ernestine; Poiret, Jean Louis Marie; Turpin, P. J. F. * sample image * 1829

Flore Medicale V3 * Chamberet, Jean Baptist Joseph Anne Cesar Tyrbas de; Chaumeton, Francois Pierre; Panckoucke, C. L. F.; Panckoucke, Ernestine; Poiret, Jean Louis Marie; Turpin, P. J. F. * sample image * 1830

Flore Medicale V4 * Chamberet, Jean Baptist Joseph Anne Cesar Tyrbas de; Chaumeton, Francois Pierre; Panckoucke, C. L. F.; Panckoucke, Ernestine; Poiret, Jean Louis Marie; Turpin, P. J. F. * sample image * 1830

Flore Medicale V5 * Chamberet, Jean Baptist Joseph Anne Cesar Tyrbas de; Chaumeton, Francois Pierre; Panckoucke, C. L. F.; Panckoucke, Ernestine; Poiret, Jean Louis Marie; Turpin, P. J. F. * sample image * 1831

Flore Medicale V6 * Chamberet, Jean Baptist Joseph Anne Cesar Tyrbas de; Chaumeton, Francois Pierre; Panckoucke, C. L. F.; Panckoucke, Ernestine; Poiret, Jean Louis Marie; Turpin, P. J. F. * sample image * 1832

The yucceae * Trelease, William * sample image * 1902

Further studies of Yuccas and their pollination * Trelease, William * sample image * 1893

The species of Rumex occurring north of Mexico * Trelease, William * sample image * 1892

The species of Epilobium occurring north of Mexico * Trelease, William * sample image * 1891

Genera Aroidearum exposita * Schott, H.W. * sample image * 1858

Gesamtbeschreibung der Kakteen (Monographia cactacearum)  * Schumann, Karl; Hischt, Karl * sample image * 1899

Gramineae Chilenses * Desvaux, E. * sample image * 1853

Herbarivm Oth. Brvnfelsii ... exacto tandem studio, opera & ingenio, candidatis medicinae simplicis absolutum * Brunfels, Otto * sample image * 1537

Herbarum vivae eicones ad naturae imitationem * Brunfels, Otto; Herr, Michael; Weiditz, Hans * sample image * 1532

Herbarium amboinense V1 * Rumpf, Georg Eberhard; Fransicum Changuion * sample image * 1742

Herbarium amboinense V2 * Rumpf, Georg Eberhard; Fransicum Changuion * sample image * 1741

Herbarium amboinense V3 * Rumpf, Georg Eberhard; Fransicum Changuion * sample image * 1743

Herbarium amboinense V4 * Rumpf, Georg Eberhard; Fransicum Changuion * sample image * 1743

Marilyn Stafford

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Internet Archive has a Fine Art History collection that includes slideshows of works by many artists. I browsed the slideshow for photojournalist Marilyn Stafford after reading about her death (at 97) last year. She photographed well-known people…fashion….people on the street…refugees – a wide range over a long life. She was born in Cleveland, OH but moved to Paris as a young girl then settled in London. She traveled the world – particularly Tunisia, India, and Lebanon. The slideshow is well worth the look. How many people do you recognize? Which photos are the most thought provoking?

Marilyn Stafford (1925 - 2023)

Golf Courses of the Early 1900s

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I enjoyed browsing the illustrations of golf courses in Britain published in 1910 (available on Internet Archive). It was authored by Bernard Darwin and illustrated by Harry Rountree. According to Wikipedia, the author was the grandson of Charles Darwin; he was the first journalist to cover golf on a daily basis…and he was a high-standard amateur golfer too. The illustrator (according to Wikipedia) was born in New Zealand but moved to London to pursue his career as an illustrator in 1901; he became well know for animal illustration…and British golf courses/golfing caricatures. Enjoy browsing this ‘book of the week.’

The Golf Courses of the British Isles

Eva March Tappan

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I recently browsed Eva March Tappan books available on Internet Archive; she was a prolific author from the early 1900s.  According to the Wikipedia, she graduated from Vassar in 1875 and taught for many years before embarking on her writing career – writing primarily for children. Enjoy these books (including their illustrations) this week!

The world's story; a history of the world in story, song and art V1 - China, Japan, and the islands of the Pacific,  1914

The world's story; a history of the world in story, song and art V2 - India, Persia, Mesopotamia and Palestine,  1914

The world's story; a history of the world in story, song and art V3 - Egypt, Affrica and Arabia,  1914

The world's story; a history of the world in story, song and art V4 - Greece and Rome,  1914