Finds: Two 19th Century Interlinear Texts

Chambersburg, PA is really the place to go for interesting book finds. Here are two interlinear translations of Latin authors purchased for a total of $10.00. Both were published by David McKay Company based in Philadelphia.



The first contains Cicero's Four Orations Against Catiline, and was published in 1885. It remains in excellent condition, but unfortunately three leaves appear to have been torn out and placed back in the book unattached. The text block remains sound along with the binding, which is reinforced by headbands. The cover is a kind of flexible hardcover.



The second edition is of the complete works of Virgil, published in 1882. The binding is completely sound and all pages are intact.

Finds: Four Early and Mid-60's Mystery Book Club Editions

I found three of these at a flea market, and one more at a thrift store. Each of these is a book club edition, hardback octavo. I bought them because of their great covers and thought I'd share them for the same reason. I don't know how good they are, two of them had the front flap bookmarking a page about 100 pages in, if that's any sign.

Die a Little Every Day, by Lawrence Fisher. 1963. Random House Mystery (Book Club Edition). The front flap tells us it's about Virginia Fraley, the "wife of a local bigwig," who couldn't stop after she hit a pedestrian. The cover, designed and drawn by Richard Corson, tells us she proceeds to grab a revolver. I'm not quite sure what the banana leaves are doing there, if that's even what they are.

Philippe Diolé, trans. Peter Green. 1965. Viking. (Book Club Edition). The flaps tell a story of 5 Europeans heading off on an adventure through Africa, four of whom are "bent on helping the Congolese and on rescuing a friend from prision." The fifth, it tells us, is "a tough old African hand" who acts as narrator. This was the first novel of Diolé to be translated into English. Jacket design by James and Ruth McCrea.

Plot it Yourself & Gambit, by Rex Stout. 1959 & 1962. Viking (Book Club Edition). Both of these are in the Nero Wolfe series, which was nominated the Best Mystery Series of the Century at Bouchercon. Design on both is by Bill English.