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Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History'

@zibaldoni.bsky.social

2.4K followers 2.6K following 900 posts

山人. 'The Notebook: a History of Thinking on Paper' is available everywhere. 'Book of the Year' pick by Waterstones, New Yorker, New Statesman, Spectator, Toronto Globe, Engelsberg Ideas, Lit Hub, Austin Kleon, Ryan Holiday, Stephen L. Carter...

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Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History' @zibaldoni.bsky.social · Feb 19

I’d not be doing social media at all if it wasn’t part of the ‘being a conscientious author’ job description. By which I mean, an author who wants to help their publisher get their book read by as many people as possible. But what’s my book about, and where did it come from?

THE NOTEBOOK: A HISTORY OF THINKING ON PAPER, by Roland Allen, on a green background

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Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History' @zibaldoni.bsky.social · 3h

I've long wanted to go to Lyon, maybe that's the excuse I need...

Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History' @zibaldoni.bsky.social · 3h

I would have tagged them (and the Plantin-Moretus museum) but they're not on Bluesky.

Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History' @zibaldoni.bsky.social · 8h

It all depends how many museums of printing you need to see in your life. If it's a low number, go to Antwerp.

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Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History' @zibaldoni.bsky.social · 8h

One odd thing is that the Mainz History Museum is excellent, but doesn't mention Gutenberg at all, presumably out of respect to 'his' museum. So you have this terrific survey of the city's (long and interesting) history, with a massive gap.

Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History' @zibaldoni.bsky.social · 8h

Glad to hear it!

Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History' @zibaldoni.bsky.social · 9h

That's what they would say, no doubt, but no-one else seems to have that fear. That room was crepuscular! Much gloomier than the photo makes it look.

Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History' @zibaldoni.bsky.social · 9h

In short: if you're interested in the history of print, or the history of books, go to Antwerp and the wonderful Plantin-Moretus Museum. Don't bother with Mainz. A real pity. #bookhistory

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Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History' @zibaldoni.bsky.social · 9h

BUT there is one brilliant spot, the sunlit studio upstairs where kids can get their hands dirty and actually print stuff. That looks great.

Not shown: kids having a great time. The print studio at the Gutenberg Museum.

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Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History' @zibaldoni.bsky.social · 9h

The only part of the whole museum with a coherent chronology is the self-aggrandizing 'story if the museum' on the stairs.

Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History' @zibaldoni.bsky.social · 9h

They put their Bibles on display in a darkened chamber to encourage hushed reverence. Everyone starts whispering when they go in there. I prefer the NYPL display where you see them in daylight and they look like living things.

Two Gutenberg Bibles on display at the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz

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Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History' @zibaldoni.bsky.social · 9h

Don't get me started on the guy giving the tour to the American coach party. 'Before Gutenberg all books were religious and made by monks' erm. #bookhistory

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Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History' @zibaldoni.bsky.social · 9h

There's no sense of CASH - how much did Gutenberg sell his bibles for? What else could you have bought with the money? How did Fust & Schoeffer acquire the business? #bookhistory

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Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History' @zibaldoni.bsky.social · 9h

The labels are very poorly written, talking in abstractions and using technical terms (like 'sized') without explanation.

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Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History' @zibaldoni.bsky.social · 9h

A lovely (and presumably expensive) model of medieval Mainz shows the locations all the churches, but not of the Gutenberg family properties.

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Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History' @zibaldoni.bsky.social · 9h

No mention of Asian printing, no mention of the Mainz expulsions, no sense of the IMPACT of print. Instead, trite juxtapositions of old and new books, magazines, etc.

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Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History' @zibaldoni.bsky.social · 9h

I don't normally like dumping on honest pros doing their job but I've just been round the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz and am disappointed to the point of fury.

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Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History' @zibaldoni.bsky.social · 1d

US edition UK ISBN

Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History' @zibaldoni.bsky.social · 2d

Full thing here, and even more glorious:

www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v0...

Clive James · Poem: ‘The book of my enemy has been remaindered’

The book of my enemy has been remaindered/And I am pleased...

www.lrb.co.uk

Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History' @zibaldoni.bsky.social · 2d

You could probably work it out. A rival published a book 1 year before this poem appeared (lrb, 10 June 83). They were a big enough name that the first edition was overprinted & didn't sell. CJ sees the remainder and is happily inspired.

Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History' @zibaldoni.bsky.social · 2d

Interesting that the replies focus on the bookshop and not the enemy!

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Reposted by Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History'

Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 3d

A perennial favourite.

I reckon the bookshop was Galloway & Porter on Sidney Street in Cambridge. Showing my age there.

Poem by Clive James, published in te FT Weekend Magazine:

The book of my enemy has been remaindered
And I am pleased.
In vast quantities it has been remaindered.
Like a van-load of counterfeit that had been seized
And sits in piles in a police warehouse,
My enemy’s much-prized effort sits in piles
In the kind of bookshop where remaindering occurs.

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Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History' @zibaldoni.bsky.social · 2d

I once saw Kevin Whately walking down the street *in Lewes* and I have no idea how I didn't make an utter twat of myself

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Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History' @zibaldoni.bsky.social · 3d

You are very kind! I work hard at it...

Reposted by Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History'

Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 3d

Happy Bookshop Day! There are over 200 independent children's bookshops on my map so do pay your local one a visit. It's regularly updated but please let me know of any more I could add. padlet.com/Jon_Biddle/r...

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Reposted by Roland Allen, author of 'The Notebook: a History'

Bookshop.org UK @bookshop-org-uk.bsky.social · 3d

It's Bookshop Day! Get down to your local independent bookshop and buy a book or three. No local bookshop? Snap up a book with us 10-12 October and you could WIN a £250 gift card.

EVERY sale supports indie booksellers, not billionaires. uk.bookshop.org/lists/win-a-...

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