The london times of the making of many books there is no end. In his memoir a pound of paper, novelist and film biographer john baxter meanders through the story of his lifelong obsession with books and book collecting. John baxter born 1939 in randwick, new south wales is an australianborn writer, journalist. It could be indeed it has been for one dealer planning his demise in. In the rural australia of the fifties where john baxter grew up, reading books was disregarded with suspicion, owning and collecting them with utter. But i had suggested his name to the nfsa as someone worthy of a commissioned and hopefully authoritative oral history and this had been agreed as a project for some time in the future using field recording equipment. In the rural australia of the fifties where john baxter grew up, reading books was disregarded with suspicion, owning and collecting them with utter incomprehension. Baxter knows that, as with any obsessive, the collector operates on a clandestine level.
A pound of paperthe weight, more or less, of a book is the peg on which book collector extraordinaire john baxter hangs each charming episode of this utterly engaging memoir. But he also shows us how he penetrated the secret fraternity of runners or book scouts sleuths who use bluff and guile to hunt down their quarry and joined them in scouring junk shops, markets, auction rooms and private homes for rarities. Baxter has lived in britain and the united states as well as in his native sydney, but has made his home in paris since 1989, where he is married to the filmmaker mariedominique montel. Baxter mentions many works of literature, many bookstores and many stories about getting the books he wanted. Later, when his job with the railways in australia took him to the most remote of places, it was baxters passion for books and. When not writing, he can be found prowling the bouquinistes along the seine or cruising the internet in search of new acquisitions. He has a major collection of modern first editions. Genealogy profile for john baxter john baxter 1648 1691 genealogy genealogy for john baxter 1648 1691 family tree on geni, with over 190 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. With titles like stukas over suex, flitzers in action and huckebein, you. John baxter books list of books by author john baxter.
His love for books was fueled by the meager collection of routine whodunits by agatha christie and other popular. For new books, i buy online or download to my kindle. As he stooped over a basket full of stuffed animals. Volume 3, stories involving the men and aircraft of a very different luftwaffe during world war two john baxter. Book collectors, and the associated trades of dealers, runners and others had been a. He attended schools in independence and big pine and recalls early school facilities, appearance of independence and surrounding environment. He has also had a lifelong passion for book collecting, which led him to write a bestselling memoir of his life as a collector, a pound of paper, in which he also explores the exploding.
Quench your thirst for amazing watercolor painting techniques, tricks and tips. The ultimate in this respect is a collectors house, uninhabited except for shelves of books, each one carefully wrapped in brown paper. John baxter is a renowned novelist, lecturer and broadcaster as well as a highly acclaimed film critic and film biographer. Though his life is filled with fame, fortune, and paparazzi, his heart is pulling him toward a.
With collectors of rare books, the topic is often the latest exploits of martin stone. Specialists in genre fiction and collector paperbacks since 1973. Every sunday when the weather is good, my wife and i go to at least one brocante. Simply brit shipped with premium postal service within 24 hours from the uk with impressive delivery time. The book collector is a london based journal that deals with all aspects of the book it is published quarterly and exists in both paper and digital form. It prints independent opinions on subjects ranging from typography to national heritage policy, from medieval libraries to modern first editions. See all books authored by john baxter, including the most beautiful walk in the world, and a pound of paper. Hed read the volume often, but now he had to own it. Confessions of a book addict by john baxter 5 times inkheart by cornelia funke 5 times the little bookstore of. Baxter started his collecting mania with tomes of cheap science fiction, probably because it was one genre that was not easy to exhaust.
John baxter born 14 december 1939 in randwick, new south wales, australia is an australianborn writer, journalist, and filmmaker baxter has lived in britain and the united states as well as in his native sydney, but has made his home in paris since 1989, where he is married to the filmmaker mariedominique montel. Baxters memoir will be of great interest to serious book collectors because. Part memoir and part peek into the world of book collecting, baxter tells of his youth in the wilds of australia where, like many of us, he delved into the world of comic book and science fiction collecting. John baxters collecting, which began with science fiction, made him into a shortstory writer then a scriptwriter then a novelist and a teacher.
John baxter was born in sydney, australia, but raised in a small country town called junee. Confessions of a book addict by john baxter baxter details how he became a book collector, one spanning years and countries. John baxter author of the most beautiful walk in the world. He matured along the way with an interest in graham greene before dumping that collection and moving onto other literary interests. John baxter born 1939 in randwick, new south wales is an australianborn writer, journalist, and filmmaker. I have recently been writing books focusing on paris, some of which support my literary walks around parts of the city.
Watercolor lesson by john baxter paint 4 times in add qbntsiena add raw sienna 6 colors 3 cool 3 warm see pin watercolor painting tutorials collection for beginners as well as those who love watercolor as a medium. By his will of 1691, tooto, a negro man, left his house and land to john baxter, and all his movables and riding horse to temperance baxter. This collection bundles all five titles from the firstborn series of karen kingsburys beloved baxter family drama into one volume for a great value. In the rural australia of the fifties where john baxter grew up, reading books was disregarded with suspicion. So if you collect as distinct from accumulate or if you know a collector, this book is a definite buy. David turecamo, known for his our man in paris segments on cbs sunday morning, delivers an outstanding report on bibliomaniacs in france. Baxters memoir will be of great interest to serious book collectors because so much of the book conveys the. John baxter caught the collecting bug in 1978 when he found a rare copy of greenes childrens book the little horse bus. John baxter s delightful a pound of paper is a combination of autobiography and exposition of bibliomania. With little else to do, he went to the movies three times a week for most of his adolescence, which provided an instant education in hollywood movies with which he was often able. I also love just getting out and walking around paris and chatting. A pound of paperthe weight, more or less of a book is the peg on which baxter hangs episodes of autobiography. Being a book collector and interested in old things in general, i nd brocantes very relaxing.
A pound of paper by john baxter books the guardian. A book lover will love reading about another book lover. Author of the most beautiful walks in the world and also one of the greatest book collector. Despite this, by the age of eleven baxter had collected his first book the poems of rupert brooke. Baxter details how he became a book collector, one spanning years and countries. Terrance interviews john about his love for paris and his passion for ancient books, such as this first edition of. Turecamo is one of the best correspondents in the show.
Baxter s memoir will be of great interest to serious book collectors because so much of the book conveys the insiders perspective, but his narrative is truly amusing and rollicking enough to entice book lovers of all kinds. Baxter has had a fascinating life from his youth in a remote small town in new south wales, australia to his current upper level apartments near boulevard st. Terrance in paris episode 2 at john baxters apartment. I would like to announce that a friend of mine, john baxter, has published a collection of his great short stories. If you would like to read about an alternate history of the luftwaffe, then this is the book for you. Jpg rabid book collector john baxter comes to town in support of his own new book a pound of paper, about his adventures as a bbc commentator and paris expat, but mostly about his. In this brilliantly readable and funny book, john baxter brings us into contact with such literary greats as graham greene, kingsley amis, j.
With little else to do, he went to the movies three times a week for most of his adolescence, which provided an instant education in hollywood movies with which he was often able to embarrass film celebrities you saw that thing. Jpg rabid book collector john baxter comes to town in support of his own new book a pound of paper, about his adventures as a bbc commentator and paris expat. Volume 3, stories involving the men and aircraft of a very different luftwaffe during world war two john baxter john baxter publications melbourne 2010. Baxter chronicles his growing obsession with books in a way thats utterly infectious, with sharp wit and selfdeprecating humor. John baxter s grandfather came to owens valley, worked at cerro gordo, and homesteaded in independence in 1874. John was born in loomis, california, in 1929 and moved to independence in 1936. Despite this, by the age of eleven baxter had collected his first book the poems of rupert. Writer, collector, hunter of rare books deccan herald.
You can leave condolences in the guest book, buy sympathy flowers, and pay your respects. He has also had a lifelong passion for book collecting, which led him to write a bestselling memoir of his life as a collector, a pound of paper, in which he also explores the exploding market in first editions. Confessions of a book addict, film critic and biographer john baxter records how he became an obsessive book collector because of graham greene. French bibliomaniacs book collectorscbs sunday morning. Author of the most beautiful walks in the world and also one of the greatest book collector in the world. If you have a collection of books, no matter how large or small, take the time to learn from john baxter, the earlier in your collecting life the better.