tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747768554703669866.post786489883607927205..comments2024-03-22T19:13:05.266-04:00Comments on The Dusty Bookcase: Young Mister Richler on the New Canadian LibraryBrian Busbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120341319506205062noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747768554703669866.post-32693317658229193902019-06-23T15:53:06.337-04:002019-06-23T15:53:06.337-04:00I'm not surprised that it outsold the other tw...I'm not surprised that it outsold the other two, Nigel, though I wouldn't have predicted the degree to which it did. My only copy of <i>Literary Lapses</i>, a 1956 Bodley Head hardcover, is a 24th printing! Brian Busbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04120341319506205062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747768554703669866.post-74867614862410364952019-06-23T08:45:44.430-04:002019-06-23T08:45:44.430-04:00Janet Friskney in her book on the NCL points out t...Janet Friskney in her book on the NCL points out that among the first four, Stephen Leacock's Literary Lapses outsold the other New #Canadian #Library titles by a long shot. McClelland thus decided to use Leacock titles throughout the series to shore up finances. NigelBealehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06094387597632333192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747768554703669866.post-12960491448356800052014-06-29T11:39:46.092-04:002014-06-29T11:39:46.092-04:00I must agree that the Newfeld covers were mostly g...I must agree that the Newfeld covers were mostly great. The Richler cover was one of the best examples.<br /> <br />The second covers were the worst of all the designs and the paper stock left much to be desired when compared to the first designed books. Hazell Watson & Viney, the English printers did a much better job for the first set of books than their Canadian counterparts T.H. Best did for the second set.<br /><br />Although the second set were ugly and the paper browned and became brittle, they do seem to have lasted a long time. Much longer than the third set (the B&W covers). It seems every time I find a book in the third set and I read it the glue unhinges itself and the cover falls off.<br /><br />I think the third set is equally as inferior as the second set if not more so since they were printed a decade later and therefore should be be in better shape. Not to mention that the white covers turn brown over time and look ugly because of it. At least the second set is coloured so it hides the browning effect on its covers although the light does fade the brightness over time).<br /><br />If I were to order the 6 cover designs in order of likeability here is how they would rank:<br /><br />1. Series Five<br />2. Series One<br />3. Series Six<br />4. Series Four<br />5. Series Two<br />6. Series ThreeIgnorantItellectualhttp://nclcollecting.canoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747768554703669866.post-60366829760714648182014-05-27T15:01:32.870-04:002014-05-27T15:01:32.870-04:00I've always preferred Newfeld's series des...I've always preferred Newfeld's series design over all others - <a href="http://brianbusby.blogspot.ca/2010/02/about-those-ugly-ncl-covers.html" rel="nofollow">especially the cheap one that followed</a>. The portraits themselves are a bit hit and miss. Young Mr Richler's is very nice, but Grove's looks like it was meant for another book. And Callaghan… until I realized otherwise, I thought that the portrait was meant to represent Father Dowling. I don't see anything of Callaghan in the illustration.<br /><br />I'm lucky to have the two dust jackets you mention. The early Richler's certainly looked good. What's more they showed great imagination and care - unlike, say, <i>Joshua Then and Now</i>, <i>The Best of Modern Humour</i>, <i>Writers on World War II</i> and - shudder - <a href="http://nclcollecting.ca/?page_id=2293" rel="nofollow"><i>The Great Comic Book Heroes and Other Essays</i></a>. Brian Busbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04120341319506205062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747768554703669866.post-37819240639221584142014-05-24T16:47:13.947-04:002014-05-24T16:47:13.947-04:00Frank Newfeld has an interesting chapter in his eq...Frank Newfeld has an interesting chapter in his equally interesting autobiography Drawing on Type (2008) which covers his NCL design choices. (Funny bit about Jack McClleland and Karsh.) He certainly revealed his versatility with styles of artistic representation and choice of type for each author within the overall design format. His portrait of Richler is very fine.<br /><br />My Andre Deutsch copy of Son of a Smaller Hero sports the dustwrapper image by R. F. Micklewright showing a young man, hands in pockets, who somewhat resembles the author. I wonder what Richler thought of that cover.<br /><br />My copy of his The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (Andre Deutsch, 59) at least represents the character on the cover and not the author. Duddy looks like one tough character. Bernard Blatch the artist for this one. <br /><br />I've yet to read Foran's bio of Richler. Must get to it this summer. <br /><br />Cheers.ralph mackayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15758060032139481984noreply@blogger.com