Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume 2

Mark Twain’s complete, uncensored Autobiography was an instant bestseller when the first volume was published in 2010, on the centennial of the author’s death, as he requested. Published to rave reviews, the Autobiography was hailed as the capstone of Twain’s career. It captures his authentic and unsuppressed voice, speaking clearly from the grave and brimming with humor, ideas, and opinions.

The eagerly-awaited Volume 2 delves deeper into Mark Twain’s life, uncovering the many roles he played in his private and public worlds. Filled with his characteristic blend of humor and ire, the narrative ranges effortlessly across the contemporary scene. He shares his views on writing and speaking, his preoccupation with money, and his contempt for the politics and politicians of his day. Affectionate and scathing by turns, his intractable curiosity and candor are everywhere on view.

Now available at the UC Press.  Click here for ordering info.

The online free-to-use version is accessible through The Mark Twain Project.


Everyday Dogs: A Perpetual Calendar for Birthdays and Other Notable Dates

A new publication by Bancroft’s Susan Snyder and UC Berkeley’s Mary Scott

What do Gertrude Stein, John Muir, Jack London, Queen Victoria, and your next-door neighbor all have in common?

Dogs. The cherished unbreakable bond of friendship between canine and human graces all of our days.

Everyday Dogs: A Perpetual Calendar for Birthdays and Other Notable Dates couples literary quotes about canines with historical images from the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley, to create a timeless keepsake that echoes a resounding truth: that through it all, our dogs will be there.

Purchase your copy at Heyday Books today!


Beyond Words: 200 Years of Illustrated Diaries

A new publication by Bancroft’s Susan Snyder

In the age before cameras, the skill of illustration—like that of piano playing, good penmanship, and journaling—was frequently the mark of an educated person. Whereas the written word alone can adequately record the details of one’s life, enhancing that with illustration adds yet another texture to the story, resulting in works that both intrigue the mind and delight the eye.

Beyond Words is a collection of excerpts from fifty illustrated diaries spanning two hundred years of adventure and contemplation. From the records of eighteenth-century Spanish explorer Pedro Font to those of a young David Brower first encountering the wilderness, these unfolding stories reveal as much about the times in which they were written as they do the diarists’ particular inner worlds.

Whether filled with chicken-scratch sketches or gilded illuminations, these diaries have become objets d’art that expand our understanding of the uniquely compelling experiences of their creators—from anonymous writers to luminaries like LeConte and Muir, and from Beat poets to twelve-year-old girls. Beyond Words is a fascinating and intimate collection that will inspire you to pull out pen and paper to capture the fleeting images and experiences of your own life.

Purchase your copy at Heyday Books today!


“Celebrating Mexico” exhibit catalogue now available for purchase

A generously illustrated bilingual catalogue, jointly published by The Stanford University Libraries and The Bancroft Library, accompanies the “Celebrating Mexico” exhibit. In addition to three scholarly essays and a complete checklist of each library’s exhibition, 86 full-color images drawn from the collections of both institutions illustrate aspects of Mexican Independence and significant events of the Revolution. The catalogue is $20, and can be purchased in person or ordered online.

For further inquires, please conact bancstor@lists.berkeley.edu


Judith Lee Stronach Memorial Lectures

The first two installments of the Judith Lee Stronach Memorial Lectures are now available for purchase at The Bancroft Store.

On Teaching Poetry

On Teaching Poetry
By Robert Hass, 2006

The first Judith Lee Stronach Memorial Lecture on the Teaching of Poetry, reproduced here, was part of an event recognizing the commitment and accomplishments and abundance of Judith's life. A commemoration of Judith’s love of poetry and her love of teaching, this lecture (led by Robert Hass) relights the lamp of her brilliance that was extinguished on November 29, 2002.

 

 

 

You Only Guide Me by Surprise

"You Only Guide Me by Surprise": Poetry and the Dolphin's Turn
By Peter Sacks, 2007

The second Judith Lee Stronach Memorial Lecture on the Teaching of Poetry, reproduced here, was part of an event recognizing the commitment and accomplishments and abundance of Judith's life. Peter Sacks gives an inspiring lecture about the origins of poetry, conjuring ancient and mystical connections among dolphins, poets, and poetic inspiration.