Found On The Shelves at The London Library

As part of the 175th anniversary celebrations, Pushkin Press is joining forces with The London Library to produce a series of beautifully-designed books containing material from the Library’s collection not seen for decades or longer.

Pushkin group 1

Pushkin group 2The first six ‘Found on the Shelves’ titles appear in May as The London Library holds its ‘Words In The Square’ literary celebration. A second set of six titles will be published in November.

Each book in the series is 96-128 pages long and priced at just £4.99. They contain writing found in The London Library’s million-plus volumes and authors represented in the first six books include Lewis Carroll, Jerome K Jerome, George Eliot, EM Forster and Virginia Woolf.

From essays on dieting in the 1860s to instructions for gentlewomen on trout-fishing, from advice on the ill-health caused by the "modern" craze of bicycling to travelogues from Norway, they are as readable and relevant today as they were more than a century ago.

The books are edited by The London Library’s Librarian Inez Lynn and Head of Bibliographic Services Dunia Garcìa-Ontiveros as well as by Pushkin Press’s Julia Nicholson. Jacket designs have been produced by acclaimed designer David Pearson.

 The, six titles published in the ‘Found on the Shelves’ titles are:

  • Cycling: The Craze of the Hour
  • The Lure of the North
  • On Corpulence: Feeding the Body and Feeding the Mind
  • Life in a Bustle: Advice to Youth
  • The Gentlewoman’s Book of Sports
  • On Reading, Writing and Living with Books

Pushkin Montage

 

Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell celebrate their father’s election to The London Library Presidency

0194Leslie Stephen - father of Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell – was elected President of The London Library in 1892 following the death of Alfred Lord Tennyson.

The election saw Stephen standing against none other than William Gladstone who had just been made Prime Minister for the fourth time. Gladstone had a half century long association with the Library – having joined as one of its founder members in 1841 and masterminding the 1879 scheme to raise debentures to acquire the freehold of the Library’s current site in St James’s Square.

Gladstone’s reputation was not, however, enough to win him the election. Leslie Stephen triumphed and his victory was touchingly reported by his children – Vanessa aged 13 and Virginia aged 10 - in their remarkable childhood “newspaper”, The Hyde Park Gate News. Hand-written and illustrated by the children and named after the family's home at 22 Hyde Park Gate, the newspaper was produced between 1891-1892 and provided intimate recollections of the family's daily life.

In Vanessa’s hand, although with the ten year old Virginia heavily involved (she apparently wrote most of the articles), the article for 21st November 1892 reads:

Hyde Park Gate News

VOL II, no. 45 Monday 21st November 1892

“Mr Leslie Stephen whose immense litterary (sic) powers are well known is now the President of the London Library which as Lord Tennyson was before him and Carlysle (sic) was before Tennyson is justly esteemed a great honour.

Mrs Richie the daughter of Thackeray who came to luncheon the next day expressed her delight by jumping from her chair and clapping her hands in a childish manner but none the less sincerely.

The greater part of Mrs Stephen’s joy lies in the fact that Mr Gladstone is only vice-president. She is not at all of a “crowy” nature but we can forgive any woman for triumphing when her husband gets above Mr Gladstone.

We think that the London Library has made a very good choice in putting Mr Stephen before Mr Gladstone as although Mr Gladstone may be a first-rate politician he cannot beat Mr Stephen in writing. 

But as Mr Stephen with that delicacy and modesty which with many other good qualities is always eminent in the great man’s manner went out of the room when the final debate was taking place we cannot oblige our readers with more of the interesting details.”

Stephen’s Presidency coincided with a period of major expansion for the Library. Together, he and the newly appointed Librarian Charles Hagberg Wright, masterminded the complete rebuilding and redesign of the Library. The new building – complete with its famous iron grille bookstacks, Reading Room and Portland stone façade was opened in 1898.

 

Words In The Square – a three-day literary celebration from 6th-8th May, took place in beautiful sunshine in St. James's Square. Directed by writer and director James Runcie and by historian David Kynaston, Words In The Square featured 16 fascinating talks, debates and discussions on literature and writing, history, art, comedy, science, cricket and theatre.

The line-up of speakers – which featured a number of London Library members – included:

David Kynaston, Jerry White, Claire Tomalin, Lucy Lethbridge, Ian Hislop and Diane Atkinson who looked at life in 1841 (the year The London Library was founded)

David Kynaston 1841Jerry White 1841Claire TomalinLucy LethbridgeIan Hislop 1841Atkinson 3

For Gabbitas

Sarah Dunant, Charlotte Higgins, Bettany Hughes and Tom Holland discussed the importance of the classical world to an understanding of the present

 

 

 

 

Science Serendipity Panel

Susan Greenfield, Roger Kneebone and Jenny Uglow looked at making connections in scientific research in a conversation chaired by Rick Stroud

 

 

 

 

 

Antony Beevor landscape

Antony Beevor examined the changing nature of modern warfare

 

 

 

 

 

Nick Hornby, Elif Shafak, Joanna Trollope and Victoria Hislop explored their personal motivations for writing with James Runcie

Why I Write 2 cropped

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Tom Stoppard featured in a gala evening in discussion with his biographer Hermione Lee

 

 

 

 

 

To Be continued cropped

Sophie Hannah, Sebastian Faulks and Alex Clark looked at the increasingly popular genre of continuity novels

 

 

 

 

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Kate Summerscale, Martin Edwards, James Runcie and Simon Brett examined the continued allure of fictional crime writing

 

 

 

 

 

P5075033

Andrew Graham-Dixon celebrated the genius of J.M.W. Turner

 

 

 

 

 

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Mike Atherton, Tim Rice, Mike Brearley, Emma John and Ramachandra Guha explored the rich literature of cricket

 

 

 

 

 

P5075105

William Waldegrave, Candia McWilliam and Alan Johnson gave their personal reflections on the craft of writing memoirs

 

 

 

 

 

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Craig Brown, Eleanor Bron and Lewis MacLeod presented a fun-packed gala evening of comedy, satire and storytelling, with special guest Dillie Keane

 

 

 

 

 

The Blitz Panel J Tye London Library 175 1928

Juliet Gardiner, Lara Feigel, Max Hastings and David Kynaston examined the history and mythology of London and the Blitz

 

 

 

 

Building a Character panel J Tye London Library 175 2101

Simon Callow, Simon Russell Beale, Natascha McElhone and Harriet Walter looked at how they bring characters to life

 

 

 

 

Desert Island Panel J Tye London Library 175 2384

Philippa Gregory, John O’Farrell, Sara Wheeler, Deborah Levy, Nikesh Shukla and Ned Beauman explained their favourite reads to Tom Sutcliffe

 

 

 

 

Simon Schama 3

Simon Schama talked about the books that have shaped his style, his storytelling and his life

 

 

 

 

 

Storey family J Tye London Library 175 2505

PUBLIC TOURS

Throughout the Words In The Square celebration, ticketed tours of the Library gave visitors an additional opportunity to find out about the Library’s fascinating history and the unique resources that can be found on its 17 miles of shelves.

 

 

SPONSORS

Thank you to our generous supporters without whom Words In The Square would not have been possible: Bisset Trust, Carey Adina Karmel, Coutts, Gabbitas Educational Consultants, Handelsbanken, Haworth Tompkins, Helly Nahmad London, Howard Davies, St James's London and The Reuben Foundation.

Books from the Library of Thomas Carlyle donated to The London Library by Professor Newberry 1940

*Titles marked with an asterisk are undergoing conservation work

Title Author of work Publication year Volume
The Agamemnon Of Aeschylus* AESCHYLUS 1848  
The Seven Tragedies Of Aeschylus AESCHYLUS 1829  
Robert Ainsworth's Dictionary* AINSWORTH, Robert 1773 Vol. 1
Robert Ainsworth's Dictionary* AINSWORTH, Robert 1773 Vol. 2
The Arabian Nights   1802 Vol. 1
The Arabian Nights   1802 Vol. 2
The Arabian Nights   1802 Vol. 3
The Arabian Nights*   1802 Vol. 4
The Arabian Nights   1802 Vol. 5
The Works Of Lord Byron BYRON, George Gordon Byron, Baron 1821 Vol. 1
The Works Of Lord Byron BYRON, George Gordon Byron, Baron 1821 Vol. 2
The Works Of Lord Byron BYRON, George Gordon Byron, Baron 1821 Vol. 3
The Works Of Lord Byron BYRON, George Gordon Byron, Baron 1821 Vol. 4
The Works Of Lord Byron BYRON, George Gordon Byron, Baron 1821 Vol. 5
Letters And Memorials* CARLYLE, Jane Welsh 1883 Vol. 1
Letters And Memorials CARLYLE, Jane Welsh 1883 Vol. 2
Letters And Memorials* CARLYLE, Jane Welsh 1883 Vol. 3
German Romance : Specimens Of Its Chief Authors CARLYLE, Thomas 1827 Vol. 1
German Romance : Specimens Of Its Chief Authors CARLYLE, Thomas 1827 Vol. 2
German Romance : Specimens Of Its Chief Authors CARLYLE, Thomas 1827 Vol. 3
German Romance : Specimens Of Its Chief Authors CARLYLE, Thomas 1827 Vol. 4
Reminiscences* CARLYLE, Thomas 1881 Vol. 1
Reminiscences CARLYLE, Thomas 1881 Vol. 2
Analekta Hellenika Meizona* DALZEL, Andrew 1808  
Homeri Ilias* HOMER 1779 Vol. 1
Homeri Ilias* HOMER 1779 Vol. 2
Homer's Iliad HOMER 1875  
Q. Horatii Flacci Opera* HORACE 1717  
Etymologia Graeca* JONES, John 1826  
Justinus* JUSTINUS, Marcus Junianus 1659  
Nonnulli È Luciani Dialogis Selecti* LUCIAN, of Samosata 1726  
Cornelii Nepotis Vita* NEPOS, Cornelius 1790  
An Historical And Classical Dictionary* NOORTHOUCK, John 1776 Vol 1.
An Historical And Classical Dictionary* NOORTHOUCK, John 1776 Vol. 2
The Primitives Of The Greek Tongue NUGENT, Thomas 1818  
A New Cyropaedia RAMSAY, A 1730  
Reliques Of Ancient English Poetry* RELIQUES 1775 Vol. 1
Reliques Of Ancient English Poetry RELIQUES 1775 Vol. 2
Reliques Of Ancient English Poetry RELIQUES 1775 Vol. 3
C. Sallustii Crispi Opera Omnia SALLUST 1735  
Griechisch-Deutsches Wörterbuch* SCHNEIDER, Johann Gottlieb 1819 Vol. 1
Griechisch-Deutsches Wörterbuch SCHNEIDER, Johann Gottlieb 1819 Vol. 2
Minstrelsy Of The Scottish Border* SCOTT, Walter, Sir 1850 Vol. 1
Minstrelsy Of The Scottish Border* SCOTT, Walter, Sir 1850 Vol. 2
Minstrelsy Of The Scottish Border* SCOTT, Walter, Sir 1850 Vol. 3
Minstrelsy Of The Scottish Border SCOTT, Walter, Sir 1850 Vol. 4
The Antigone Of Sophocles SOPHOCLES 1848  
Hai Tou Sophokleous Tragodiai Hepta* SOPHOCLES 1788 Vol. 1
Hai Tou Sophokleous Tragodiai Hepta* SOPHOCLES 1788 Vol. 2
Des Caius Cornelius Tacitus Sammtliche Werke TACITUS, Cornelius 1831-1832  
The Works Of Tacitus TACITUS, Cornelius 1777-1778 Vol. 1
The Works Of Tacitus TACITUS, Cornelius 1777-1778 Vol. 2
The Works Of Tacitus* TACITUS, Cornelius 1777-1778 Vol. 3
The Works Of Tacitus TACITUS, Cornelius 1777-1778 Vol. 4
The Works Of Tacitus TACITUS, Cornelius 1777-1778 Vol. 5
Bucolica, Georgica, Et Aeneis* VIRGIL 1798  
Translation Of The Sixth Book Of Virgil's Eneid VIRGIL 1877  
[Manuscript Notes]* WELSH, John 1794  
Zenophontos Kyroy* XENOPHON 1785  

  1. Charles Hagberg Wright - "Guiding Genius" of The London Library
  2. The Independent Libraries Conference
  3. Magazine 2013
  4. Magazine 2012
  5. Magazine 2011