54th Annual Mark Twain Library Book Sale

Mark Twain started Redding’s library with a collection of his own books. He’d moved from New York City and didn’t have room on the shelves of his new country home for his massive book collection. A few hundred of these books remain there still.

In nearly every book, there are penciled scribblings in Twain’s own hand — his comments and criticisms — that add a great deal of interest to the original writings. It seems he was unable to read through a book without expressing his feelings somewhere in the margins.

In an attractive red-bound book, Saratoga in 1901 by “Eli Perkins” (pseudonym), published by Sheldon & Co in 1872, there are notations throughout in Twain’s hand. On the front page he wrote “Saratoga 1891(sic) or the Droolings of an Idiot”

In the two volume Lew Wallace — an autobiography by Lew Wallace published by Harper & Bros in1906 — he wrote, on the paste down page in volume one, “The English of this book is incorrect and slovenly, & its diction, as a rule, barren of distinction. I wonder what Ben Hur is like” (Lew Wallace was the author of Ben Hur)

One of the most touching notations was written, not by Mark Twain, but by his friend and biographer, Albert Bigelow Paine. In Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy, published by Harper & Bros in1895, he wrote, on the front endpaper, “This book was read by Mark Twain April 9th-10th-11th in Bermuda. The last book he ever read through. He died April 21st. When he finished it he asked me to read it, so we can talk about it. I began it by his bedside & continued it on the ship. We did talk about it more or less & never afterwards of any other.”

Upon Twain’s death in 1910, his daughter Clara donated more of her father’s books for sale to build on his fledgling legacy in Redding. 104 years later, the Mark Twain Library Book Fair is still one of the library’s principal fundraisers.

The 54th Annual Mark Twain Library Book Fair will be held Labor Day weekend at the Redding Community Center. This year over 60,000 titles in over 75 categories — including vinyl LPs — will be offered for sale at incredible bargain prices.

• Friday: 9 – 4 prices as marked “After School Spree” 2 - 4
• Saturday: 9 – 4 prices as marked
• Sunday: 9 – 4 half price day
• Monday: 10 – 4 “Boxing Day” $10 for a box full of books

Admission is free, except $15 Early Buying charge from 9 – 10 am on Friday, Aug. 30. Refreshments available and plenty of free parking.

For more information on the Mark Twain Library’s 54th Annual Book Fair, visit www.marktwainlibrary.org or call the library at 203-938-2545.