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Mark Batty Publisher announces the publication of: The Well-Made Book: Essays and Lectures by Daniel Berkeley Updike
October 21, 2002
Contact: Joel Samberg
Telephone: 1.973.857.8070
West New York, New Jersey, October 21, 2002
Mark Batty Publisher announces the publication of “The Well-Made Book: Essays and Lectures by Daniel Berkeley Updike”, edited and with an introduction by William S. Peterson. The book is on sale today through Mark Batty Publisher.
The distinguished printer Daniel Berkeley Updike (1860-1941), proprietor of the Merrymount Press in Boston, has been described as “the most distinguished American printer,” and was also one of the most successful and influential book designers of the 20th century. This 400-page, illustrated collection encompasses virtually all of Updike’s writings on the arts of the book.
Updike’s aesthetic philosophy and commitment of quality in the making of books have a special relevance today at a time of rapid change in the media arts. The Well-Made Book is a substantial and timeless collection of virtually all of Updike’s writings on the art of the book. William S. Peterson has researched, unearthed and assembled this wealth of material – much of which will be new even to those readers who are familiar with Updike’s writings. “Until the publication of The Well-Made Book, many of these important and revealing essays have been hard to find,” notes publisher Mark Batty, “and some of Updike’s writing featured in this book appears here for the first time” There is a complete index, annotations, and a new scholarly introduction by Peterson.
The Well-Made Book is also available in a special, extra-illustrated edition of 40 copies featuring 11 ephemeral pieces: nine pages from books designed and printed by Updike spanning his 20th century career, together with specially prepared letterpress printed additional items, and a reproduction of an unpublished photographic portrait.
William S. Peterson is Profession of English at the University of Maryland, and the author of several books on William Morris and the Kelmscott Press, and the editor of The Ideal Book (1982), a collection of Morris’ writings on the book arts. His books have won numerous honors, including the Premio Felice Feliciano, the Besterman Award, and a nomination for the National Book Award.
About Mark Batty Publisher
Mark Batty Publisher LLC is dedicated to creating a list of distinctive books in these subject areas: graphic design; lettering and the printing arts; media and graphic communication; and art and popular culture. The books are chosen for their long-term relevance, for the clarity of their message, and their usefulness and aesthetic appeal. Each book is thoughtfully designed to the highest standards, produced for dependable use and manufactured employing quality archival materials. Most are extensively illustrated. Please visit the website at http://www.markbattypublisher.com
Bibliographic Information
The Well-Made Book
Essays and Lectures by Daniel Berkeley Updike
Edited by William S. Peterson
408 pages, 31 full page illustrations, many in 2 colors
Case bound in cloth, dust jacket
6 x 9 inches
ISBN 0-9715687-4-X
Price: $55
Special edition of 40 extra illustrated copies:
ISBN 0-9715687-7-4
Price: $220
