Reading Copy Book Blog

An article yesterday in Publisher’s Weekly highlighted the demand and popularity of art books. As publishers try to cash in on the booming demand for literary art, it gives a great opportunity to highlight some of the rare and collectible art books here on AbeBooks.com

Art books have long been a major facet of the book collecting landscape, so much so that one year ago collecting art books was the subject of Fine Books & Collectibles monthly feature. This article brings attention to some lovely items such as a copy of James Joyce’s Ulysses signed by Henri Matisse featuring the artists illustrations and etchings.  Art books were also featured by AbeBooks in an article including the works of famous artists Emily Carr, Pablo Picasso, and Vincent Van Gogh.

Possibly the most unique and interesting piece of art on AbeBooks is much more contemporary in nature. For $2,000 there is an abstract painting of current US presidential candidate Barack Obama by German artist Al Schilling. Pictured below, this vibrant painting is certainly unusual and very eye catching. Should Obama claim the presidency, its value may even increase.

There are vast numbers of political and social commentators, many of them with wildly unusual views and opinions. Generally their opinionated speeches and writings largely blend in to the general whir of divergent opinion that abounds during election season. Stanley Kurtz, however, has managed to draw national attention, including direct criticism from the Barack Obama campaign - making his name one of the hottest searched topics on the internet this morning in advance of his two hour radio interview tonight.

Kurtz, an author and investigative journalist for the National Review, will be appearing from 9-11pm tonight on WGN radio, where it is widely speculated that he will continue his stark criticism of Barack Obama, particularly focusing on his relationship with University of Illinois Professor William Ayers. The Obama campaign were so incensed by this that they released a campaign email to supporters denouncing Stanley Kurtz and calling him ‘a slimy character assassin.’

In addition to being a political commentator, Kurtz is a social anthropology writer. He is best known for All Mothers are One, a book that he wrote while researching in India. Whether you agree with his opinion or find his accusations entirely baseless, his published works are arguably the best way to better understand the origins of his wildly controversial stance.