Living history

"Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen" (distraxi)
12/05/2019 at 17:45 • Filed to: booklopnik

I’m a big fan of ebook readers - I basically don’t read paper books any more. But there are some cases where there’s no substitute. This is one of those cases.

As !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , my folks are in the middle of a major house clear-out, so I’m inheriting a bunch of junk and some treasures. This item’s in the latter category..

My Dad worked most of his career for one of NZ’s two main beer companies. At some point back in the 80s the head office library at his work was being downsized and they junked some old items. Dad scored this off the throw-out pile:

It’s an 1879 first edition English translation of Louis Pasteur’s seminal work on brewing and winemaking. Pasteur was the first person to figure out what fermentation actually is and how it works, and that alcohol doesn’t just come from mixing organic matter with water and yeast and waiting for the fairies to do their work. This particular book was the personal copy of !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , son of the founder of !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Charles was the brewer who made Speights by far the country’s largest beer brand in the early 20th century, and the instigator of the merger that formed New Zealand Breweries (subsequently Lion Breweries and now part of Kirin). “ !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ”, as we say round here. It’s signed by him and has notes all through the margins in his handwriting. It also shows all the signs of having had a hard life as a working lab text - I suspect that spectrographic sampling of the cover would let you recreate most of the original Speights recipes.

I mean seriously - how the heck do you chuck something like this out and call yourself a librarian; never mind a librarian for a fucking brewery?

DISCUSSION (12)

For Sweden > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
12/05/2019 at 17:57

Librarians aren’t all that smart about preserving and promoting writing.

Imagine instead of asking n people who want to read a book to pay author n times for n books, we just bought one book and paid the author one time?

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > For Sweden
12/05/2019 at 18:17

Well, yes and no.

Authors get a higher royalty off a book sold to a library than they do through a bookstore. Not massively higher, but higher.

The whole point of libraries is to encourage people who can’t afford to (or wouldn’t choose to) buy books to read more. This leads to an increased pool of potential book buyers (and in general a more educated and informed populace; also good for authors).

Particularly for lesser known authors, libraries are a good lead generator. I’m a voracious reader and book buyer - I’ve got a library of well over 1000 books not including the ebooks. But I’m much more likely to think “never heard of this guy, but what the heck” if I encounter the book on a library shelf than at a bookstore: I’m not going to risk 10 bucks just to find out 30 pages in that it’s crap. On the other hand, if I already know I like their work and am looking for something to read, I’ll just buy an ebook - quicker and easier than going to the library. The first taste is free, so to speak.

I think if you asked most authors, except maybe the really big selling ones, they’d see libraries as a net positive.

For Sweden > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
12/05/2019 at 18:20

Oh I agree that libraries are great for reaching people who can’t afford books.

If you can afford books, just buy the book.

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > For Sweden
12/05/2019 at 18:23

Probably of more relevance nowadays, just like music, is “...instead of just downloading a pirate copy”.

I make a living in a field that relies on intellectual property rights. It amazes me how many of my co-workers can’t see anything hypocritical about their pirated music collection or video streams.

someassemblyrequired > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
12/05/2019 at 18:50

It’s amazing the important pieces of history saved by observant people dumpster diving.

Jim Spanfeller > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
12/05/2019 at 19:30

Woah. I don’t even like beer, but that’s seriously cool! You have a fascinating chunk of history right there!

vondon302 > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
12/05/2019 at 19:32

That’s sweet!

Have you researched the value? Just the age alone makes it valuable.

liam > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
12/05/2019 at 20:22

Loved those Speights ads... I think this has them all:

Good on ya’ Mate. I was a librarian, and we can’t rescue every book - glad you managed to save it.

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > vondon302
12/05/2019 at 20:28

Haven’t actually investigated it (largely bec au se I don’t care), but it’d be an intere sting valuation exercise I expect:

+ First edition of an important work

- Probably printed in large volume beca u se it was known as important even back then, so like l y not rare

+ Significa n t ownership provenance

- But only locally significant, and

- Not in great condition

= ?????? (probably not profit)

An original-language first edition in better but not great condition, but with no significant ownership claimed, i s about GBP600 worth apparently, based on 2 minutes searching as I write this . So I’m guessing somewhere around there. But who knows.

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
12/05/2019 at 21:10

When I worked at a talent agency in Beverly Hills I was the lucky one who got to take care of the computers at the CEO’s house, including those used by his wife and kids. His wife wanted me to show her how to pirate music so that she could make mix CDs full of the year’s popular for her daughter’s graduating class (at an expensive private school, of course). The irony of the whole scenario seemed completely lost on her, taking money out of the pockets of the artists that make the money for the agency, not to mention that it wouldn't have broken the bank to buy the discs and rip them. But I guess the rich don't stay rich by spending money; paying for things is only something that poor people do...

vondon302 > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
12/06/2019 at 06:49

A good book refiniser would make that look good but it's a cost value proposition.

thejustache > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
12/06/2019 at 09:54

That’s a super awesome find. I brew occasionally and enjoy really old styles/ recipes and history. That sounds like a fascinating read if the pages are still view able