Thornwillow - TS Eliot The Waste Land

I received my copy of David Mamet’s Three War Stories today(review to follow in a week or so, but it’s lovely) and there was a little addition to a note they left in the package stating that their next kickstarter will be TS Eliot’s The Waste Land.

I’m a big fan of Thornwillow. They’re not perfect, but I really like how they’re navigating their company. So exciting news for me!

That's excellent. Thank you for the share.

1: Curious what your thoughts are? Far exceeded my expectations! Truly, a fabulous book, and hefty! As for The Waste Land, that is an excellent piece to print! Should be relatively affordable too, since it's a "long poem" but still not many pages.

>1 Sorion:
>3 astropi:
Did you get the paper-wrapped version, cloth, or the part-leather one of the Mamet?
I am curious how their different versions of the same edition compare to each other in terms of quality. I have the Sherlock Holmes in paper wrappers, and I think that it is very nicely done book, and the print job is excellent (as well as reproductions of photographs).

>3 astropi:
>4 booksforreading:

I purchased the half leather of the Holmes and the Mamet and find the Mamet to be a real step up in quality to the Holmes. My copy of Holmes is not that well put together and is slightly off center..bent might be a better way to describe it. Overall the quality feels a step up from the Holmes. The print job on both is excellent and I like the felt paper quite a bit. I might have chosen a slightly different type but to each their own!

As far as the Mamet is concerned I love that they printed a true first edition.

Edit: Regarding the clam shell boxes I both love and dislike them. Both have arrived with a bent corner and feels really soft but the insulation for the books on the interior is just excellent.

Edit Again: I don’t want to give the impression that I don’t love my copy of Holmes because I really do. I just think they could have done better.

>5 Sorion:
Thank you for this information! Sounds like you have got a beautiful book!

I feel that the Mamet is something special. Holmes, the Inferno, Shakespeare... they're immortal of course, but also very easy to find. You can go on ebay and find fine press editions of all of them, except for Mamet. I would love to see them produce other such works, but, perhaps the more famous works sell better?

>7 astropi: I feel as you do. Not as much about Inferno as I feel their going to do something unique but the amount of private press Shakespeare out there is enough to fill a truck. A true private press first edition, it just doesn’t happen enough!

I would equate doing the bigger titles to an actor who does three big budget blockbuster movies so the studio will let him/her do their one passion project. They do their best work no matter the film but there is something extra to be found in a passion project that you just can’t find in a blockbuster.

I also think that publishing the first edition of Mamet's stories was a major event in fine press world.
I definitely want to see this happening more often.

>1 Sorion:

I don't see a mention of The Waste Land under Thornwillow's Kickstarter pages, so I'm very curious about the details. I've no doubt the overall quality will be good based on what I've viewed online and read here on LT, but the illustrations (assuming the edition will be illustrated) will be a key factor for me.

>10 elenchus: I couldn't find it online either but it's included at the bottom of one of the printed extras included with their package. My guess would be we will see an announcement in the next month possibly two.

>1 Sorion: Thanks for the heads up. In their update on Inferno they mentioned that they are planning for a new publication in the winter (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1421716661/inferno-2/posts/2110704). I don't know if this is the next book in this "series" (same format as Sonnets, Sherlock, Mamet, Frankenstein) as the poem is quite short. But it sounds quite interesting.

While we're on the subject, does anyone know if The Waste Land has already had a fine press edition? Or has it been included in other works of TSE in a fine edition?

>13 astropi: It has been done by Arion and quite well at that. Or so it seems from afar.

http://www.arionpress.com/catalog/079.htm

You’ll need someone else to give you the ins and outs of it however!

>13 astropi: The AP edition is quite beautiful and sold out quickly, if I remember correctly...

The Kickstarter is up.

Ohhhh, tempting. The paper wrapper would be enough for me and there's just a baker's dozen left. I'm ambivalent given other commitments at this time. We'll see.

ETA The early-bird Paper Wrapper option is now sold out. Still Paper Wrapper bindings available, but at a higher price.

Direct link

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1421716661/the-waste-land

>13 astropi: I thought I had reviewed the AP edition on The Whole Book Experience but now realize it is still on my to-do list for reviews. A bit daunting to review it but will eventually get to it. But it is beautiful and one of my favorite AP books. Right now there is a queue of at least four reviews ahead of it so it might be a while before it appears on my blog...

This edition looks very nice. I especially like the paper covering the boards on the quarter leather edition. I like the multiple state strategy: it tempts me to get the affordable paper wrapper state even when I regretfully have to pass on the states I would really like. I'm eagerly awaiting my paper-wrapped Inferno, as this will be my first book from Thornwillow and will make it either harder or easier to resist in their books in the future.

I got the half-leather, the paper on those boards is too much to resist.

>19 jveezer: I like the multiple state strategy: it tempts me to get the affordable paper wrapper state even when I regretfully have to pass on the states I would really like.

Agree with this, would love the half-leather or cloth but there's no way that's happening. The paper wrapper is within reach but still might have to pass. I like there's that option, though.

>19 jveezer:

I am in the same camp as you are - I already own the Arion Press edition, which is superb. Nevertheless, I like the idea of a smaller edition with a new scholarly introduction and notes in the rear of the book to place the book in context. I will probably order the cloth binding with paper over boards - a reasonable compromise.

If this came out in a month I would be on the list now for the half leather. As it is not a month form now however, I may have to miss out. I love the boards on the half leather. Saw those and was immediately sold. They're like my kryptonite, I see them and have lost the battle already.

Argh it is like kryptonite. I've signed on to the half leather version. Woe is my bank account!

>17 elenchus:
I think that early bird paper version is still available (5 more to go at the time of writing this post).

>24 Sorion: But blessed are your bookshelves.

>25 booksforreading:

They are adding to the limitation: when first I looked this morning, limitation was 25. The right-hand module was definitely at the bottom later on, saying SOLD OUT. Now limitation is at 40.

Good for them! I'm still pondering, and for now there are 3 of 40 available ....

>27 elenchus:
And now they have added 10 more! It says now "39 of 50".

The Early Bird Half Leather at $585 is now sold out. They did however add 5 copes at a "Semi-Early Bird" rate of $685 of which there are 4 left.

I went for the early bird paper version. I recently joined a bookbinding club and it could be a nice project.

I really liked the half leather but without a glimpse inside the book it was hard to justify it to myself ( aside of FOMO ofc). If your selling point is handmade letterpress, show me the work...

I have signed up for the half leather version. My first kick starter and also my first book “bought” at this price level. Now that I fear the floodgates might be opened does anyone have feedback on the Thornwillow sonnets. From the website the half leather binding does not look as attractive as The Waste Land?

>30 Niurn:

I also went paper binding with plans for a (far) future rebind. Their half-leather looks beautiful, but the full leather pricing is a bit weird. That's quite a jump from $600 to $1500 for a standard leather binding. Hogarth endpapers = $$$?

>32 MobyRichard: I have the same reaction re: pricing. Assuming the same leather is used in the half-leather and full-leather editions, then the price for the full-leather seems disproportionate to the half-leather. I cannot imagine the endpapers accounting for the entirety of the difference. Perhaps the relative scarcity is the primary factor.

I would love to sit down over a couple editions of Eliot and some tea with Sravani Sen-Das and talk about this poem, books, and the connections to ancient India. I bet that would be an fun discussion. However, she doesn't really look like she wants to be there in the video. Maybe a bad day or maybe just her video persona...

Oh, and after last night's shenanigans, I'll quote the last line of the poem, "Shantih Shantih Shantih". Breath, politicians, breath.

35: always good to remember!
Yeah, quite the mess. On the one hand you can say it's none of the USA 's business, on the other hand don't we have a moral responsibility?

I want this... but I can't. The price for the half-leather is substantially higher than for the much larger and author-signed "Three War Stories" by David Mamet.

WHY?

34: Yup. If I had to guess judging by her initial expression I would say she's sitting down to speak with her divorce lawyer :O
(disclaimer - I've never been divorced nor spoken to a divorce lawyer)

>34 jveezer:
>37 astropi:

When I viewed the video, my impression was that Ms. Sravani Sen-Das was uncomfortable because she was there as a statist during the video presentation, while Mr. Luke Pontifell was the only one talking.

I just received an unsolicited second copy of The Waste Land from Thornwillow, accompanied by an erratum slip explaining that my original copy was one of some number having incorrect page number references in the Notes section. Anyone else?

>39 kermaier: I received mine on friday (in germany). The original tracking number they sent me was from the beginning of november. Two weeks later and the tracking page was still telling me that the label was created, but they didn't receive the packaging. So I wrote them a message on Kickstarter. Griffin told me that it is possible that my book (cloth-bound) was from a batch with an error and that they had pulled it from shipping. He didn't mention what the error was and I kinda forgot that the book should come, so I was surprised to get it in the mail without any further notice of the book having been sent (they didn't use the original shipping label). Can post some pictures of the two books?

Has anyone received their half leather copy yet?

>41 kdweber: I don't think anyone has them yet. On their Instagram page they posted yesterday that they are just working on them: https://www.instagram.com/p/BriqjySFNNF/

Me too: "... misaligned page references in the notes".

>39 kermaier: >43 NYCFaddict: Can you please elaborate as I am not sure what to check for in my copy?

>44 venkysuniverse:
In the Notes section after the poem, there are quotes from the poem with references of the form page:line. I’m my first copy, the page numbers are wrong in those references.

>45 kermaier: Thanks. Mine looks alright so maybe I got the updated copy.

>39 kermaier: Yes, I also received an unsolicited replacement copy a few days ago.

Received my half leather edition today. Notes appear to be fine. The paste paper boards are fantastic!

My copy also arrived today. I can't detect anything amiss with the notes, so I assume that Thornwillow caught it early and that the half-leathers came from later in the print run.

The book itself is lovely, of course.

>47 Forthwith: What are you going to do with the erroneous copy?

I was going to ask the same question. :)
I am contemplating giving the defective copy as a present to a person who appreciates well-made books and great literature, explaining that this copy is defective in notes references. I have not yet checked if the mistake is only in the first poem or for all of them. If only for one poem, this would be a very small flaw.
Also, I might hand-correct the references with a pencil before giving out the book.

Hmmm, well I did not have the money to purchase this. So, if someone with a defective copy wants to trade me their defective copy (ideally with hand-corrected references in pencil as noted by booksforreading) please let me know! Thanks.

>50 kermaier:

I originally received the FS "From Dawn to Decadence" with all of the page referral numbers in error and still have it and the corrected version. So, I am not sure what I will do with the Thornwillow books.

Again, if someone has an "error" edition let me know. As long as it's not bad I might trade for it. I have some Easton Press, Limited Editions Club, Centipede Press, and others for trade.

I recently picked up a copy of Thornwillow's The Waste Land. I am curious, does anyone know what the paper is? I saw in another unrelated conversation that someone (grifgon) wrote Thornwillow's paper is exclusively from Mohawk Paper Co. The specific paper used here doesn't seem to be specified anywhere in the book though, and I haven't yet found the info anywhere else, such as the product web page.

The paper is an interesting choice, pale gray with speckling that brings to mind concrete. I think it works quite well in the context of the work, and plays nicely against the paste paper covering the boards (I have the half-leather version).

>55 abysswalker: Hi! The paper is from Mohawk Paper Co. (as are all TWP papers). I *believe* it's milkweed from their Loop collection.

https://www.mohawkconnects.com/products/paper/mohawk-loop

I'd have to double-check my own copy to be 100% sure. The website makes it look more yellow/green that it appears in real life.

It's a really nice paper!

>56 grifgon: thanks! It definitely has a cold cast in person, not always what I’d want, but here the choice is spot on.