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#1
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You want weird? I got weird for yez.
I got an e-mail out of the blue from someone I've never heard of
before with "R. A. Lafferty" as the subject line. I almost deleted it unread, but I'm glad I didn't. In part, he asked: "I'm searching for a 'Bud Webster' who back on 8/16/81 wrote a inscription on a FEP of a book to a individual who must have broken a leg under questionable circumstances." Didn't ring bell one with me. Was this something I did at a convention? Have I ever signed a book to anyone with a broken leg? have I ever KNOWN anyone with a broken leg? And what was the connection to Lafferty? Pondering this, I replied asking for more details. I heard back tonight, and it was one of those "HUH!" moments. It seems that back in 1981, Firesign Theater performed here in Richmond at VCU, and I was there not only as a fan, but to cover it for the local college radio station. I was set to do a nice, leisurely interview, but the day before the gig, Reagan was shot, and they closeted themselves in their hotel room rewriting their entire show to reflect the news. So the interview took place in a hallway surrounded by fans who thought they'd "help" me by shouting out "funny" answers to the questions I asked before the FT could get in a word. Finally, they had to go back for the second show, and I called out "Break a leg!" Phil Proctor, who is a student of theater history, explained to me that this wasn't just a way of not jinxing the actors by wishing them luck, but a reference to the way that Elizabethan performers bowed to Nobility/Royalty, with one leg extended backwards and the knee slightly bent (or "broken"). In gratitude for their willingness to put up with a bunch of frat-boy yahoos in order to give me a pretty good interview, I sent them all books - Dave Ossman, the poet, got a collection of beat poetry; Phil Austin, the rock fan, got a copy of _Paperback Writer_, a fantasy novel about a Beatles reunion; Peter Bergman got a nice old hostory or radio; and Phil Proctor got a copy of _Does Anyone Else Have Something Further to Add?_ by Lafferty, with the following inscription from me: "After having been a drama major for 3 years, you show me what 'break a leg' means. What are they teaching in college these days? A book by one of my favorite writers to one of my favotite performers. Loved the spots for 'Comin' At Ya''- Bud Webster 8/16/81" The book somehow made it from Proctor's library to a Goodwill store outside Chicago where my correspondant, a fellow bookseller, bought it; thus is provenance created. Easily one of the weirdest, and most satisfying, experiences I've had lately. Or at all. |
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#2
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"Bud Webster" wrote in message
... The book somehow made it from Proctor's library to a Goodwill store outside Chicago where my correspondant, a fellow bookseller, bought it; thus is provenance created. Great story, Bud. Reminds me of finding a signed copy of Fr. Robert Greene's *Calvary in China* that my grandfather requested Fr. Greene send to a family friend--of course, the friend lived in New England, my grandfather's been dead for 30 years, and I found it in a thrift store 3 miles from my house in Northern Virginia. More details he http://groups-beta.google.com/group/...4b3ade00?hl=en William M. Klimon http://www.gateofbliss.com |
#3
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This just about takes the bloody biscuit. You object to posts which
include links to books which would almost certainly be of great interest to book collectors, yet you inflict an incredibly dull and long-winded story of a tenuously book-related nature on the world? Speaking as I find (because I don't know anything about you), you appear to be a hypocrite. Yes you are right in the tedious minutae of the newsgroup rules, but taking a step back for a moment, that must mean that the rules need changing. |
#4
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On 28 May 2005 16:32:24 -0700, "Shelf Space"
wrote: This just about takes the bloody biscuit. You object to posts which include links to books which would almost certainly be of great interest to book collectors, yet you inflict an incredibly dull and long-winded story of a tenuously book-related nature on the world? Speaking as I find (because I don't know anything about you), you appear to be a hypocrite. Yes you are right in the tedious minutae of the newsgroup rules, but taking a step back for a moment, that must mean that the rules need changing. **** you and the horse that rode you in. If you don't like it here, gp the hell away. I doubt anyone will miss you - unless their aim is bad. |
#5
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On Sat, 28 May 2005 18:13:40 +0100, "michael adams"
wrote: A nice story and not weird at all IMO. Just a tribute to your generosity. Not weird? How many times does a bookseller *successfully* track down a cryptic inscription? How many have even tried? "Generosity..." Yeah, I guess, although considering how much Firesign gave me over the years for the price of a few albums, it's scant repayment. |
#6
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Well, what with the foul language and the rambling, off-topic posts, it
amazes me that you have the temerity to criticise others for postings interesting links to interesting book sales. Yes, we all despise spammers, but a great many book collectors do want to know about the occasional auction or publication of a book that will be of interest to discerning book collectors. I don't care about you or your boring little jobsworth's FAQ. I think an unmoderated and usenet based book collecting forum should permit the on-topic posting of links to sales that might be of interest. I therefore urge all readers of this group to ignore you and your downright silly rules, and to post freely as they wish. Provided that their posts are, unlike yours, on topic and non-abusive, I can see nothing wrong in it. CB (See, it is possible to express oneself without being personally abusive. If you want to be personally absuive, email me off list, and I will send you my home address. Then you can call round in person, and we'll see how brave and personally abusive you dare to be face-to-face.) |
#7
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On Sun, 29 May 2005 09:41:36 +0100, "michael adams"
wrote: Surely more like how many "Bud Websters" are there involved in book collecting, compiling or whatever, whom a bookseller is likely to have heard of? Given the likelihood that he presumably must have recognised the name, if only vaguely, in the first place. Such is the price of fame maybe. It's not as though you're unknown to Google either. Oh, I doubt it, Michael. I'm not at all well-known, unless you happen to hit the same conventions I do. Remember, he found me through the Analog website, where he found a post I'd made about collecting back issues of Astounding/Analog, not somewhere that mentioned either my writing or bookselling. I'd have been less croggled if he'd turned up a post from here, really. At least, that's the only place he cited. He may have seen someplace else, but he didn't mention it. "Generosity..." Yeah, I guess, although considering how much Firesign gave me over the years for the price of a few albums, it's scant repayment. Even so, very few bother. Yeah, well, I was raised better'n that. |
#8
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on 29 May 2005 04:11:38 -0700, Shelf Space stated:
Well, what with the foul language and the rambling, off-topic posts, it amazes me that you have the temerity to criticise others for postings interesting links to interesting book sales. Yes, we all despise spammers, but a great many book collectors do want to know about the occasional auction or publication of a book that will be of interest to discerning book collectors. CB: This newsgroup was created for conversations about collecting books. Very specifically, the creators of this newsgroup designated for-sale and wanted posts as not allowed. There are other newsgroups for those posts, and I go to them when I want that kind of information. I don't get over here as often as I'd like to, but I really enjoy the "rambling, off-topic posts" that you so object to, and I don't want to have to weed my way around advertising to find them. (And how, I ask you, can a post about collecting books, rambling or not, be off-topic in rec.collecting.books?) I don't care about you or your boring little jobsworth's FAQ. (Side-note: how does this comment support your proclaimed ability to "express oneself without being personally abusive"?) I think an unmoderated and usenet based book collecting forum should permit the on-topic posting of links to sales that might be of interest. You can think whatever you want, of course. But just because a group is unmoderated doesn't mean it doesn't have guidelines for what's on topic and what's not allowed. Otherwise all groups would be a mishmash, indistinguishable from each other. This one does not allow for-sale and wanted posts, and is specifically for those boring rambling posts about collecting books, that I want to read and you don't. (Why are you here, again?) I therefore urge all readers of this group to ignore you and your downright silly rules, and to post freely as they wish. Perhaps you'd care to create your own newsgroup, which allows for-sale and wanted posts? Then those people who want that can follow you there. -Allison |
#9
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No one asked you to like the rules here, but they are, nonetheless, the
rules. You don't have to read the newsgroup. You don't have to post to it. If you do wish to post, don't violate our standards by posting commercial offerings. There is a place for those, and that place is NOT this one! Again, no one cares if you like or agree with the no-for-sale-items rule. Just follow it if you wish to be here. c |
#10
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On 29 May 2005 04:11:38 -0700, "Shelf Space"
wrote: Well, what with the foul language and the rambling, off-topic posts, it amazes me that you have the temerity to criticise others for postings interesting links to interesting book sales. Yes, we all despise spammers, but a great many book collectors do want to know about the occasional auction or publication of a book that will be of interest to discerning book collectors. I don't care about you or your boring little jobsworth's FAQ. I think an unmoderated and usenet based book collecting forum should permit the on-topic posting of links to sales that might be of interest. I therefore urge all readers of this group to ignore you and your downright silly rules, and to post freely as they wish. Provided that their posts are, unlike yours, on topic and non-abusive, I can see nothing wrong in it. CB (See, it is possible to express oneself without being personally abusive. If you want to be personally absuive, email me off list, and I will send you my home address. Then you can call round in person, and we'll see how brave and personally abusive you dare to be face-to-face.) No one cares what you like or don't like, Barker. Save your internet tough-guy crap for somewhere that you haven't already been pegged as a snivelling little coward. Seems to me that the last time someone wanted to take you up on your posturing, you pulled your addy off your website and went into hiding. Now run along, your croaking is unwlecome here. Cheerio, John |
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