THE WALRUS SAID . . . . . . . . . being a bookish blog

Monday, September 1, 2025

The Biblio File: images of N.E. bookstores, for bibliophiles

Federal Street Books, Greenfield, Massachusetts

David Levine on writers: Susan Faludi

David Levine (1926-2009) was one of America’s most prominent illustrators during a career that spanned decades. No less an authority than Jules Feiffer described him as "the greatest caricaturist of the last half of the 20th century,” although Levine continued to work in the early years of this century as well. Levine’s subjects included himself (above) and people from many walks of life. Authors, scribes and scribblers were a big part of the mix, as these caricatures make clear. 

Lit Toons: Cartoons with a bookish bent


First Lines: John Green


Late in the winter of my seventeenth year, my mother decided I was depressed, presumably because I rarely left the house, spent quite a lot of time in bed, read the same book over and over, ate infrequently, and devoted quite a bit of my abundant free time to thinking about death."

The Fault in Our Stars
John Green

"They say it's your birthday" - writers born on September 1



Annie Ernaux  (1940)
Eleanor Hibbert  (1906)


Sunday, August 31, 2025

The Biblio File: images of bookplates, for bibliophiles


David Levine on writers: Gustave Flaubert

David Levine (1926-2009) was one of America’s most prominent illustrators during a career that spanned decades. No less an authority than Jules Feiffer described him as "the greatest caricaturist of the last half of the 20th century,” although Levine continued to work in the early years of this century as well. Levine’s subjects included himself (above) and people from many walks of life. Authors, scribes and scribblers were a big part of the mix, as these caricatures make clear.  

Lit Toons: Cartoons with a bookish bent

Macanudo

First Lines: H.A. Rey


This is George. He lived in Africa.

Curious George
H.A. Rey

"They say it's your birthday" - writers born on August 31



Robert Adams  (1933)
William Saroyan  (1908)