Saturday, January 21, 2006
Now Pardon Me While I Mow My Bookcase
Today's Times of London reports that flecks of grass are being woven into the endpapers of "World Champions by Geoff Hurst, hero of England’s 1966 World Cup victory." The grass is taken from field sod bought from the 2001 teardown of Wembley Stadium.
I've seen attempts over the centuries by publishers to make paper with everything from hay to very thinly rolled steel. (Seriously.) Stadium grass is a new one, I'll admit. So I'll throw this open to my fellow antiquarians (respond at collinslibrary AT aol.com) : what's the oddest primary material or additive you've seen a publisher, past or present, try to manufacture a book out of?
I've seen attempts over the centuries by publishers to make paper with everything from hay to very thinly rolled steel. (Seriously.) Stadium grass is a new one, I'll admit. So I'll throw this open to my fellow antiquarians (respond at collinslibrary AT aol.com) : what's the oddest primary material or additive you've seen a publisher, past or present, try to manufacture a book out of?
