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'In Wildness...' by Eliot Porter - pocket size edition?

Discussion in 'Book, Magazine, Gallery Reviews, Shows & Contests' started by batwister, Mar 5, 2012.

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  1. Mar 5, 2012 #1
    batwister

    batwister Member

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    Well it's not quite pocket size, but much smaller than I was expecting. This is a 1967 edition, by Sierra Club, with unsatisfactory printing. I've read that Mr. Porter went to a lot of trouble making sure the reproduction quality was of the best standard possible. Did they print this one to spite him? He must have been aware of it.

    The dimensions are 24x16cm with faded and fuzzy reproductions in a book with no visible browning and in good cosmetic condition.
    I also have 'Appalachian Wilderness', in much worse condition with browning, 1975 printing and the colour and detail is better than some of my books printed this decade.

    Does anyone have this version of 'In Wildness...' and if so, is the bigger book much better - before I send this one back?

    Thanks very much.
     
  2. Mar 5, 2012 #2
    DREW WILEY

    DREW WILEY Member

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    Paperback reprints were made of several of his books. We had a copy of "Wildness" in the family and the images were horrible compared to the big original hardback, which I still have. But as I recall,
    there was even a restrike of the big edition which is noticably inferior to the first edition. The problem with the original editions of some of these books is that the varnish on the images will have
    yellowed with age, but that's one of the expensive additions which made them so impressive in the
    first place. The original edition of "Glen Canyon" almost seemed like a slide show.