Blue Electrode

This week sees a significant number of new and exciting dime novel titles to read including a number of Nickle Weeklies, several new story papers, a non-fiction stage magic titles, and WWII vintage Villanova theses. Work also continues on the large Elizabeth Sarah Kite personal paper collection. As well as reading please feel free to listen to an audio interview with former Dime Novel Round-Up editor and noted bibliographer Edward T. LeBlanc conducted by Lydia Schurman:

Catholica

American Catholic Historical Society

Elizabeth Sarah Kite Collection (39+ letters/postcards added)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:246243]

Dime Novel and Popular Literature

Fiction

Dobrodružný svět (2 issues, Czech)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:284419]

El Pirata Negro (1 issue, Spanish)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:284157]

Fame and Fortune Weekly : Stories of Boys that Make Money (2 issues)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:285265]

The Liberty Boys and Paul Jones; or, the Martyrs of the Prison-Ships / by Harry Moore. From:
The Liberty Boys of “76″ : a weekly magazine containing stories of the American Revolution.
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:284927]

Captain Ebony; or, bound by the golden fetters.
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:283888]

Old Broadbrim into the heart of Australia; or, A strange bargain and its consequences.
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:285370]

Non-Fiction

Kellar’s Wizard’s Manual : a practical treatise on ventriloquism and hypnotism
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:284182]

Periodicals

Penny illustrated paper and illustrated times (2 issues)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:285291]

Frank Leslie’s Chimney Corner (1 issue)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:285236]

Scholarship

Edward T. LeBlanc, August 1982 Oral History Audio Interviews (3 cassettes)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:283767]

Villanova Digital Collection

Graduate Theses

1942 (Complete: 42 theses added)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:283134]

1943 (Complete: 53 theses added)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:284896]

The latest of our proofreading projects to be completed is The Brighton Boys in the Trenches.

The Brighton Boys series is something that may be a bit hard for the modern reader to imagine: books for young boys glorifying the act of going to war, written during an ongoing conflict. Using the same basic hardcover series format as Tom Swift or the Bobbsey Twins, these books provide juvenile adventures in various World War I contexts. Unlike many similar series, though, the Brighton Boys books do not follow the same heroes from title to title; instead, each adventure features different students from the fictional Brighton Academy. Given the subject matter, there is a rather grim reason for this atypical format!

While the overall series concept is itself a bit shocking, The Brighton Boys in the Trenches goes a step further by dealing with what is probably the dirtiest and most horrific aspect of a dirty and horrific subject: trench warfare. The plot is simple enough: after encountering a boastful German, Herbert Whitcomb, a 17-year-old orphan with an eye for shooting, leaves school to enlist along with his Irish sidekick Roy Flynn. Before long, they are engaged in combat in France, facing gas attacks, trench foot and other dangers!

As a work of fiction, the book leaves much to be desired. Its main characters are two-dimensional at best, and the prose is littered with long, awkward, nearly-unreadable sentences. The author’s most ambitious attempt at achieving literary merit appears to be having one of his characters name a gun after a Dickens character. The plot is thin, just a series of action-filled incidents loosely strung together. However, despite its flaws, the book is quite interesting as a piece of social history.

The early portions of the book, set in America, have a decidedly paranoid tone. Germans and their agents are actively trying to turn the public against the war, and the book makes it very clear that acts of physical violence are perfectly acceptable to counter such dangerous speech. Once the action switches overseas, the book’s role as propaganda remains fairly clear. The Germans are generally referred to in dehumanizing terms, and while the conflict is unquestionably portrayed as dangerous, the text is designed to frequently imply American superiority and inevitable victory.

The book’s role as propaganda is not particularly surprising; more startling are its occasional deviations from predictability. There is a heroic depiction of an implicitly homosexual — or at least feminized — character (“He possessed a manner that some would have termed ‘sissy’”). There are occasional philosophical tangents about the madness of war (“In times of peace we regard the murder of one person as something over which to get up a vast deal of excitement and much indignation, but in warfare we plan for the killing of thousands as a business matter and read of it often with actual elation.”) and the pitfalls of stereotyping the enemy (“It is all wrong, unfair and a little small to consider all the people in any land unworthy; don’t you think so?”). And while the book at one point suggests that it is best “to draw the mantle of delicacy over those details of horror that follow a close conflict” it still offers some surprisingly disturbing details, as in this passage:

“They’re both gone! Wiped out! Shell! It hit right at Bill Neely’s feet! I couldn’t see anything but legs and arms and things.”

“Killed?”

“Done for.”

“Poor chaps! The only two boys in the family, too. Their poor old mother’ll miss them.”

“Know them, Pyle?”

“Sure; since we were kids. Just across the street.”

That about sums up the book: a strange mix of series fiction shallowness and gritty realism, an uncomfortable compromise between propaganda and protest, and a rather unengaging read that is nonetheless fascinating throughout.

If you are interested in experiencing the whole thing for yourself, you can read it online or download it in many popular eBook formats at Project Gutenberg.

This week sees a host of new Story Paper newspaper issues – including an issue with a Nellie Bly story from the 1800s. Follow along with the adventures – in Spanish of the Black Pirate! In addition to these compelling stories, two popular non-fiction titles – one on stage magic and the other on social entertaining give glimpses of the mores and customs at the turn of the century. The secondary Scholarship segment of the Dime Novel collection was initiated with several bibliographies. As well, we are progressing into the war years for coverage of graduate Villanova theses; it is interesting to survey the topics that were being researched in these days. Enjoy the May flowers and read along with:

Dime Novel and Popular Literature

Fiction

El Pirata Negro (10 issues, Spanish Dime Novel series)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:282731]

Non-Fiction

The amateur’s guide to magic and mystery and the black art : fully exposed.
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:282191]

How to entertain a social party : a complete guide to home amusement and entertainment.
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:282323]

Periodicals

Golden Argosy (1 issue, 1887)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Record/vudl:283143]

Saturday Night (5 issues)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:283764]

Street and Smith’s New York Weekly (4 issues)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:283181]

The New York Family Story Paper (3 issues)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:277942]

The Boys of New York (1 issue, 1887)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:282635]

Scholarship

Edward T. LeBlanc Bibliography of Story Papers, Dime Novels, and Libraries
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:283769]

900 Series Titles for the Dime Novel Publishing World Resource
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:283777]

A Proposal For A Study of the Civil War In Dime Novels and Story Papers 1861-1923 : presented to the University of Virginia Press / by Lydia Cushman Schurman
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Record/vudl:282809]

Villanova Digital Collection

Theses

1941 (Complete: 39 theses added)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:282457]

1942 (Partial: 35 theses added)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:283134]

World

Cérémonies et coutumes religieuses de tous les peuples du monde, v.9
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:54229]

This week’s proofreading project is another of Frank Tousey’s how-to manuals, from the same series that brought you How to Fence and How to Become an Engineer.

This time around, the subject matter could be viewed as being a bit more ghoulish: taxidermy. How to Stuff Birds and Animals provides instructions on how to preserve a large variety of creatures (including a wide range of mammals, from hedgehogs to dolphins, as well as birds, insects, fish and reptiles). The text is accompanied by some occasionally disturbing illustrations.

If you want to help preserve this vintage book in electronic format, you can join in at the project page. To learn more about the proofreading process, see this earlier post.

This week brings to your readerly attention a large number of Dime Novel and Popular literature titles, including the Lady Monte-Cristo (sequel to the Count of Monte-Cristo) issue of New York Family Story Paper; the issues of the very rare Philadelphia published Clan-na-Gael Journal, and a significant number of pre-WWII theses.

Dime Novel and Popular Literature

The New York family story paper (1 issue added)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:282145]

The War Library: Original Stories of Adventure in the War for the Union. (9 issues added)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:280132]

How to get married, although a woman, or, The art of pleasing men.
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:281420]

Original talkalogues / by American jokers.
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:281697]

The Liberty Boys and the Traitor; or, How They Handled Him.
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:280301]

The Twin Ventriloquists; or, Nimble Ike and Jack the Juggler. A Tale of Strategy and Jugglery.
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:281318]

Deadwood Dick Jr. Branded; or, Red Rover at Powder Pocket.
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:282127]

Joseph McGarrity Newspaper Collection

The Clan-na-Gael Journal (14 issues, all extant Villanova issues)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:281618]

Villanova Digital Collection

Graduate Theses

1939 (Complete: 26 theses added)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:280408]

1940 (Complete: 27 theses added)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:281995]

1941 (Partial: 15 theses added)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:282457]

This week’s summary listing of newly available Digital Library content to enjoy includes a number of popular romantic self-help titles from the beginning of the century, our first content from our Partner the Catholic Library Association, two new series from the Barry-Hayes Collection of the Independence Seaport Museum, and Villanova Theses from 1937, 1938, and some from 1939. Read along with:

Catholic Library Association Collection

Guide to Catholic Literature (v. 1 and 6)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:203546]

Dime Novel and Popular Literature Collection

The War Library (1 issue: Down in Dixie; or, Adventures of a War Correspondent / by Hugh Allen)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:280380]

The Lovers’ Manual : A Love, Courtship and Marriage Guide.
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:281072]

The art of kissing : curiously, historically, humorously, poetically considered.
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:280182]

Independence Seaport Museum

Series XIX Samuel Comly
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:281307]

Series XX Fanny Crathorne
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:281315]

Villanova Digital Collection

Graduate Theses

1937 (Complete: 24 theses)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:278286]

1938 (Complete: 23 theses)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:280151]

1939 (Partial: 11 theses)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:280408]

World Collection

Le Théatre (11 issues: 1902)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:47598]

Started two weeks ago, here is our regular summary listing of newly available Digital Library content to read, this week sees us many new Dime Novels – many non-English; Newspapers from the early 20th century, and all of the Villanova Theses from 1936 and many from 1937. Read along with:

Dime Novel and Popular Literature Collection

Buffalo Bill (10 Swedish issues)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:279438]

Nat Pinkerton (3 Danish issues)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:280075]

A lad of mettle / by Nat Gould
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:279070]

Army and Navy Weekly (1 issue : v.1 no.1)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:279723]

Leonie, The Typewriter : A Thrilling Romance of Actual Life / by a Celebrated Authoress
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:279366]

Joseph McGarrity Newspaper Collection

The Free state = An saorstát. (4 issues: all extant Villanova content 1922)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:280041]

The Gaelic American (5 new issues: 1 x 1903, 1 X 1905, 3 x 1906)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:266848]

Historical Society of Mongomery County Collection

Ardmore Chronicle (1 issue: 1905)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:279989]

World Collection

Le Théatre (1 issue: 1902)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:263635]

Villanova Digital Collection

Graduate Theses

1936 (Complete: 23 theses)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:180550]

1937 (Partial: 18 theses)
[http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:278286]

April is National Poetry Month in the United States and April 18 is “Poem in Your Pocket Day” so today we are highlighting two poetic items from our collections.

Our first selection comes from Cornelia Fletcher’s friendship album (previously written about here), which contains many poems inscribed in the album by friends and family of Cornelia. Most of the poems are transcriptions of poems published elsewhere, but “Cornelia” by A.B. seems to be an original poem. Here is an excerpt from the opening lines:

Dear girl! as young, as sweet as Spring
Who now her blushing beauties flings
To glad all earth, delight the eye,
And flush each flow’r with rainbow dye.
So may you bloom with Virtue’s gem,
How rich her splendid diadem.

 
You can read the whole poem on this page or browse through the whole album here.

Our next poetry selection comes from Eleanor C. Donnelly, a Catholic poetess in the Philadelphia area. The following is an excerpt from her poem “The Conversion of St. Augustine”:

The hour hath come,—the hour of love, ordained
By Him who reigns and hath forever reigned.
—Above that prostrate form, in robes of snow,
With harp of gold and gladsome face aglow,
An angel spreads his shining wings, and floats
To cheer the mourner with ecstatic notes.
For lo! across the sunny air there rings
A tender voice, which “Tolle lege!” sings;
Close to his ear so musical, so mild,
Like the clearest accents of a sinless child,
(Or dulcet strains from some celestial mead:)
“Son of a sainted mother! take and read!
O Tolle lege! take, O take and read!”

Read the entire poem on this page or browse through the whole book The Conversion of Saint Augustine and Other Sacred Poems.

You can find more poems by searching our Digital Library collections. Happy Poetry Month!

Frank Reade and His Steam Horse, an early science fiction dime novel

If you have been following this blog, you will have noticed a lot of activity related to dime novels ever since we discovered our forgotten 19th-century collection.

The latest development is the announcement of a free, day-long conference devoted to the subject.  Paper for the People: A Conference on Dime Novels and Early Mass Market Publishing will uncover some of the fascinating early history of commercial entertainment “for the millions.”  Highlights will include an examination of the origins of science fiction in “steampunk” dime novels, courtesy of expert and world-class collector Joe Rainone; a tribute to legendary bibliographer Edward T. LeBlanc; and the unveiling of a new library exhibit featuring some fascinating rarities.

All are welcome — if you are interested in attending, please register at the conference web site.  We are also still accepting proposals for presentations, should you have a special interest in the subject!

We recently received a shipment of international dime novels from a seller in The Netherlands. We are now the proud owners of dime novels in Dutch, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish, as well as a smaller number of titles in Polish and Swedish.

“Texas Jack” titles in several languages.

Most of the covers are full of vibrant colors depicting graphic scenes of mischief and mayhem. Many of the illustrations are quite violent and full of the racism that was common at the time these were published. One title in Spanish has already been digitized and is now viewable online: Un hechicero infernal (in English: “An infernal sorcerer”). We will, of course, be digitizing more over time.

A selection of international dime novels.

As we prepare to catalog these titles, we are requesting help in translating some of the information about them. We’re not looking for full-text translations, but rather translations of the basic information such as the title and some possible subjects. To facilitate this crowdsourcing endeavor, we will be posting images of the front covers and/or title pages of these works on our Flickr account. Keep an eye out for more info here on the blog, on Twitter, on Facebook, or on the above-mentioned Flickr account. (If you would like to be notified by email when these images are added to Flickr, please send an email to digitallibrary@villanova.edu and include which language(s) you read.)