Thornwillow Press Dispatch

Anyone subscribe to the Dispatch from Thornwillow? It looks like a nice little program for a book and press lover. And I don't really know another press that has something like it, especially for the price point.

The latest title that they announced, Ask Hafiz by Sahar Muradi, looks right down my alley. But I'm already over-subscribed with private presses and with trade book subscriptions. I would consider buying it a la carte in the paper wrapped edition if the Dispatch titles show up that way on the website after all the subscriptions go out. I can't tell from the website whether that is possible.

In any event, I'd love to hear what subscribers think about the program and what gems they might have gotten as a part of it.

>1 jveezer: I subscribe to the Dispatch on a monthly basis and feel it’s a great value. Each shipment includes the monthly chapbook, 2 broadsides, and a piece of stationary or bookmark. The chapbooks themselves are usually 30-40 pages and, in some cases, are works by budding authors having their work published in fine press form for the first time.

That said, the books are definitely available a la carte, if you want to pick and choose month to month.

EDIT: I would note that subscribing to the Dispatch also gets you early notification about Thornwillow’s upcoming projects as well as bonus rewards when backing their Kickstarter campaigns (in some cases).

Thornwillow is killing me right now. I don't need more temptations and can't afford another subscription. But I have to have Ask Hafiz and now they are doing the Dead and it's Blooms Day. Ugh.

>3 jveezer: not familiar with the author nor work (Ask Hafiz) can you tell me about her and her writing? Thanks.

>4 astropi: I read about her somewhere (maybe in a Thornwillow dispatch email or maybe in a LitHub article?) and I really liked what she had to say about Hafiz and how his poetry and writing affected her life and guided her through everything the world threw at her. I liked what she had to say about the translation, and the translatibility, of Hafiz' work. And I've been wanting to dive into Hafiz, Attar, and Rumi.

I'm also reading a lot of literature in translation, especially from women, POCI, and LGBTQIA+ writers. So I can't resist this one...

Received my copy of The Dead. I jump on and off the dispatch which is a feature I like.

>6 trentsteel: How does that work? they charge you up front for the whole year, so how does the jumping on off affects that?

You can pay for the year or just each month. They announce the title for the upcoming month prior to month end. So if it's a title that interests me, I stay enrolled in patreon. If not interested, I can cancel and re-subscribe the following month. Sometimes I do space out and forget to unenroll, and get an unexpected treat, in one instance Goblin market, which I never would have read not being into poetry. But having forgotten to unenroll I received it and read it, enjoying it very much.

>8 trentsteel: ohh, I see.. Classic subscription does not allow skipping but then it is much more affordable. since you do get both classic and Patreon versions of the book, would you say Patreon editions are higher quality?

>9 dar.lynk: oh no, I'm definitely not the higher tier. I'm basic, I think classic, as you noted. The website patreon allows you to subscribe on a month to month basis. If you subscribe through the actual thornwillow website, I believe in that case, you do the full year.

>7 dar.lynk: I just bought Asking Hafiz a la carte on their website right after they published it. I'm tempted to do the same for the Joyce because I love his writing and I have a hard time resisting any new fine press Joyce. But really I'd only be doing it for the artwork, so I'm resisting so far.

>11 jveezer: their Twitter account makes mention of a centennial edition of ulysses. I wonder if that is their next kickstarter.

>10 trentsteel: thanks! I will check this out next year!

>12 trentsteel: I don't know if Ulysses is next, but the letter with the Joyce Dispatch did mention its kickstarter will start in the fall.

>12 trentsteel: Uh oh...

For those that have the money for it, it looks like Thornwillow made alterations to their $300 Patreon tier, making it it’s own tier of the Dispatch. It includes:

The “Centaur Edition” of each month’s Dispatch title, letterpress printed on heavy archival stock and hardbound in cloth and handmade decorative paper boards. This hardcover edition is only available to our Centaur subscribers, and will not be available for purchase on our website after the subscription period closes. Subscribing at this tier is the only way to secure a copy of this extremely limited, individually numbered and signed edition.

A complimentary “Classic Edition” of the month’s Dispatch title to share with others, enabling you to be an ambassador of craft and culture in your community.

A complimentary curated assortment of letterpress and engraved keepsakes and goods for your study.

Behind the scenes access to the world of Thornwillow, as well as special thank you gifts along the way.

If you subscribe to one of our anchor publication campaigns throughout the year, you will receive a complimentary bonus add-on in thanks for your support of the Thornwillow Dispatch.

Subscribing to the Dispatch also supports their Patron's Prize which helps emerging writers and artists. They just announced the newest patron's prize winner which will come out in the next installment of the Dispatch... Cindy Trans' "Sonnet Crown"... Some of the poems appeared as Yelp reviews before being printed by Thornwillow. https://thornwillow.com/thornwillow-dispatch

Also... btw...there is a new (or I guess just new for me) Fans of Thornwillow Facebook group... https://www.facebook.com/groups/thornwillowfans

If anybody is interested in a fine press trade:

I have a complete set of the Thornwillow Dispatch titles, and twenty-one duplicates. If anybody is interest in any combination (or all) of the following, let me know. Happy to make a trade.

How We Survived
The Dead
Ask Hafiz
Zero Hour
Recititaf
Ars Memoria
World Enough And Time
Firmness in the Right
Dracula's Guest
The Mark on the Wall
The Eyes Have It
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
The Yellow Wallpaper
Rip Van Winkle
Without Attribution
The Black Cat
Topos
Evidence of Evil
Arson Plus
Protocol
Goblin Market

>18 grifgon: interested in The Eyes Have It and maybe a few more. Will message you

>18 grifgon: Are these the Patron or Classics? I've been looking for a Patron Dracula's Guest, and would also be interested in The Eyes Have it if the commenter above oes not take it

Interesting title for the new December edition of the Thornwillow Dispatch.



"With the winter soon approaching, we’d like to offer a bit of magic to warm up the season! Perfect for a fireside read over the holidays, we are pleased to announce the next installment of the Thornwillow Dispatch, a magical short story from the father of Science Fiction: “The Magic Shop” by H.G. Wells.

"The Magic Shop, first published in 1903, follows a father and his young son as they discover a magic shop which exceeds all their expectations. While life continues on as usual outside of the shop, they quickly realize that the fantastic tricks performed there are more than just tricks; they are the real thing—genuine magic.

"No author has so vividly contributed to our view of the future as H.G. Wells, a feat achieved by his seamless blending of fact and fiction. Wells is most famous for novels like The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds (among many others) which offered readers visions of the future never before imagined—air combat, space exploration, biological warfare—Wells prophetically brought these concepts to life with the stroke of his pen long before they became reality."

>21 whytewolf1: A very exciting one! I decided to upgrade to the half cloth

>22 NathanOv: Is that a possibility? How do I do that? I just joined the dispatch last month

>23 Praveenna_Nagaratnam: absolutely, that would be the “Centaur” subscription level.

It’s a bit of a price jump at $300 (and given they make so few, definitely not the same value you get with Thornwillow’s regular half-clothes), but I’ve been just waiting for the right title to give it a try.

EDIT: For how to do it, the subscription management in the new website is pretty bad so you either 1) email asking to upgrade your subscription, which unfortunately relies on them responding in the time you have available or 2) do as I did and just purchase the subscription box at the upgraded level, then email to cancel your original.

I heard they’re doing something unusual with this one. A puzzle or hidden secret in the book that will award the first to figure it out with a unique one of a kind prize book like they did for Poe.

Not sure about details, but they said they’d announce it soon. Suspense…

>24 NathanOv: Thanks... I joined the classic dispatch but the HG Wells book made me feel like upgrading. But at $300 probably not as I am contemplating getting Sir Gawain & the Green Knight after reading such fantastic reviews here... Will just have to be happy with the paper covers

>25 FvS: Ooh that sounds cool

>22 NathanOv: Very cool!

I just started a thread on The Magic Shop puzzle... would love thoughts from people following here if they've made any progress.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/338367#n7707247

Interesting new title for the February edition of the Thornwillow Dispatch:



"Written in the late seventeenth century, Peau D’Âne is a 17th century coming-of-age story that resonates as strongly today as ever before. This tale of a young woman's quest for independence and identity reminds readers that with courage, wit, and self-actualization, happily ever after is within everyone's reach."

"Charles Perrault was a French writer and poet born in the middle of the seventeenth century. After his election to the prestigious Académie Française, he challenged the preeminence of Ancient authors in the ongoing Académie feud of the “Ancients and Moderns,” and pioneered the genre of the fairy tale by recording and modernizing folk tales like Cinderella, Puss in Boots, Sleeping Beauty, and, many more."

"Thornwillow’s bilingual edition of Peau D'Âne, will include the original French and an English translation by Robert Samber and J.E. Mansion, and will appear in three letterpress printed limited editions:

Classic Edition: Copies bound in letterpress paper wrappers
Patrons’ Edition: Volumes featuring handmade paste paper bindings and letterpress printed labels
Centaur Patrons’ Edition: Hardbound in cloth and decorative paper boards.
Patrons’ and Centaur Patrons’ editions will support the continuation of the Thornwillow Patrons’ Prize for Emerging Artists and be individually numbered and signed by the publisher."

I love the Dispatch. Every month is a treat. This title will be wonderful.

The April Thornwillow dispatch has been announced. As with our friends at No Reply, they have decided to celebrate a Ukrainian author. The dispatch is To the Dead and the Living and the Unborn by Ukrainian national poet Taras Shevchenko. Available in Classic, Patron, and Centaur editions as usual.

Wow! That looks great too! A historical figure and writer from TW and a living woman writer from No Reply. From the title it would look appropriate to send copies to the leaders (East and West) whose comic handling of this situation have brought us to this tragedy.

>33 Shadekeep: Any idea who the translator is?

>35 ambyrglow: No indication on their website of the translator. Probably a public domain one for a 177 year old poem....

>36 jveezer: Surely, but as there are several to choose from I’m curious which one they picked.

>35 ambyrglow: Wasn't able to track the translator down, perhaps when they post about it on Patreon they will provide the details. Or a Patreon subscriber could ask them then.

A quick question for anyone with a Thornwillow subscription. I created a Patron level one in order to pick up the current dispatch. The subscription started yesterday. If I now Pause the subscription, that should stop the next release from automatically billing, but still get me the current one, correct? I'd hate to pause it only to discover that locked me out of this book too.

>39 Shadekeep: Yes, if you did it via the Thornwillow website and paid, you'll receive the next dispatch up even if you pause. You just have to be a little careful about when you unpause because I did it before the end of a subscription period once and got duplicates.

>40 NathanOv: Fab, thanks for the info!

>35 ambyrglow: Well the question has been answered: A.J. Hunter. Seems to be an existing translation which you can find some snippets of online, though a quick search of the name doesn't turn up much else. Anyone else familiar?

Just read this Vera Rich translation of the poem. Good read to get a flavor for what the Dispatch will contain.

The June dispatch is up for subscribing. It's The Girling Season by Christina Milletti. I really like the chickenwire motif on the Classic version.

They get better and better.

This is one of the Patron's Prize winners...

>45 FvS: Yes, very much looking forward to this one!

The August 2022 monthly dispatch is up for subscriptions, looks like another fascinating title! It's Part Horror, Part Magic, Holy Ourselves by Donna Steiner.

This is the next Patrons' Prize winner. I love the Patrons prize titles because they take us to uncharted territories and are a wonderful contrast to the famous authors and classic texts. It is a great way to promote emerging writers. I have been moved by many of these titles, especially:

"Ask Hafiz" by Sahar Muradi - https://thornwillow.com/ask-hafiz
"Protocol" by Amy Evans - https://thornwillow.com/protocol
'Topos" by Beth Steidel - https://thornwillow.com/topos

They have all been interesting, but these three really stood out for me as particularly special and moving.

I only have Ask Hafiz but I agree, it is quite lovely. And TW publishing books like it and authors like Muradi is amazing.

>48 FvS: That’s great. Thanks for the recommendations!

>48 FvS: Agreed. I have Protocol and Topos, and have ordered both The Girling Season and Part Horror, Part Magic, Holy Ourselves. I think is a great format for new and adventurous works.

Definitely looking forward to the new ones...

Has anyone received The Girling Season? I feel like I haven’t received a dispatch in a while and I can’t find it on their website.

>53 yolana: Further, what is the usual timeline on dispatches? I'm new to the subscription so not sure what the status quo is, but have three orders in my account area now without any arrived (international).

>54 Aleks3000: I usually get them mid month, but I haven’t received one since May. Maybe summer vacation? Or else they were shipped and somehow didn’t get to me. The orders page of my account is never really up to date since it shows things as as in production even after I’ve gotten and read the book.

>54 Aleks3000: I also suffer from international shipping and will say that since dispatch one the shipping has been notoriously slow—a fault more of USPS than anything. The last dispatch I received was "How To Guarantee A Life of Misery", a few weeks ago. I would usually expect The Girling Season by the end of this month, before the announcement of the August one.

I am in the USA and have not received a dispatch since May, either. I suspect it is due to Thornwillow's staffing issues.

>55 yolana: Was the one you received in May “How to Guarantee a life of Misery?”

I have that and “To The Dead, Living and Unborn” but have not received “The Girling Season” and am actually still waiting on “Youth” as well which was missed in their little shipping snafu for that issue but supposed to have been on its way

>58 NathanOv: ?How to Guarantee a Life of Misery” is the last one I received. “Youth” and “To the Dead…” both came without incident, I had no idea of any shipping snafus, or staffing issues for that matter. Glad to know it’s not just me.

>59 yolana: I think with Youth a number just got missed in the first batch - they posted a notice for everyone on the website, and emailed me directly to confirm I'd still be getting a copy, but I think that was May or early June so maybe they're just on a shipping pause.

The following update was just posted on the Fans of Thornwillow Facebook group:

"The Girling Season... An Update!

I know that this title is being eagerly anticipated by many, so I thought I would get an update for everyone:

All of the pages for The Girling Season have been printed.

The Press is starting on the covers on Monday, letterpress printing the covers for the Classic edition and handmaking the paste paper covers for the Patrons' edition.

With any luck, shipments should be going out to Classic subscribers in about 10-12 days.

For Patrons' subscribers, the good news is that the Patrons' editions will be signed by the author. The bad news is that the Press is currently waiting for the signed sheets to come back from the author. So, Patrons' packages will probably take a little longer."

>61 whytewolf1: That’s great news, thanks for passing it on.

Thornwillow Dispatch for October...



"A true war story is never moral. It does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, nor suggest models of proper human behavior, nor restrain men from doing the things they have always done. If a story seems moral, do not believe it. If at the end of a war story you feel uplifted, or if you feel that some small bit of rectitude has been salvaged from the larger waste, then you have been made the victim of a very old and terrible lie. There is no rectitude whatsoever. There is no virtue." – Tim O’Brien

It is with great pleasure that we announce a new project in collaboration with our Thornwillow-West Point Fellows: The first fine press edition of Tim O’Brien’s iconic "How to Tell a True War Story". The piece, which first appeared in Esquire in 1987 and later in O’Brien’s bestselling short story collection "The Things They Carried", examines the role truth plays in communicating soldiers’ experiences during the Vietnam War.

O'Brien explores whether, in the context of attempting to convey horrors that are unimaginable to all but those who have witnessed them themselves, the distinction between reality and fiction actually matters. Does this distinction really exist at all? As conflicts large and small the world over are always spawning new stories, O'Brien's words resonate beyond any particular time and place.

Subscribe by September 30th for the October Dispatch:

"How to Tell a True War Story" by Tim O'Brien is next in our ongoing Monthly Dispatch series, which is a monthly subscription of fine printing, in three editions:

Classic Edition: Copies bound in letterpress paper wrappers, available to subscribers for $30
Patrons’ Edition: Volumes featuring handmade paste paper bindings and letterpress printed labels, individually numbered and signed by the publisher, available to subscribers for $100
Centaur Patrons’ Edition: Hardbound in cloth and decorative paper boards, individually numbered and signed by the publisher, and available only to Centaur Patron subscribers for $300

--------------
Incidentally, this was last month's. You may still be able to sneak in on this one, as well, if you ask them nicely. :P

Finally received The Girling Season (classic edition) a couple of days ago - my first TW dispatch. Haven't had much of a look but will do so this weekend.

>64 Aleks3000: Congratulations! Hope you enjoy it. Collecting these can get pretty addictive.

>65 Shadekeep: I agree! By the way, the Classic edition Dispatch subscription is absolutely one of the best values in the fine press world (probably the best, frankly).

>66 whytewolf1: Definitely the best, IMHO.

>67 grifgon:

>68 whytewolf1: Actually, not to be a pill, but I worry that Thornwillow has locked itself into a too-low price. Patreon doesn't allow you to change the pricetag of a tier, and so the dispatch will be perpetually stuck at what it was set in 2019. That's not going to be sustainable. And it's a mess to get everybody to move over to a pricier tier voluntarily.

>69 grifgon: I suspect they'll eventually do as you did with the NRP tiers, which is retire older tiers but allow those at that level to remain, while new subscribers can only access the price-corrected tiers. It's a slow solution, but over time should help migrate folks. I don't know how many dispatch subscribers they have, though, so it might be magnitudes more slow of a transition than it was for NRP.

And I also concur, one of the best bargains in fine press anywhere. The production quality, the contents, the release cycle, all are exemplary.

>69 grifgon: It's a fair concern, but though they're still servicing all of the Patreon subscriptions, they have a good subscription system set up through their website now (this is version 2.0; the software they used for version 1.0 was a mess). And I suspect, though I don't know, that when they inevitably raise the price, they'll probably grandfather in current subscribers as long as they maintain their subscriptions anyway.

New from Thornwillow...



Dear friends of Thornwillow,

It is with great pleasure that we announce the November Thornwillow Dispatch Title:

"The Arrest of Arsène Lupin" by Maurice LeBlanc!

First published in the French magazine Je sais tout in 1905, “The Arrest of Arsène Lupin” serves as the introduction to the iconic gentleman burglar. A staple of early crime fiction, LeBlanc’s mysterious and masterful professional criminal is the anti-Sherlock Holmes, constantly confounding the public and police alike with his ability to “commit a crime without actually being present” and even meeting fiction’s greatest detective (unsubtly given the name Herlock Sholmes) in a later story.
This novella of Arsène Lupin establishes the character as one of the greats of French crime literature with the mysterious arrival of a telegram to the passengers aboard a vessel bound for America announcing that the infamous burglar is on board the ship. But which traveler is really this master of disguise in disguise? It is up to the passengers on the ship to determine the false identity of Lupin before they dock in America, where Lupin’s nemesis, the famed Inspector Ganimard, is waiting.

Lupin is to Robin Hood as Ganimard (and in many ways, Holmes) is to the Sheriff of Nottingham; Lupin often takes from the rich to give to the poor. LeBlanc’s debonair gentleman thief was adapted into film as early as 1908, with the Hollywood film “The Gentleman Burglar” featuring William Ranows as Lupin. Most recently, the character and stories serve as the inspiration for the acclaimed Netflix series, Lupin, which uses Lupin as the muse of a new-age gentleman thief played by Omar Sy.

With a gasp-inducing plot twist, “The Arrest of Arsène Lupin” cements LeBlanc’s writing as foundational to crime literature as we know it today. This Dispatch will feature the text of this iconic French crime story in the original French and the English translation.

What better way to celebrate the beginning of spooky season than by subscribing to the Dispatch to receive this most iconic of crime stories? It's also not too early to start thinking about holiday gifts- "The Arrest of Arsène Lupin" makes the perfect winter holiday present for any crime fiction lover!

“The Arrest of Arsène Lupin” is available for subscription until October 31st, 2022, at 7pm EST in three letterpress printed limited editions:
Classic Edition: Copies bound in letterpress paper wrappers
Patrons’ Edition: Volumes featuring gold engraved black paper wrappers
Centaur Patrons’ Edition: Hardbound in cloth and decorative paper boards*
Patrons’ and Centaur Patrons’ Editions will also be individually numbered and signed by the publisher.
*Available only to Centaur Patron subscribers to the Thornwillow Dispatch

Does anyone have a sense of what the timeline is like for dispatches in the US? I’m curious only because I just paid for my third month but still haven’t received anything haha. No problem but I’m wondering how long I should prep myself to wait.

>73 Tambien: They just emailed out an update today. August is shipping (I received my notice last week), September is being assembled, and of course November is not due for a bit now. No mention of October.

In the past, Classic dispatches have gone out in the third or fourth week of their respective month, so I’d say they’re about 6 weeks behind at the moment.

EDIT: timelines above are for Classic subscription.

>73 Tambien: this also depends on tier. Currently the Centaur subscribers are 6 months behind, soon to be 7.

Thank you both! That’s extremely helpful to know

December's Dispatch is Three Tales of Consequence - Elucidating the Art of the Deal



All great art reveals to us some truth, but there are some stories which capture the nature of this world so fully and beautifully that they manage to transcend the distinctions between nations and cultures. These have been passed down, virtually unchanged, for hundreds—even thousands—of years, and are as relevant today as ever. This month, we are excited to share a selection of such stories:

Three Tales of Consequence - Elucidating the Art of the Deal As Compiled by the Brothers Grimm

Connoisseurs of folk and fairy tales, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm preserved a veritable treasure trove of artistic truths, passed down orally by common people over the course of millennia precisely for the lessons and insights they offer. Many of these are familiar favorites, lovingly adapted by both sleepy parents and Disney animators alike. Still, many more reveal… darker truths.

These are not your children’s fairy tales.

Presented in both their original German and English translations, these Three Tales of Consequence are united by a common theme and a dire warning—it is never wise to make a deal with the devil.

• Rumpelstilzchen or “Rumpelstiltskin” - in which a miller’s daughter, desperate to spin straw into gold, deals away her firstborn child in exchange for a name…


• Der Bärenhäuter or “Bearskin” - in which a soldier trades his life and likeness for love and riches…


• Das Mädchen Ohne Hände or “The Maiden without Hands” - in which an unsuspecting miller signs his daughter over to the devil…

As we approach election season in the wake of a turbulent few years, these classic folktales and the lessons they teach us are now more poignant than ever. Many of us will be facing some difficult choices in the voting booth. When and where are we willing to compromise? Who or what are we willing to support? What are the human costs of each of these decisions—and is the deal worth the price, even one artfully made?

This edition of “Three Tales of Consequence” will also feature original wood engraving artwork by Rebecca Gilbert. Rebecca is a Philadelphia-based artist whose work exemplifies a dedication to traditional printmaking processes. Representations of bounty, fulfillment, longing, mystery, and communication between the realms of the living and the dead are embedded throughout much of her work. Her highly detailed work allows her to explore our perceptions of both space and beauty. She has lectured, given workshops, exhibited her work, and attended artist residencies and workshops across the United States and abroad. You can find out more about Rebecca’s work on her website, https://rebeccaprint.com/, or via Instagram, @rebecca_print.

>77 Shadekeep: I love these dual-language editions.

>78 whytewolf1: Me too. Luke (Thornwillow's proprietor) is a native German speaker, and it's been 30 years since he put it to use in a TWP edition!

Hi all! Hopefully a quick question, but I just want to make sure I’m setting my expectations properly. I decided to spring for a copy of the Portrait of a Free Man half-cloth edition from Thornwillow and I noticed that it has fairly significant scuffing from the plough along the head and an untrimmed tail. Not a big deal because the text itself is beautiful, but I was wondering if this is standard for Thornwillow books and, if so, how that shows up in Dispatch titles.

>80 Tambien: A good rule of thumb with Thornwillow is the higher the tier, the more “character” a particular copy might have.

The Classic Dispatch might be the most uniform and consistent state of publications that Thornwillow puts out. My Patron editions, with their nicer materials, have had more handmade idiosyncrasies - some charming, some not so much, but none too egregious.

My one-and-only Centaur edition had flaws that the first read deemed worthy of a return, and I’ve had similar issues with the other more limited states. However, they’ve for the most part made it right and made sure I end up with beautiful copies in my collection.

January 2023 Monthly Dispatch: Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway



As this year winds to a close, we are proud to present our January Dispatch title, by iconic and oft-requested author, Ernest Hemingway: Hills Like White Elephants

Ernest Hemingway remains one of the most recognized and influential writers of the twentieth century. Known for his sparse writing style and macho persona, he was a master of what he called the “iceberg theory,” the idea that what is left unseen and unsaid in a story may be just as meaningful as what is recorded on the page. In other words, what lurks beneath the surface of a story, or a person, might be greater than what is visible from above. Hills Like White Elephants is quintessential Hemingway in this regard: understated, yet charged with meaning.

First published in 1927, Hills Like White Elephants continues to resonate today. The story centers around an American man and a young woman nicknamed “Jig” as they pass time drinking at a Spanish train station. Their conversation is vague but tense and revolves around an “operation” that the man suggests his companion might undergo, and although they never say the word, it is generally accepted that their discussion concerns an abortion.

In typical Hemingway fashion, the conclusion of Hills Like White Elephants—including the moral conclusion—is left largely to the reader’s interpretation. Historical evidence suggests that Hemingway himself had a contentious—and self-contradictory—relationship with abortion. As we have seen dramatically in recent months, today’s broader societal struggle surrounding abortion remains unresolved. Nearly 100 years after this story’s publication, and half a century after Roe v. Wade, the debate over crucial questions of agency, influence, and bodily autonomy continues.

>82 Shadekeep: I love how they're doing more classic short stories. This looks like another great release!

>83 whytewolf1: Agreed, I've been very happy with their direction of late. Choice classics and interesting new material in equal measure, and the curation has been top-notch.

>83 whytewolf1: Their releases have been eclectic, which is great to see, but I differ a bit on this one. Anthologized a million times. I would love to see them take a crack on someone like Lucia Berlin. Her collection A Manual for Cleaning Women was released posthumously and made the NYT top-ten books of 2015 but otherwise flying under the radar since then. A distinctive but lesser-known author, much more exciting than another Hemingway release. That's my $.02 anyway, which is worth about $.00. 😂

>85 LBShoreBook: I would honestly consider emailing them with the suggestion, though I have no problem buying a fine standalone letterpress version of a story that's been heavily anthologized, as that usually means it's pretty good. ;)

>84 Shadekeep: Agreed.

>85 LBShoreBook: I'm with you there! To their credit, the dispatch introduced me to Sahar Muradi via Ask Hafiz. I am much more likely to purchase something like that or like your suggestion. Thanks for bringing Berlin to my awareness. Now I will keep an eye out for one of the Black Sparrow Press editions I see were published in the '90s.

I'm interested in a Hemingway take on abortion, so I'll slip that story into my reading queue. But probably from the library. I have no more book$$ for Hemingway.

>85 LBShoreBook: I also think that's a good choice to draw from and would happy support a dispatch from her too.

I’m thrilled to see this one. It was a story that I had taught for many years to university students here in Japan, one that generated far more of an emotional response than might be expected. It routinely ranked quite high in surveys at the end of semesters.

I'm a centaur subscriber and I like Hemingway , but $300 seems high for a few-page short story.

February 2023 Monthly Dispatch: Twenty Love Poems and A Song of Despair By Pablo Neruda, translated by W. S. Merwin
https://thornwillow.com//current-dispatch



February is the month that represents love, passion, and the expression of those emotions. In celebration of love and to warm our readers in the cold of winter, we are happy to announce that the pre-publication subscription period for the next title in our ongoing Monthly Dispatch Series is now open. We are proud to present:

Twenty Love Poems and A Song of Despair, By Pablo Neruda, translated by W. S. Merwin

When Pablo Neruda published the first poem in this collection, often titled “Cuerpo de mujer” (“Body of a Woman”) in 1924, the devastation resulting from the horrors of World War I was still at the forefront of people's minds. Additionally, Neruda’s native Chile was hit hard by the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918-1921. The nation that first read the passionate and unreserved lines “Cuerpo de mujer, blancas colinas, muslos blancos, / te pareces al mundo en tu actitud de entrega” was a nation, a people, in recovery. Neruda illustrates the importance of meditating on beauty in a period of searching.

Veinte poemas de amor y una canción desesperada was widely acclaimed upon its publication in 1924, with widespread popularity among critics and the Chilean population alike. Although criticized for its explicit erotic nature, the poems resonated with a nation attempting to rebuild after tragedy. Neruda meditates on both the natural yet rough beauty and down-to-earth women of his native Chile in his poetry. His voice rings with a yearning and honesty that makes his work timeless; any person who has loved can feel the truth in the rawness of Neruda’s words. The sincerity and complexity of his writing earned Neruda a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971. But regardless of the period in which one reads it, Neruda’s voice strikes a deep chord. Even in the twenty-first century, it is the bestselling book of poetry in the Spanish language.

But Neruda’s legacy goes beyond literature. A vocal member of the Chilean Communist Party, he published a great deal of historical and political writing in addition to love poetry. Neruda served in diplomatic posts for the Chilean government in Argentina, Spain, France, and Mexico, and advised Salvadore Allende, the first (and only) socialist President of Chile. Following Augusto Pinochet’s fascist coup-d'etat in 1973, Neruda suspected a doctor of attempting to poison him on Pinochet’s orders. Indeed, the Chilean government issued a statement in 2015 stating that, contrary to the line repeated since Neruda’s death in 1973 that he had died of heart failure, it was in fact likely that Neruda was killed as a result of his political associations.

Thornwillow’s edition of Twenty Love Poems and A Song of Despair presents the text in both the original Spanish and the English translation by W. S. Merwin. Merwin, a much-celebrated poet in his own right, brings the lyricism and beauty of Neruda’s poetry into English. Merwin’s own poetry earned him Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry in 1979 and 2009 and a National Book Award for Poetry in 2005, and he served as the 17th United States Poet Laureate in 2010. In addition to his translation of Twenty Love Poems and A Song of Despair, Merwin has translated other classic poetry such as “The Song of Roland,” Dante’s “Purgatorio,” and “Gawain and the Green Knight.”

Available for pre-order via subscription to the Thornwillow Dispatch until January 31st, 2023.

Classic Edition: Copies bound in letterpress paper wrappers
Patrons’ Edition: Volumes featuring gold engraved black paper wrappers
Centaur Patrons’ Edition: Hardbound in cloth and decorative paper boards*
Patrons’ and Centaur Patrons’ Editions will also be individually numbered and signed by the publisher.

*Available only to Centaur Patron subscribers to the Thornwillow Dispatch

>92 whytewolf1: Excellent! Looking forward to this one as well.

>93 Shadekeep: Me, too. Another dual-language edition too, which I love!

>94 whytewolf1: Seconded! I'd love to see more of that going forward, and kudos to Thornwillow for taking this route.

I hope they do a dual of One Hundred Years of Solitude. Grateful Thornwillow is doing this.

>91 ProbisPateo: Remember, though, that as a Centaur subscriber, you are actually a patron of the press. The proceeds go to support their work and the work of the Thornwillow Institute. Also, the only way to get a Centaur edition ( unless you can find one on the secondary market) is to be a Centaur subscriber. The editions are super limited. Also, I have paid $300 for a broadside or a print. In other words, I don't think the size of the book correlates to the price. We can all think about some very expensive postage stamps or baseball cards. I think this story is a terrific addition to the series (regardless of the fact that its on the shorter side).

Also, I just received a half leather copy of The Red and the White. This little book is a gem. The quality of the binding is amazing. Little leather bound books are so hard to do well and this one hits it out of the park IMO.

I understand that they have a number of new people in the bindery doing really beautiful work and are gradually getting caught up. And they now have a second Heidelberg press for the book work so the printing front is getting caught up too. I'm especially looking forward to seeing Ulysses get back on track. I called the press the other day for an update and it sounds like things are heading in a good direction on several fronts. In the meantime I look forward to continuing to receive the Dispatches. They are wonderful little boxes.

>98 FvS: I'm slightly annoyed that you've received a half-leather copy of that book already and Centaur subscribers are currently 10 months behind on their subscriptions. Just slightly. Like that much annoyed.

It's true. The Centaur editions are terribly delayed. It is really frustrating for us and certainly also for them. I called the other day to nudge/complain/inquire about this. They told me that the leather ones went through a different production pipeline which is why that one got done faster. They said that the Munger Centaur is done and ready to ship shortly and the rest are now finally moving. They have hired some new and talented people in the bindery who are settling, so things should start to move more quickly now. Fingers crossed. I agree with you, the delays are really annoying. But as mentioned earlier, I see the Centaur tier as a way to support the press particularly as they navigated this bumpy last year, so i am ok to be patient. I don't see it as much as a purchase, as a way to support something I am eager to see succeed. That said, I am really looking forward to receiving the books!

I have to say, "Three Tales of Consequence" has my favorite typography, design and illustration of any Dispatch title to date. Excellent illustrator and a great suite of woodcuts that pair perfectly with the text and printing in my opinion.

I just with they'd cut the silly subtitle & introduction and let it be simply a set of thematically related stories.

Good deal. Looking forward to receiving my copies.

>101 NathanOv: it’s a gorgeous book, my favorite so far, though of course I’ve only subscribed for a year so I’m sure I missed some really great ones. It seems like getting away with highway robbery at $30.

March 2023 Monthly Dispatch: Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime by Oscar Wilde



This semi-satirical mystery story follows Lord Arthur Savile as he attempts to reconcile (and perhaps bring about) his own fate after a palm-reader informs him that he will commit murder. In this story, Wilde asks us to ponder the extent to which we make our own destinies, and cautions us on the dangers of believing our choices are predestined and allowing others to influence our decisions.

While Wilde is remembered for his literary feats, from short stories to plays such as The Importance of Being Earnest, he is also known for his trial and arrest for “gross indecency with men,” or as it is more commonly known, homosexuality. Wilde prosecuted the Marquess of Queensberry for libel after the Marquess left a note calling Wilde a “sodomite.” During the proceedings, however, evidence emerged that Wilde was indeed involved in relationships with Lord Alfred Douglas (the Marquess’ son) and Alfred Taylor, as well as a number of young male prostitutes. Following the libel trial, Wilde was prosecuted for sodomy; despite great evidence against him, Wilde pleaded “not guilty” and in 1895 was subsequently sentenced to the maximum penalty: two years of imprisonment and hard labor. Wilde’s struggles with identity, justice, choices, and fate throughout his life are woven into all of his writing, and poignantly so in “Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime.”

Originally published in 1887 in The Court and Society Review, “Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime” resonates as much today as it did over one hundred years ago. It prompts us to interrogate our roles in not only our lives, but the lives of the people around us. In this age of extreme individualism, it is perhaps good to consider how your choices are influenced by others and may in turn affect those around you.

Love this. The engraved cover on the Patrons' Edition will likely be amazing. The Lupin engraved cover was a knockout.

>101 NathanOv: I appreciate that you thought the woodcut prints fit with the text and printing. Few people appreciated how hard it was to print those and make them look right, so thanks.

>103 yolana: I have to say it's so nice to see the positive feedback. I'm glad you liked the book.....it IS the best chapbook so far. ;)

I think they'll be announcing the next one soon. Can't wait.

April 2023 Monthly Dispatch: The Lottery by Shirley Jackson



What activities do we participate in, in our everyday lives, simply because they’re part of the way things have always been done? If we stopped to consider the ethical implications of such traditions, would we still engage in them?

Thornwillow is honored to announce the April 2023 Monthly Dispatch title, Shirley Jackson’s iconic short story, “The Lottery.”

In “The Lottery,” Jackson highlights our tendency to follow traditions without questioning their purpose or morality. This story follows the residents of a small unnamed town, often thought to be in New England (where Jackson lived most of her life). The residents gather in the town square for an annual lottery, each family pulling a slip of paper whose gruesome purpose is eventually revealed.

In this month’s Dispatch, we are giving you the opportunity to take part in a “lottery” of our own. Each Dispatch subscriber will receive a small custom-designed, handmade card; most will be blank, but one box will contain… the black dot (and needless to say, the tickets will be shuffled and distributed at random). Unlike in “The Lottery,” however, the Thornwillow black dot will signal good things in the winner’s future! The recipient of the winning ticket will receive a gift copy of Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler in paper wrapper, another iconic dystopian work published by Thornwillow.

Considered to be one of the most famous short stories in the history of American literature, Jackson’s work of dystopian fiction was first published in The New Yorker in 1948. The reception of the work was immediate and vehement; hate mail and canceled subscriptions abounded following the shocking twist on quaint, picturesque American small-town life that the story details. “The Lottery” serves as an early example of modern dystopian fiction in general, published the year before another iconic work of the genre, 1984 by George Orwell, and serves as an early example of dystopian literature by a female author. Jackson’s writing paved the way for contemporary female-authored dystopian fiction such as The Hunger Games series and The Handmaid’s Tale.

EDIT: Personally tempted to pony up for the Centaur edition this time, though those seem still to be running quite behind in production.

Let's hold off on more dispatches until we catch up on books currently production... I'd like to see that Ulysses I backed via the 2021 Kickstarter sometime in 2023.

>111 L.Bloom: I suspect they are entirely separate teams. The Dispatches may even be part of the Thornwillow apprenticeship/training program. Or at least they would serve well in that slot. The Centaur level appears to call on more senior talent, such as in the binding, and may be why it's slower to the finish along with certain of their other projects.

Shipping for the Dispatch used to be free and now I'm being charged $15. That's ... disappointing.

>113 AMindForeverVoyaging: I don't think that should actually be the case. You may want to contact them about that.

>112 Shadekeep: They also have a fairly large number of monthly subscribers, so I don't really think it's an option. On the good news front, I understand that they have TWO Heidelberg printing presses now!

>113 AMindForeverVoyaging: >14 Powderfinger69: I received that charge as well, and it definitely was not included in my renewal notice. I think it must be an error, and others should likely check if concerned.

>112 Shadekeep: Not really.

>110 Shadekeep: Do you know how confusing that paper wrapper looks like to a printer xD.
Funny little jaunty angle right there

>116 slightlyemo: Care to expand?

>118 Shadekeep: Sure,
I printed The Girling Season, The Red and The White, Part Horror, Part Magic, Holy Ourselves, How to Tell a True War Story, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Arrest of Arsene Lupin, Three Tales of Consequence, almost finished Hills Like White Elephants, and am currently making great headway with Pablo Neruda. I've had roughly 6 full days of training and have worked there for 8 months. I've helped with Ulysses as well but the person printing that was trained by me. I would say we're all the same team.... ;)

>119 slightlyemo: Nifty! Always useful to have the inside skinny. 😊

Incidentally, great job on those titles. I have several of them and they are attractively made. And I do like the various covers for The Lottery, even if they are a bit vexatious to a printer. 😆

>120 Shadekeep: Hahaha fair enough xD.

Thanks! It's nice to hear someone liked them :)). Yes.....quite xD

>115 NathanOv: Thornwillow responded to my email and said that indeed there was an error on their end and there should be no shipping fee. They also said they'd refund any Dispatch shipping charge that might have been paid.

>122 AMindForeverVoyaging: Glad you heard back! Still waiting on my response, but hopefully they've realized it was a wide spread issue and can simply refund in bulk rather than by individual request.

Has anyone gotten the classic edition of Arsene Lupin delivered yet?

>124 SolerSystem: I believe mine came in December.

>123 NathanOv: I set a message about it as well and heard back that they detected an issue with the system. Here's what they wrote:

Thank you so much for reaching out to the Press. We were made aware of this additional shipping charge yesterday; this was a mistake on our part (with the way that our website is set up, the setting for free shipping was mistakenly not applied to this month's Dispatch). We have fixed the mistake on our website and will process a full refund of the additional $15 charge. Please allow 10 business days for the charge to be processed.

That being said, if you don't see a refund after a while, do reach out to them.

>124 SolerSystem: Yes, I think it was about a month ago.

The Thornwillow Dispatch at $30 per month with free shipping is an astonishing deal. The best deal in fine press, by far. By far far!

I post this here about once a year, but for any who have missed it, here's a great read about the history of Thornwillow:

https://www.vassar.edu/specialcollections/exhibit-highlights/2006-2010/thornwill...

>127 grifgon: Thank you for the article, Griffin. It will be a perfect bedtime reading.

>128 Lukas1990: This historical sketch was also published in Thornwillow's 25-year bibliography. I noticed one available on Abe for a terrific price:

https://www.abebooks.com/signed/Ars-omnia-tuetur-years-printing-Thornwillow/3135...

May 2023 Monthly Dispatch: Paul's Case by Willa Cather



In life, it is often difficult to find one’s place in the world, trying to fit in when it feels as though everyone around us knows exactly who they are and where they belong. We often seek to escape the places and circumstances that we were born into, looking elsewhere to find what we cannot find at home. Thornwillow is honored to present the next title in the Monthly Dispatch series:

Paul’s Case

By Willa Cather

This short story follows Paul, a young man frustrated and out of place in his middle-class life in Pittsburgh, as he journeys to New York City and experiences some of the glamor of the bustling metropolis while contemplating his future and the path of his life; and whether or not he can stand returning to the status quo. Many scholars have studied “Paul’s Case” over the years, making arguments about Paul’s identity that associate him with homosexuality, autism, or a number of other historically marginalized identities. That said, Paul’s discontentedness is something all of us can identify with, a struggle to find happiness and purpose in one’s prescribed circumstances.

The fantasy of Gilded Age New York City presents a compelling contrast to the stark reality of Paul’s native Pittsburgh, a sparkling haven of luxury against the industrial center of coal mining and steel production. This story is very much in tune with Cather’s own life story at that moment in time. It was written when Cather was living in Pittsburgh, shortly before she moved to New York City to serve as an editor at McClure’s Magazine (where this story was first published in 1905).

Paul’s desires and quest to find meaning and excitement in his life are familiar to many of us. Although Paul makes a tragic decision for himself, his story continues to resonate for readers more than 100 years after the story’s publication.

“Paul’s Case” is available for subscription now until April 27, 2023 at 7pm EST in three letterpress printed limited editions:

Classic Edition: Copies bound in letterpress paper wrappers
Patrons’ Edition: Volumes featuring handmade paste paper wrappers
Centaur Patrons’ Edition: Hardbound in cloth and decorative paper boards*
Patrons’ and Centaur Patrons’ Editions will also be individually numbered and signed by the publisher.

*Available only to Centaur Patron subscribers to the Thornwillow Dispatch

>130 whytewolf1: Nice, another one to look forward to! They've been on a solid roll with these of late, one good title after the next.

>130 whytewolf1: I'm happy to see a Willa Cather title! I haven't read this particular story, but it sounds like it'll be a good read.

Side note, if there is an impending new Thornwillow book announcement, and they keep up the pattern of doing a dispatch from the same author ahead of the announcement, I think Cather's the first recent candidate for a full-length publication. Not sure what it would be though, with One of Ours probably being a bit too long, and My Antonia perhaps a bit too short.

>132 NathanOv: My guess would be O Pioneers!, though I wouldn't rule out My Ántonia.

>131 Shadekeep: >132 NathanOv: I agree (and I’ve heard others comment) that Thornwillow is on a roll editorially-speaking with the Dispatch titles!

As far as a major new release (whenever that may come), I think it will be interesting to see if they solicit another literary classic like Ulysses, something a bit more contemporary like Song of Solomon or Parable of the Sower, or if it winds up being something surprising and less characteristic.

Hey all!

I've since departed Thornwillow Press as a printer and even though I didn't print the cover myself for the book - I'm going to post a comprehensive post of my journey in printing the Thornwillow press dispatch book 'Three Tales of Consequence' on my Instagram page if any of you are interested. :))
It's the work I'm most proud of printing there and think some of you might enjoy seeing and reading some of the details that go into printing one of those books.

>135 slightlyemo: Do you have a link?

>135 slightlyemo: Will you be continuing to print elsewhere? Maybe under your own shingle?

>136 marceloanciano: yes, link please!

I'll be posting Sunday in the late afternoon :). I'll post a link then.

>137 Shadekeep: It is a distinct and likely possibility that I will at some point in the relatively near future start printing myself. Most definitely not in the immediate future unfortunately.

>140 slightlyemo: Let us know if you do!

I had a call with the press today and got a heads up on the next Dispatch being launched on Monday. It is very exciting. I'm really looking forward to this one... But will leave it up to them to announce.

Also learned that they are almost done printing Oscar Wilde and the Lottery goes on press right after... so they're getting caught up!

... and volume 6 of Ulysses shipped today too.

Stupid question. But have the 4 volume half cloth sets been shipped? I haven’t receive mine.

>143 ironjaw: They have not. It appears that all of the paper wrappers will go out first. That makes it dubious whether we will see the 4 volume sets in 2023. You can follow the progress here: https://thornwillow.com/status
The 4 volume sets have remained in the "on press" status for many months.

Thanks

>144 L.Bloom: >143 ironjaw: It's worth noting that they are printing pages for all of the editions at the same time as those for the paper wraps editions, and they have just shipped volumes 6/10 of those, so they're getting there. Progress also does seem to be coming more quickly lately.

Look forward to receiving The Lottery.

June 2023 Monthly Dispatch: Super-Frog Saves Tokyo by Haruki Murakami



When Katagiri, a bank employee who appears average in every way, arrives home from work on February 15, 1995, a six-foot tall frog sitting at his kitchen table announces to him that an earthquake is going to destroy Tokyo in three days' time. Frog enlists Katagiri’s help to prevent the earthquake and save 150,000 people, proving to Katagiri, and the reader, that even the most average person can have a positive impact that reaches far beyond their own life.

Murakami’s celebrated story “Super-Frog Saves Tokyo” (かえるくん、東京を救う) was written in response to the Great Hanshin earthquake that destroyed much of Kobe, Japan on January 17, 1995. The lines between fantasy and reality, dream and true experience, and the real and the imagined are blurred in this adventure; but whether or not it was “real” may not be the most important lesson.

Haruki Murakami has won numerous awards for his literary genius, not least of all being one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2015. His fiction is known for its elements of surrealism and the supernatural juxtaposed next to achingly beautiful explorations of what it means to live, love, and experience the pain that is a part of both. “Super-Frog Saves Tokyo” is a poignant example of what makes Murakami’s writing both controversial and beloved, with a somewhat absurd premise ultimately questioning our understanding of reality and the impact an individual can have on the world.

Personal note: Glad to see the continuation of non-English original works coming to this series.

I'm really excited about this title. Very neat. It was posted today on Murakami's fan page, https://www.facebook.com/harukimurakamiauthor which has over 2 million followers. I wonder if this edition will end up being larger than previous ones and also wonder if the Centaur tier will be capped.

I received some of the delayed Centaur volumes recently. They are exceeding my expectations. Just beautiful little gems. Really like the cloth bindings. They'll be impossible to find down the road as the editions are so small.

Even with the recent price increase (which doesn't apply to existing subscribers unless you cherry pick the titles you subscribe to or hop between levels), I still feel the dispatch is the fine press deal of the century. You get so much for your money. I went to an ordinary pub the other day with a friend in Chicago and had fish and chips and a few beers and it was over $100 for the two of us. Kinda puts it all in perspective.

I agree with everyone else that the dispatch is a great deal (even as an overseas subscriber, where it works out to 50$ and occasional import fees, when customs feels like it), but I cancelled my subscription in February.

It took me a while to realize it, but some aspects of the Thornwillow books just do not agree with me (I also have their edition of The Waste Land, so these points apply beyond the dispatch).
First are the bindings, which I have found in all occasions to be exceedingly tight. If I have to apply conscious and continuous effort to keep a book open, reading it is not very enjoyable. Perhaps I am meant to do violence to the spine on every other page, but that just feels... wrong?
Second is the font choice (Perpetua I believe). It is just too small and compact for me, with not enough "white space" (surely there is a technical, typographic term for this) in the letters. They are simply too "thick" for their small height. This is somewhat alleviated in the larger sizes such as used in The Waste Land, but in the compact dispatch, there is no escaping it.
Last and perhaps least is the paper (Mohawk?), which I find to be stiff but not crisp, and with an unappealing texture. It is also very brightly white, where I prefer a more eggshell tint so that the contrast between print and paper is not too great.

Obviously this is not meant as any sort of objective criticism, but perhaps some prospective subscribers will recognize their own taste in my gripes and avoid disappointment.
I suspect that my discomfort with the Thornwillow offerings stems (at least in part), from my focus on vintage editions in the rest of my collection. These bring with them well-worn backs, seasoned, creamy, often handmade papers and, due to my personal choices, airy, spacious fonts. De gustibus!

I have encountered some uneven printing here and there, but never to the point that I would think to complain about it, given the price point.
I will still be keeping an eye on what is on offer every month, and if a particularly beloved text ever comes up, I still would snatch it up!

>150 thfrgi: Hm - Thornwillow uses a wide variety of paper, type, and font sizes. There may have been a run of texts in perpetua, and I am not actually sure who the paper manufacturer is, but the last 6-months have shown a ton of variety.

It might be worth checking out Three Tales of Consequence or Peau D’Ane as I think they avoid most of the things you dislike, apart from the textured paper.

>151 NathanOv: You're right, of course, the type changes each dispatch. Perhaps it is symptomatic that in my recollection they all blended together. Perpetua was for The Waste Land.
I still find them too thick for their size, here is an attempt at illustrating what I mean:
Above you see the 1901 edition of Shakespeare's sonnets by Thomas B. Mosher, below the February Thornwillow dispatch, Lord Arthur Savile's Crime (photographed side by side).



Even though the Sonnet is printed a fair bit smaller, I find it much more pleasant to read as the letters are thin and remain well-proportioned, while the Jenson type below feels bloated.
The difference is subtle, to be sure, but once I started to feel it I could not let go of it.

Looking over my dispatches, some are printed on a slightly warmer shade of white, but the paper was otherwise the same, as far as I could ascertain.

Revisiting my list of grievances after adjusting for my misapprehensions, I think the one point I would not call entirely subjective is that of the tight binding.
To take that picture of the Savile I had to forcefully press the book down to get it to stay at least somewhat flat, while the sonnets laid open of their own accord.
Going through all my dispatches, all of them have a "natural" opening angle of about 30°, anything more requires some force. I think 45° or more would be more comfortable and seems to be standard across my other books.
Perhaps this is due to the small size of the dispatches, or is simply a side effect of the simple glued back.

Anyway, I'll stop complaining now! They're still beautiful, affordable little books.

July 2023 Monthly Dispatch: Death of a Pig by by E.B. White



E. B. White is one of the most beloved names in children’s literature, with works including Charlotte’s Web, Trumpet of the Swan, and Stuart Little earning him a Presidential Medal of Freedom and National Award for Literature, among numerous other accolades. But White was an extremely prolific essayist in addition to writing novels, contributing over eighteen hundred pieces to The New Yorker over the course of his life.

White spent many years living and working in New York City, but he dearly cherished his summers spent living on his family farm in Brooklin, Maine. It was on the farm that White wrote this essay, detailing the experience of caring for, and losing, one of his pigs. White describes the steps taken to try to save a pig that grew ill one summer, struggling to alleviate his pain and help him recover, while dealing with White’s own grief and the irony of mourning the death of a pig who was being raised for slaughter.

Although White himself never confirmed it, others have written that “Death of a Pig” was the essay that inspired, or perhaps catalyzed, the writing of Charlotte’s Web. Gerald Weales wrote in The New York Times that Charlotte’s Web attempted “to save his pig in retrospect,” giving White an alternative ending, albeit literary, for the tragedy that he details so poignantly in this essay.

August 2023 Monthly Dispatch: SEEDS by Bette Ann Moskowitz



“You know how it is. With family you’re never free.”

We are proud to present the first Thornwillow Patrons’ Prize winner of 2023:

SEEDS
By Bette Ann Moskowitz

This saga of one family’s journey spans three generations and two nations. “SEEDS” follows Pietro Lunapiena as he grows up on the northwestern coast of Italy, falls in love, and makes his way, alongside his wife and their close friends, in Brooklyn. Touching on the complexities of living and loving in a new environment and coming to terms with the legacies of harsh parenting, “SEEDS” is a beautiful and nuanced story of family and the ties that bind us.

Bette Ann Moskowitz is the author of three novels and three works of non-fiction. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, Review of Contemporary Fiction, American Book Review, as well as other publications, and her popular blog, Vinegar Mother has appeared every Monday for the last five years (www.vinegarmother.wordpress.com). Moskowitz is a former New York Foundation for the Arts Fellow in Literary Non-fiction and finalist in the same category. She has taught writing at Queens College in New York City, as well as in various workshops and master classes. She loves polarities: the nobody with the soul of a superstar, the unnoticed moment that changes the world, secrets in plain sight, the collisions of funny and sad. She lives in New York’s Hudson Valley.

Super-Frog Saves Tokyo arrived yesterday, pleasing edition. The green cover isn't as vivid as in the web image, it's darker and more tasteful I find. Laid in the order was a prospectus for The Waste Land, which is nice, as it's been a while since I've seen a Thornwillow prospectus.

>156 AlexBookshelfFrog: Yes

September 2023 Monthly Dispatch: Leave it to Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse



First published in 1916, “Leave it to Jeeves” is the first story in which Wodehouse’s celebrated butler appears in his full form. The “capable” and “extraordinary” valet to Bertie Wooster, Jeeves’ problem-solving and resourcefulness have made his name a colloquial synonym for the perfect helper. Inspired by Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, the iconic duo Jeeves and Wooster were featured in more than thirty short stories and eleven novels by Wodehouse, anticipating and resolving comedic situations from London to New York City.

“Leave it to Jeeves” is everything that we love about the proper and knowledgeable manservant and his sometimes bumbling master. Jeeves knows everything from the correct suit for Wooster to wear, the horse to bet on (or not to), to the best way to introduce oneself to a lady, and proves himself absolutely indispensable to Wooster and his friends in this first of many stories.

October 2023 Monthly Dispatch: The Hunter's Wife by Anthony Doerr



This haunting short story follows a hunter and his wife as she uncovers an extraordinary ability in herself and seeks to share it with the world. The story examines what it means to trust someone you care about, and questions whether it is necessary to see in order to believe.

Anthony Doerr is a once-in-a-generation talent. His 2014 novel, All the Light We Cannot See, won the Pulitzer Prize, and his recent novel Cloud Cuckoo Land is a remarkable feat of speculative fiction that won the National Book Award. Doerr is particularly renowned for his short stories; his 2002 collection The Shell Collector, in which a version of “The Hunter’s Wife” was included, was described by The Boston Globe as “perilously beautiful.”

Does anyone know of an online way to change the delivery address for in-progress orders? I’ve recently moved and several Dispatches are still pointing towards the old address. I tried emailing support, but they said just “new ones will go to the new address” and haven’t responded to my follow up emails about existing ones. Online still shows them pointing towards the wrong address. I called the support number today and got the answering machine.

November 2023 Monthly Dispatch: The Birds by Daphne du Maurier



What is our place in the natural order of things? What happens when human beings push the patience of the environment too far? How does the natural world push back?

First published in 1952, Daphne du Maurier’s story "The Birds", imagines answers to these questions in her now iconic and chilling story about birds taking control of a community and subjugating people to their whim.

Du Maurier was often referred to as a “romantic novelist,” a label she resented. Her short stories are more sinister, expertly written tales of fear that challenged and surprised her readers. One of her most successful novels was Rebecca (1938), sold 3 million copies between 1938 and 1965, and won du Maurier a National Book Award.

Captivated by the surreal and terrifying notion of birds putting people in their place, Alfred Hitchcock was inspired to make his film “The Birds” based on du Maurier’s story. This 1963 film is now considered a cinematic masterpiece — a frightening vision of a world in which people have pushed the limits of the natural world, and nature pushes back.

With this month’s Dispatch, we invite you to ruminate on du Maurier’s horror story and consider the nature of the actual world we live in.

>161 Shadekeep: Another stellar choice - 2023 continues to be my favorite run of Dispatch titles yet.

Based on this, I'd say there's at least a slight possibility of Rebecca as the fall anchor book, though I didn't enjoy that novel as much as "The Birds."

>162 NathanOv: Agreed, it's been a superb year for the Dispatches. This one really has my interest up. I agree that Rebecca is a possibility given this release, though I much prefer Don't Look Now myself and would rather have a fine press reprint of the Not After Midnight collection containing it.

Do I only need to subscribe to be able to snatch an copy of this wonderfully book ?

>164 Ragnaroek: It'll be available after publication, but you get a good discount and some extras if you subscribe, not to mention getting it sooner.

>165 NathanOv: thank you .
I really looking forward to get a copy of this title. Its a pleasure to read

Forget it... its bound to an actually monthly subscription service...
Let's wait and see

>167 Ragnaroek: If you are on FB there is a Fans of Thornwillow site - someone invariably flogs monthly chapbooks they don't want.

>168 LBShoreBook:
I will take a look. Thanks for the information.
Thornwillow editions have slipcases ?

Do i pay 65$ each month for the Classic subscription? ( I have no account to see more details or I'm blind maybe...)
Is this for 12 month ? Can I cancel it immediately after purchase? Would be thankful for any information or a way to find specific information 🙏

>167 Ragnaroek: There’s no obligation to subscribe for more than a month, though I’d highly recommend it.

Thornwillow does boxes for their leather and half leather editions, but rarely slipcases, and never for the dispatch titles.

>169 Ragnaroek: not the monthly chapbooks

>170 NathanOv:
So I can buy the classic for 65 $ or the top tier for 300$ and cancel the subscription immediately?

Are there any information about the books? I couldn't find much.. just that it is letterpress and cloth bound for example.

Maybe i see more with an account?

>172 Ragnaroek: Pretty much! Keep in mind, with the Centaur Editions you’re essentially donating to the press and getting a more exclusive keepsake, rather than getting that much higher-tier of a book.

Is it no longer possible to subscribe for the Dispatch through Patreon? I checked the Patreon webpage this morning and it no longer has any tiers other than $1.

>174 toaonua: It isn’t. Though it’s not quite as convenient for folks who want to jump on and jump off of the subscription. I think the press smartly decided to bring the subscription in house, rather than pay 5% to Patreon every month for those subscribers.

Anyone owns a copy of Song of Solomon ?
Iam interested in the half leather bound version... I cant find any information about the book at all though.
-printed letterpress?
-slipcase, clamshell?
-paper used..
...

Is that normal at this press or hidden very good ? I asked a similar question above for the monthly dispatch ...

>176 Ragnaroek: all Thornwillow publications are letterpress. Most, if not all, of their half-leather books come in a clamshell (Song of Solomon does). The best information about their books often can be found in the Kickstarter campaign descriptions. Here is the one for the half-leather:

“The Half-Leather edition is bound in yellow Moroccan goatskin and handmade paste paper boards, with letterpress printed endpapers. In this edition, the frontispiece portrait of Toni Morrison is a handprinted photogravure. The top edge of the book is gilt and each copy has hand-sewn headbands. It is presented in a suede lined clamshell box with a gold tooled leather spine label. Each copy is signed and numbered by the publisher.

- Printed letterpress on Milkweed Wove archival paper
- Handmade paste paper endpapers
- Handprinted photogravure frontispiece portrait of Toni Morrison”

(Found at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thornwillow/toni-morrisons-song-of-solomon/...

>177 jsg1976:
Thank you very much !!!
Sad I missed the kickstarter . The prices have sky rocket now. 795$ > 1250$

How often does Thornwillow start an Kickstarter campaign ? More then twice a year?
I really like those half leather editions, they are like my Lyras Dorian Gray, which is fantastic .

Thornwillow books have illustrations and signatures from authors ? I read something about "signed by the publisher" . Whatever that means.

It does seem that the kickstarters are the way to go. I missed the Poe kickstarter and really like the half leather but seeing it priced on the kickstarter at $595 vs. the current price of $995 on their website makes me think I should just wait for a future title with a kickstarter campaign.

>180 LeBacon:
A little odd if you ask me. They didn't sold the books for the ask price and sell them now for 1/3 more . Hmm

>181 Ragnaroek: They couldn't sell out of the half-leather edition on the Kickstarter, because the plan was always to produce more than sold. The listing states "Edition limited to 25 more than backed.". The deluxe editions, like The Speckled Calf, rarely sell out completely in these campaigns, though they often will if there are 5 or fewer of them. Frequently the campaigns also include unique editions of which only one is produced.

>182 Shadekeep:
So this is intended? Iam new to thornwillow tbh.
I'm really into beautiful bound leather books

>183 Ragnaroek: Yes, their campaigns are often to produce volumes for sale from the storefront as well. There is a discount in the campaigns to encourage early purchases and build up the funds to produce the books. I've been supporting them for a good while now, since the days of their first broadside collection campaign. I even suggested a few of the topics which made it into those. Their books are well made and attractive, so you should enjoy them too.

>184 Shadekeep:
Do some of them have illustrations?

>185 Ragnaroek: Oh yes. The Poe volume is spectacularly illustrated by tattoo artist John Reardon. His work also graces their now-out-of-print monthly Dispatch, The Black Cat.

>186 Shadekeep:
I'm tempted. I will have this Press on my watch list from now on 😊

>180 LeBacon:
The Half Leather edition is more tempting then the full leather for my taste

>187 Ragnaroek: I specifically followed them on Kickstarter to be sure to get the alert next time they announce a campaign (along with a few others like No Reply Press).

Edit - and agree on the half-leather. Love the slight blood spatter on the boards.

>188 Ragnaroek: Their Deluxe Half-Leather books are consistently their finest binding designs, IMO.

>178 Ragnaroek: There is a half leather edition for sale on the Fans of Thornwillow FB site for $750. Motivated seller (not me).

>191 LBShoreBook: thank you for the Information 🙂

>189 LeBacon: I'm another who prefers the half-leather over the full leather. The boards are almost invariably attractive on those editions.

>158 Shadekeep: Does anyone know what happened to this title? I don't see it anywhere at Thornwillow, even under past Dispatch Titles. On the subject of P G Wodehouse, does anyone know of any other fine presses that have done work on this author?

>194 Popglossup: They'll list it on the website at some point once subscriptions have shipped.

"Seeds" is shipping now, but the last Dispatch title they added for individual purchase was the Hurakami story from June, so it seems they're a bit behind.

>194 Popglossup: It's not on the Status page either. But the October title The Hunter's Wife is similarly unlisted, and I believe it's mostly just that they don't appear on the site until they reach a certain status in production. I don't think the book has been cancelled or anything like that, and any remaining copies should be listed for sale once it reaches the "active" status, whatever the threshold is for that there.

Thanks for the info. I wonder if there is any way to get a copy at this point.

>197 Popglossup: I don't believe there is, not until it goes live on their site. There should be some copies available at that time however, at least on the publicly available tiers. None of us subscribers have it yet either, the most recent Dispatch I have is Seeds.

>198 Shadekeep: OK, thanks, I'll keep an eye peeled.

How interesting, Thornwillow is sponsoring a series of concerts and after-dinners now. I rather wish I were close enough to take part, I love pipe organ music. If they do a Buxtehude night, I may have to make a pilgrimage.

https://thornwillowinstitute.org/

Louise Glück, the poet, has passed. I was looking for some of her work in fine press, which is normally a bastion of great poetry, and all I really found was the Dispatch from Thornwillow that I already have. If any fine press studios are reading this, we truly could do with more from her.

Man, that latest TW Chronicle newsletter got me excited yesterday. Titled "A remembrance of things past...," made me think they were announcing they'd be doing Proust. Sigh, still waiting...

>200 Shadekeep: Yes. this looks really great. A pilgrimage will be in order for one of these concerts. They should do a press tour and concert combo.

I can't make this one, but Paul Jacobs is one of the great living organists. Like really great.

Here's the info about the concert and dinner if someone else is near and able to go:

To celebrate the restoration and reinstallation of the E.M. Skinner Pipe Organ (Opus 512)
at Calvary Church in Newburgh New York
and
to inaugurate a new music series
Thornwillow Concerts at Calvary
under the artistic direction of Lowell Liebermann

Please join us to hear

Grammy Award Winning Organist
PAUL JACOBS
perform masterworks of
Bach, Mozart, Dudley Buck,
Franck and Guilmant.

on Saturday November 4, 2023 at 5pm
and afterwards at a post concert Patrons Dinner
featuring a locally sourced menu by artist and chef
Leon Johnson.

Please sign up here www.thornwillowinstitute.org
Attendance to the concert is free
The post concert Patrons Dinner is $200 per person to benefit the ongoing series
committed to making great music accessible to the community.
The deadline to sign up for the dinner is October 29h

Well this is a first - I received my September dispatch before my August one. I was excited to finally get a tracking notice after watching Seeds marked "shipping pending" on the status page for nearly a month, only to receive Leave it To Jeeves instead.

Has anyone else received Jeeves before Seeds, or did I miss a month?

>204 NathanOv: You might want to follow up with TW, I had Seeds well before Jeeves. I've been getting Dispatch shipping emails very much on the regular lately, so it looks like the production of the Classic edition is on a fairly solid schedule. Did you subscribe to a different tier? That might be a factor if so.

>204 NathanOv: I’m a Patron subscriber, and I received Seeds a couple of weeks ago, I think. I’ve also received Jeeves. Can’t recall which showed up first, though.

>205 Shadekeep: >206 whytewolf1: Interesting. Seems to be just me then. I haven't made any changes to my subscription, just received my July dispatch and then September without even a shipping notice in between. I'll send them an email and see what happened.

There are some nice books waiting at the Thornwillow store, but the prices for the half-leather editions are really high... 1200€ for Fitzgerald...
How are the half or full cloth editions compared to the half-leather editions.
Is there an clamshell-case aswell?

>208 Libri_mea_vita_sunt: the half-cloth are really nice, and for a long time were among the best bargains in fine press publishing, especially when purchased through the Kickstarter campaigns, when the prices are much lower (though they were nearly doubled in the last one, for Charlotte’s Web). No slipcase or clamshell though.

>209 jsg1976: Agreed. I only have half-cloth editions of Thornwillow hardbounds, so I can't really compare them to the leather ones, but I am quite happy with them. It's also true they aren't the bargain they once were, but then so little is.

I appreciate the idea of Thornwillow’s trio of holiday-themed dispatches to end the year.

However, I can’t help wondering why they didn’t start them a month earlier so we didn’t get our horror story at Thanksgiving, our Thanksgiving volume at Christmas, and the Christmas title presumably not shipping until the end of January.

>211 NathanOv: That's a good question. It would have been nice to have received the books in time for the respective holidays. That said, I really love this ongoing series and can't believe they keep it rolling. Every month is a surprise and delight. It's really wonderful work. Take a look at the last year (plus a month or two) ... I think they have really hit it out of the park. And to get the Classic subscription for $45 or the Patrons' (which gives you both the Classic and special edition) for $125 is really incredible. Plus the other interesting ephemera ... It's a remarkable value.

Gift of the Magi - O'Henry
Madonna of Turkey Season - McInerney - Patrons' edition is signed
The Birds - Du Maurier
The Hunter's Wife - Doerr - Patrons' edition is signed
Leave It To Jeeves - Wodehouse
Seeds - Moskowitz - Patrons' Prize winning title - Patrons' edition is signed
Death of a Pig - E.B. White
Super Frog Saves Tokyo - Murakami - Centaur edition is signed
Paul's Case - Cather
The Lottery - Jackson
Lord Arthur Saville's Crime - Wilde
20 Love Poems and a Song of Dispair - Neruda
Hills Like White Elephants - Hemingway
Three Tales of Consequence - Brothers Grimm

They should do a checklist of all the titles. I took this from the status page on their site. https://thornwillow.com/status

This series is an absolute gem.

>212 FvS: You can view the past few years' worth of Dispatches here. I'm pretty sure this isn't all of them but I could be wrong.

>213 A.Nobody: Thank you. This is very useful. I didn't realize they had them all up. The page shows 54 titles... which I think is the whole run. But will check my shelf.
These are all out of print:

Goblin Market - Christina Rosetti
Arson Plus - Dashiell Hammett
The Black Cat - Edgar Allen Poe
The Eyes Have it - Philip K. Dick
If - Rudyard Kipling

I still think it would be great if they did an elegant checklist.

>211 NathanOv: Indeed. One concludes Thornwillow are not customer oriented. The customer doesn't come first. The customer is expected to put aside the Thanksgiving/Christmas book for 11 months and read or gift next year or do they genuinely think we prefer to read/gift the Christmas book in January?

Similarly, I have never really understood the Patron subscription. In order to get the Patron's Edition via subscription you have to buy the Classic Edition as well as the Patron's Edition. Of course you can buy the Patron's Edition outside of subscription and pay $20 (25%) more. Again, it doesn't seem to me it is done this way for the customer.

For this reason, and the rather uninspiring patterned covers most of their editions have, I haven't become a customer yet despite having looked at their website many times. I don't wish them ill but there are so many other attractive options.

I did the Centaur for four months. They do fine work and I don't hold it against them it's labour intensive and they're making books for discerning customers so the work must proceed carefully. I get that. But I had to stop my subscription when I had put out almost $CAD 2000 and had yet to see IF I wanted to continue. In the end I was pleased. And I love the half-leather copy of The Dead I bought as well. But I'm not wealthy enough to give money away like that and simply forget about it until I'm pleasantly surprised by a package in the mail months later.

That said I'll be getting the Winterreise Centaur. It has personal significance and looks beautiful. I should be getting it by May. :(

>215 Pendrainllwyn: I think that's quite unfair. They're customer service has been problematic over the last year, that is true. But they are honest, ethical people who are committed not just to making the editions, but also to perpetuating the craft which has proven particuarly difficult as of late. I don't think they were planning the Thanksgiving and Christmas books to arrive for Christmas (in fact when they annonceed them, they wre clear about when they would begin work on them ... after the subscription period closed... No mystery about timing here ... They announced them in the season and were very clear that they take time to make. I agree it might have been nice to do them a month earlier, but they didn't didn't do that and that's fine. The Madonna of Turkey Season is not a Thanksgiving story. It is a very moving short story by a great writer that is relevant any time of year. O'Henry is timeless... so really, what's the problem here?

The idea of the Patrons subscriptions is that you get two books plus the ephemera. The idea first and foremost is that you are helping support the enterprise as a Patron (as the title suggests) and are rewarded by getting a numbered, much more limited edition, more elaborately produced, and when there is a living author involved it is often signed by the author. You also get a copy of the classic edition which you can keep (which I do) or, as is their intention, you give it to someone who you think might enjoy it... and "pass it forward" as it were. This is nice. A good thing.

I think the designs are in fact very inspiring. Some of them, like Magic Shop and Benjamin Button, and the Neruda volume have "easter eggs" buried in the patterns. Pretty interesting. I think in general the patterns are really neat. If it doesn't capture your imagination fine, but I think it's unfair to dismiss this huge and ongoing effort as uninspiring. The only thing close to it in history was the Insel Verlag books of the 1920s which were also little gems. There is no one doing this kind of steady monthly work of interesting stuff and at an entry price of $45, that's a steal. Frankly, they should be celebrated for it, not put down.

Again, if you don't like it, fine... but it's definitely not fair to dismiss this as insignificant or second rate.

>216 ProbisPateo: I agree... It is very unfortunate that they fell behind. I know that the last year has been extremely difficult for them. They are indeed catching up and getting back on track. They are still very short staffed, I understand, particularly in the office, but this too they say is improving.

All of the Centaur editions that I have received are superb little gems. I am delighted with them and cannot recommend them enough as an end in themselves. They are beautifully bound. Again, the point of being a Centaur Patron is first and foremost to be a Patron and support the enterprise, which I believe is worthy of support. They are not getting rich off this work. It is hard work and I am really happy they are able to continue it. So am happy to support them with the subscription. I also, think that the Centaur editions in their tiny limitation, not available post subscription, that are often signed (The Super Frog Saves Tokyo is signed by Murakami who rarely signs anything at all) will be very collectible in the future. Subscribing at this level is a win win for everyone in my opinion.

Again, I agree that it is very unfortunate that they fell behind. But they are indeed catching up and the fact that they are pushing through hard times makes me more sympathetic and eager to support their efforts.

>218 FvS: I didn't dismiss anything as insignificant or second rate. I didn't question their honesty or ethics either. If you find their covers inspiring, great, go for it. We can have different tastes. I wouldn't have returned to their website many times if I hadn't found anything of merit.

>220 Pendrainllwyn: Apologies. I think I misinterpreted some of your comments focusing on the first part of your statement about the covers being uninspired and not the second part where you said you have returned repeatedly to the site. Apologies. I also don't think they are not customer oriented. If you call the press and engage Luke on the phone, you will see what a passionate person he is. He is eager for suggestions, ideas for publication titles, and ways to make the customer experience better. The status page, for example was something someone on the Thornwillow Fans page suggested and it was quickly added to the site and The Birds was, if I am not mistaken, the suggestion of a subscriber. I think they just still have bandwidth issues that hold them back.. They are not intentionally uninterested in the customer experience. I think it is eating them up that they can't be more proactive sooner. Call the press. Talk to Luke. Judge for yourself.

Again, I am sorry if I misinterpreted your comments. i am just particularly eager to back them up as they get things sorted out and move forward. Sorry if I was overly defensive on their behalf.

>221 FvS: Accepted. Thank you. I could have been gentler with my comments. I came very close to buying The Birds. It was the Patron Edition that interested me but I didn't want the Classic too. I also came very close with Charlotte's Web. Thornwillow have a great track record and attract a lot of very positive comments on these pages. I will continue to keep an eye on what they come out with.

>222 Pendrainllwyn: The BIrds is amazing... it's much longer than the usual Dispatch titles. Its really a novella length. I have to admit, though I've seen the Hitchcock movie, I never read the story. It is wonderful. Quite different from the film. The Patrons' has a letterpress and gold engraved wrapper and the classic has a letterpress only wrapper. The frontispiece, of a bird... is one of my favorite. Similar to the style of the bear frontispiece on the the Anthony Doerr Hunters' Wife edition.

Very much looking forward to Charlotte's Web.

Do the Dispatch editions ever have introductions/forewords/afterwords? Or is it always just the short story?

>224 Inceptic: I’d say they occasionally do, though more often than not it’s by the editor, which I find a bit redundant since each issue is already accompanied by a letter from the editor.

Speech Sounds, Three Tales of Consequence and Recitatif are a few that have front matter.

>224 Inceptic: I wouldn’t know. I only subscribed last August so I haven’t actually received a dispatch yet.

>226 Chemren: Oh wow, they're five months behind?

>227 Inceptic: >226 Chemren: no, they are not 5 months behind (unless you are talking about something other than classic editions). You should call them. They usually announce a title at the beginning of a month and ship the classic edition the following month.

Edited to clarify that the timelines I was talking about apply solely to the classic dispatch and not any of the higher tiers

I subscribed at Centaur level. They are a year behind. I have called multiple times. They profess embarrassment. Nothing happens.

>228 jsg1976: to clarify further,

- Classic editions ship the following month and tend to never fall more than a month behind

- When I was subscribed as a Patron, it took 2-3 months

- My one Centaur edition took 5-6 months if I recall correctly, though I cancelled after one month on Centaur because I’d rather get the consistent monthly chapbook than wait so long.

>228 jsg1976: You are right. They are not 5 months behind. They are 12 months behind.

>230 NathanOv: If I was aware of their status sheet when I signed up, I probably would not have enrolled at the level I did since I would have seen they were already lagging far behind. At this point, I figure the spigot must start to flow someday.

Btw, they are currently three months behind on Classic editions too, judging by their status page.

>232 Chemren: They aren’t - I just received Gifts of the Magi and expect Wintereisse (sp?) soon.

>233 NathanOv: Wonder how often they update their status page.

The status sheet shows Winterreise currently on the presses and the previous two in the process of shipping for Classic and Patron’s editions. The last Classic and Patron’s edition to show green completed status across the board is The Birds.

The last Centaur edition to be all green is Twenty Love Poems from 13 months ago.

My first dispatch should be Leave it to Jeeves. It shows “currently in work” for shipping and I haven’t received it yet, which is why I assumed the worst for the last few classic and patron editions that show the same status.

The 6 months of Centaur editions prior to Jeeves also show currently in work status for shipping. Seems like a weird place in the workflow for a log jam to occur.

If one were to subscribe to the Dispatch now to acquire The Red One at the "discounted" price, when would one have to unsubscribe to not be charged for the next title? Is it possible?

>235 Inceptic: Since you pay immediately for the first installment when you subscribe, all you have to do is place the order, and then you can login and cancel your subscription immediately.

Got "The Red One" today! What a lovely little package to receive in the mail. :-)

I agree. This months dispatch was especially delightful. Christmas every month from our friends in NY!