Tiny Book Arts

The first miniature book I recall was the cautionary tale of Pierre who didn’t care, a tiny red volume in Maurice Sendak’s Nutshell Library. Pierre’s lack of interest in folding the folding chairs, and all the other expectations of the adults around him, spoke to me… When, after his near-death experience inside the lion, he became a folding chair enthusiast, I was a little disappointed, but still charmed by the tiny book. Anyway…

Rummaging around in the New England Book Artists website recently, I came upon a link to the Miniature Book Society, and of course I had to check it out. Surprise! They are associated with the miniature book collection at Indiana University’s Lilly Library that delighted me so last last spring! And they have lots of interesting book arts stuff happening. I joined immediately.

Another surprise: the membership packet included a kit for binding your own 2 1/4 x 3″ edition of The Masque of the Red Death, by Edgar Allen Poe! I dropped all the other tasks I ought to have been doing and assembled it, adding a case binding covered in fiery marbled paper. Binding this little book showed me how much I’ve forgotten, while also refreshing those skills, and now I have a unique edition of this macabre miniature book, plus lots of ideas bubbling up for more. Thanks, MBS!