Tuesday, December 06, 2005
On books published by bookshops
This 1913 reckoning book published by Leary's in Philadelphia measures just over three by five inches. Consider the tiny book itself vs. the advertisement on the back cover for the Largest Old Book Store in America, which ends with this: "We invite every one to pay us a visit, and spend an hour inspecting our vast collection; information is cheerfully given without the inquirer feeling under the slightest obligation to purchase."
The tables within allow you to calculate in general, as well as find the weight of cattle, measure the weight of bushels of various grains, learn square measures ("useful for fruit-growers"), and figure the wages of your hired help (from one to twenty-five dollars per week). I hope the book was a best-seller - I have family members and customers with fond memories of the hours they spent browsing at Leary's, years ago.
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