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Bizarre, Eccentric and Strange Books from Garrett Scott Little People on cover of Garrett Scott's catalogue. By Michael Stillman There are probably no more entertaining book catalogues than those of Garrett Scott, Bookseller. Scott has a knack for finding the eclectic, unusual, ridiculous, and just plain bad. One thing for certain is that few books are common, many having been privately printed, and for obvious reasons. If you are looking for scientific theories that weren't even close to being accurate, eccentric religion, weird occurrences, and, of course, bad poetry, here is the place. Of course we all know the difference between bad and good poetry is the former is entertaining, the latter boring, so read on to learn of just a few of the unusual items Garrett Scott has to offer. And, yes, there are even a few rational, intelligent titles within this catalogue. Thomas Buddington was a medium, who evidently conversed with the late physicist Michael Faraday shortly before publishing this book in the late 19th century. The title is Dissolution or Physical Death, and How Spirit Chemists Produce Materialization. Scott described it as, "Two discourses from the spirit of deceased physicist Michael Faraday, who in life was a public opponent of spiritualism; his views evidently became more liberal after his death." Nothing like death to show the error of your ways. Item 36. Priced at $35. Adam Couse provided us with much wisdom, even if he is unappreciated today. His work was The New Philosophy of Being and Existence published in Detroit in 1883. Couse was a 74-year-old music publisher and instrument salesman who moonlighted as a philosopher. Speaking of the tri-unity of man, Couse explains, "But, if Matter is of Eternity, uncreated - then life is a result of Matter - and Mind is an elimination of Pork and Beans." I thought I was following his point right until the very end. Item 43. $75. Here is an item that collectors of our 15th President, James Buchanan, may have missed. It is actually a book to help people learn German, but it comes with an odd recommendation from then Senator Buchanan. The title is English Colloquial Phrases, Alphabetically Arranged, with a Free Translation into German by Moritz Ertheiler, published in Lancaster, Pennsylvania (by the author) in 1843. If you wonder how Buchanan could be such a successful politician despite being incompetent for the high office he held, listen to his words: "I am not sufficiently acquainted with the German language to form a judgment for myself on the merits of your 'Book of Colloquial Phrases,' yet I feel no hesitation in recommending it to public patronage." Spoken like a true politician. Item 52. $75.
Bizarre, Eccentric and Strange Books from Garrett Scott none In the 19th century there was a great fascination with little people that led many to become performers. Of course the best known was Tom Thumb, relentlessly hawked by P.T. Barnum, but there were also Princess Wee Wee, Chiquita the Living Doll, Prince Tinymite, Vance Swift the midget xylophonist, and Herdes Bridges, the Nazarene Midget Evangelist. Item 100 is a collection of various photographs, books, pamphlets, postcards and more pertaining to these little people. See the photo on the cover of this catalogue for a sample. $2,850. Item 27 is I Am; A Novel of Psychotherapy, by Florence Blake-Hedges, published by the Roxburgh Publishing Company of Boston in 1910. This is the story of a baby, rescued from its dying mother, who grows up with clairvoyant powers, eventually ending up in madness. Along the way there is much discussion of neurosis, free will, and the like. In a burst of painful honesty, Scott informs us that this is, "A convoluted, eccentric and nearly unreadable novel, even when judged by the elastic standards of this bookselling concern." $75. Reverend Silas Blake was not pleased with the woman's suffrage movement when he preached Woman's Rights. A Fast-Day Sermon: Preached in the South Congregational Church, Concord N.H., April 7, 1870. He offers a prayer to God to fence women off from the political arena, all the time assuring us that men have their best interests at heart. However, he is forced into some backtracking based on accusations he had called the women engaged in this movement "harlots." "If people will take the trouble to examine their dictionaries they will see there is a vast difference between a harlot and a harlequin," he explains. Surely there is, but one wonders whether the good Reverend really called them "harlequins" or the other "harl" word. That would surely have been an unusual reference for women, while the other one was quite commonly used. Anyway, Blake assures us that this word, whatever it was, was not used in reference to the leaders of this movement. However, unable to hold back, Blake adds, "Their haste to appropriate it is very suggestive." Item 26. $75. To Armageddon! by James Miller (1870) is another one of these "printed for the author" books. Miller begins, "It is necessary that I should explain to the reader why an unlearned blind mechanic should undertake the work of pointing out to others the remedy for evils that exist in Christian society." The obvious reason is because no one else was pointing out the truth. Miller explains "that God has decreed that we must drink until we submit to the whole law, as the wine cup is the instrument with which He is overthrowing all his enemies." I'll go along with that, but Miller forgot to mention that God also decreed we eat lots of pizza, cake and ice cream, drive big cars, and run up enormous charges on our credit cards too as part of His plan to overthrow His enemies. Oh well. I'd rather have an "unlearned blind mechanic" preach to me than fix my car. Item 102. $100.
Bizarre, Eccentric and Strange Books from Garrett Scott none A tragic tale is told in The Sacrifice of Madaline: From Earth to Glory by a Skyrocket, a 1905 book by P.W. Walthall. Minna Madaline Marie Ashley was a pious 19-year-old teacher (how did she become a teacher at that age?) when fate tragically drew her to a fireworks show. A poorly aimed skyrocket brought the young lady to her demise. "The sharp point of the deadly missile struck her squarely in the left eye and buried itself in her brain. It was so tightly wedged in that it took two men to pull it out of her head." Perhaps they should have left the job to a surgeon. Item 151. $75. Miss Ashley was not the only one to suffer such a tragic fate. Abner Cunningham relays what happened to a bunch of free thinkers in Practical Infidelity Portrayed and the Judgments of God Made Manifest (1836). As he explains, a group of free thinking men in late 18th century New York, who "claimed a right to indulge in lasciviousness," met death most unnatural. "An unnatural death is to die as they did!! Of these, some were shot; some hung; some drowned; two destroyed themselves by intemperance, one of whom was eaten by dogs, the other by hogs, one committed suicide; one fell from his horse, and was killed; and one was struck with an axe, and bled to death." Of course what Cunningham could not tell us at the time, but we can say now, is that he and all of his followers are also dead now too, but they probably had a lot less fun along the way. Item 45. $200. There are many more where these came from, and some are a bit more serious, but this is one of the more amusing book catalogues you'll ever read. Garrett Scott, Bookseller, may be found online at www.GSBbooks.com and reached by telephone at 734-741-8605.

Bizarre, Eccentric and Strange Books from Garrett Scott

Little People on cover of Garrett Scott's catalogue.

By Michael Stillman

There are probably no more entertaining book catalogues than those of Garrett Scott, Bookseller. Scott has a knack for finding the eclectic, unusual, ridiculous, and just plain bad. One thing for certain is that few books are common, many having been privately printed, and for obvious reasons. If you are looking for scientific theories that weren't even close to being accurate, eccentric religion, weird occurrences, and, of course, bad poetry, here is the place. Of course we all know the difference between bad and good poetry is the former is entertaining, the latter boring, so read on to learn of just a few of the unusual items Garrett Scott has to offer. And, yes, there are even a few rational, intelligent titles within this catalogue.

Thomas Buddington was a medium, who evidently conversed with the late physicist Michael Faraday shortly before publishing this book in the late 19th century. The title is Dissolution or Physical Death, and How Spirit Chemists Produce Materialization. Scott described it as, "Two discourses from the spirit of deceased physicist Michael Faraday, who in life was a public opponent of spiritualism; his views evidently became more liberal after his death." Nothing like death to show the error of your ways. Item 36. Priced at $35.

Adam Couse provided us with much wisdom, even if he is unappreciated today. His work was The New Philosophy of Being and Existence published in Detroit in 1883. Couse was a 74-year-old music publisher and instrument salesman who moonlighted as a philosopher. Speaking of the tri-unity of man, Couse explains, "But, if Matter is of Eternity, uncreated - then life is a result of Matter - and Mind is an elimination of Pork and Beans." I thought I was following his point right until the very end. Item 43. $75.

Here is an item that collectors of our 15th President, James Buchanan, may have missed. It is actually a book to help people learn German, but it comes with an odd recommendation from then Senator Buchanan. The title is English Colloquial Phrases, Alphabetically Arranged, with a Free Translation into German by Moritz Ertheiler, published in Lancaster, Pennsylvania (by the author) in 1843. If you wonder how Buchanan could be such a successful politician despite being incompetent for the high office he held, listen to his words: "I am not sufficiently acquainted with the German language to form a judgment for myself on the merits of your 'Book of Colloquial Phrases,' yet I feel no hesitation in recommending it to public patronage." Spoken like a true politician. Item 52. $75.

Bizarre, Eccentric and Strange Books from Garrett Scott

none

In the 19th century there was a great fascination with little people that led many to become performers. Of course the best known was Tom Thumb, relentlessly hawked by P.T. Barnum, but there were also Princess Wee Wee, Chiquita the Living Doll, Prince Tinymite, Vance Swift the midget xylophonist, and Herdes Bridges, the Nazarene Midget Evangelist. Item 100 is a collection of various photographs, books, pamphlets, postcards and more pertaining to these little people. See the photo on the cover of this catalogue for a sample. $2,850.

Item 27 is I Am; A Novel of Psychotherapy, by Florence Blake-Hedges, published by the Roxburgh Publishing Company of Boston in 1910. This is the story of a baby, rescued from its dying mother, who grows up with clairvoyant powers, eventually ending up in madness. Along the way there is much discussion of neurosis, free will, and the like. In a burst of painful honesty, Scott informs us that this is, "A convoluted, eccentric and nearly unreadable novel, even when judged by the elastic standards of this bookselling concern." $75.

Reverend Silas Blake was not pleased with the woman's suffrage movement when he preached Woman's Rights. A Fast-Day Sermon: Preached in the South Congregational Church, Concord N.H., April 7, 1870. He offers a prayer to God to fence women off from the political arena, all the time assuring us that men have their best interests at heart. However, he is forced into some backtracking based on accusations he had called the women engaged in this movement "harlots." "If people will take the trouble to examine their dictionaries they will see there is a vast difference between a harlot and a harlequin," he explains. Surely there is, but one wonders whether the good Reverend really called them "harlequins" or the other "harl" word. That would surely have been an unusual reference for women, while the other one was quite commonly used. Anyway, Blake assures us that this word, whatever it was, was not used in reference to the leaders of this movement. However, unable to hold back, Blake adds, "Their haste to appropriate it is very suggestive." Item 26. $75.

To Armageddon! by James Miller (1870) is another one of these "printed for the author" books. Miller begins, "It is necessary that I should explain to the reader why an unlearned blind mechanic should undertake the work of pointing out to others the remedy for evils that exist in Christian society." The obvious reason is because no one else was pointing out the truth. Miller explains "that God has decreed that we must drink until we submit to the whole law, as the wine cup is the instrument with which He is overthrowing all his enemies." I'll go along with that, but Miller forgot to mention that God also decreed we eat lots of pizza, cake and ice cream, drive big cars, and run up enormous charges on our credit cards too as part of His plan to overthrow His enemies. Oh well. I'd rather have an "unlearned blind mechanic" preach to me than fix my car. Item 102. $100.

Bizarre, Eccentric and Strange Books from Garrett Scott

none

A tragic tale is told in The Sacrifice of Madaline: From Earth to Glory by a Skyrocket, a 1905 book by P.W. Walthall. Minna Madaline Marie Ashley was a pious 19-year-old teacher (how did she become a teacher at that age?) when fate tragically drew her to a fireworks show. A poorly aimed skyrocket brought the young lady to her demise. "The sharp point of the deadly missile struck her squarely in the left eye and buried itself in her brain. It was so tightly wedged in that it took two men to pull it out of her head." Perhaps they should have left the job to a surgeon. Item 151. $75.

Miss Ashley was not the only one to suffer such a tragic fate. Abner Cunningham relays what happened to a bunch of free thinkers in Practical Infidelity Portrayed and the Judgments of God Made Manifest (1836). As he explains, a group of free thinking men in late 18th century New York, who "claimed a right to indulge in lasciviousness," met death most unnatural. "An unnatural death is to die as they did!! Of these, some were shot; some hung; some drowned; two destroyed themselves by intemperance, one of whom was eaten by dogs, the other by hogs, one committed suicide; one fell from his horse, and was killed; and one was struck with an axe, and bled to death." Of course what Cunningham could not tell us at the time, but we can say now, is that he and all of his followers are also dead now too, but they probably had a lot less fun along the way. Item 45. $200.

There are many more where these came from, and some are a bit more serious, but this is one of the more amusing book catalogues you'll ever read. Garrett Scott, Bookseller, may be found online at www.GSBbooks.com and reached by telephone at 734-741-8605.