I love to cook so I collect cookbooks. But I had too many. When we moved (2 months ago) I gave away almost 300 books because I couldn't take them with me. :-( But I packed all my jewelry-making/ reference books!
What a great story! The ride home with that book on the seat next to you must've been torture. maybe they'll make you an honorary PeWee if you donate the book!
What an incredible find!!!! I used to work in the special collections department of a small town library, so I feel like I can say the local history museum or library archive in Pewee will definitely be interested in acquiring it. They would want it regardless, but the association of such a charming and scandal-touched family makes it irresistible. I mean, I'm sure it was personally extremely distressing for everyone involved, but in the telling it has kind of a feel-good ending, doesn't it?
Thank you for sharing this treasure. It intersects with a lot of my favorite things outside of jewelry - material culture, private/personal book ownership, history of domestic life, foodways - so I am thrilled by the detour. And I hope you'll keep writing about what interests YOU here. I think it's bound to interest us too,
You're right - despite their complete and total ruin, it does have an oddly uplifting ending. Because it really does sound like he was a good guy who just got snowed under and couldn't fix it, and people recognized that, even though a lot of them also got hosed in the deal. The Historical Society site recounts a story in a local KY paper about how the news of Rhorer's crime was received on his regular morning commuter train to Louisville, where everyone knew and loved him: "One of the passengers said yesterday, that he felt himself and he believed every one on the train felt the same way, that if he were alone, nothing could restrain him from venting his sorrow in a flood of tears." Geez.
Anyway - I'm so glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the vote of confidence! I'm kind of proceeding on the theory that if I think it's cool, other people probably will, too. Fingers crossed!
This is excellent! I love a crossover between my interests; this post would be right at home on the Stained Page News substack. (Seriously, she accepts commissions, so have a nosy if you're interested...)
And I love the jewellery posts (obvs), but this is cool as well, so bring it on!
This was delightful. (Worth getting the way overdue paid subscription.) I collect WWII era cookbooks. I find them fascinating because women had to work around war rationing of staples like butter and flour. Thus recipes for pie crusts made from crackers.
What an absolute treat! I am sure that the historical society would be delighted to have it, and if they aren’t for some reason, they would know an institution that would want it.
As an aside for anyone thinking of donating papers or materials to an archive, it’s a nice gesture to accompany your donation with some money if that is possible for you. Maintaining and digitizing materials takes time and resources. Please don’t let that stop you from donating if you can’t swing it, it’s just a nice thing to do if you can!
Also, the handwriting in the note at the beginning looks like my grandmother’s—so the woman who wrote it might have learned to write in the 1920s/30s!
I love to cook so I collect cookbooks. But I had too many. When we moved (2 months ago) I gave away almost 300 books because I couldn't take them with me. :-( But I packed all my jewelry-making/ reference books!
Oh, you have my sympathies! Culling books can be heart-wrenching!
If you love cookbooks, check out the stained page news substack and/or the eat your books website. The latter has been a game-changer for me.
What a great story! The ride home with that book on the seat next to you must've been torture. maybe they'll make you an honorary PeWee if you donate the book!
Oh, I totally ran out of that place like the "STAR THE CAR! START THE CAR!" lady in the Ikea commercial.
What an incredible find!!!! I used to work in the special collections department of a small town library, so I feel like I can say the local history museum or library archive in Pewee will definitely be interested in acquiring it. They would want it regardless, but the association of such a charming and scandal-touched family makes it irresistible. I mean, I'm sure it was personally extremely distressing for everyone involved, but in the telling it has kind of a feel-good ending, doesn't it?
Thank you for sharing this treasure. It intersects with a lot of my favorite things outside of jewelry - material culture, private/personal book ownership, history of domestic life, foodways - so I am thrilled by the detour. And I hope you'll keep writing about what interests YOU here. I think it's bound to interest us too,
You're right - despite their complete and total ruin, it does have an oddly uplifting ending. Because it really does sound like he was a good guy who just got snowed under and couldn't fix it, and people recognized that, even though a lot of them also got hosed in the deal. The Historical Society site recounts a story in a local KY paper about how the news of Rhorer's crime was received on his regular morning commuter train to Louisville, where everyone knew and loved him: "One of the passengers said yesterday, that he felt himself and he believed every one on the train felt the same way, that if he were alone, nothing could restrain him from venting his sorrow in a flood of tears." Geez.
Anyway - I'm so glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the vote of confidence! I'm kind of proceeding on the theory that if I think it's cool, other people probably will, too. Fingers crossed!
I love this! What an amazing find!
Thanks, Mike! It really is a fascinating thing. And the precision of the handwriting absolutely blows my mind. They never messed up!
I know. That was fascinating to me, seeing that perfect script.
This is excellent! I love a crossover between my interests; this post would be right at home on the Stained Page News substack. (Seriously, she accepts commissions, so have a nosy if you're interested...)
And I love the jewellery posts (obvs), but this is cool as well, so bring it on!
I'm SO glad you liked it, and thanks for the tip! I'll check it out!
This was delightful. (Worth getting the way overdue paid subscription.) I collect WWII era cookbooks. I find them fascinating because women had to work around war rationing of staples like butter and flour. Thus recipes for pie crusts made from crackers.
What an absolute treat! I am sure that the historical society would be delighted to have it, and if they aren’t for some reason, they would know an institution that would want it.
As an aside for anyone thinking of donating papers or materials to an archive, it’s a nice gesture to accompany your donation with some money if that is possible for you. Maintaining and digitizing materials takes time and resources. Please don’t let that stop you from donating if you can’t swing it, it’s just a nice thing to do if you can!
Also, the handwriting in the note at the beginning looks like my grandmother’s—so the woman who wrote it might have learned to write in the 1920s/30s!