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Book auction to shine light on the secrets of quidditch Book auction to shine light on the secrets of quidditch
(4 months later)
From JK Rowling's satisfaction at how the game of quidditch "infuriates men" to Ian Rankin's revelation that he originally planned to kill off Rebus at the climax of the inspector's very first outing, a ground-breaking charity auction of annotated first editions from 50 major contemporary writers will give unprecedented insight into how the classic titles came to be.From JK Rowling's satisfaction at how the game of quidditch "infuriates men" to Ian Rankin's revelation that he originally planned to kill off Rebus at the climax of the inspector's very first outing, a ground-breaking charity auction of annotated first editions from 50 major contemporary writers will give unprecedented insight into how the classic titles came to be.
Fifty authors including Margaret Atwood, Nadine Gordimer, Philip Pullman, Tom Stoppard and Ian McEwan have each donated a first edition of one of their most famous works, with each book extensively annotated or illustrated by the writer. Taking place on 21 May in aid of English Pen, the auction of the first editions is expected to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for the writers' charity.Fifty authors including Margaret Atwood, Nadine Gordimer, Philip Pullman, Tom Stoppard and Ian McEwan have each donated a first edition of one of their most famous works, with each book extensively annotated or illustrated by the writer. Taking place on 21 May in aid of English Pen, the auction of the first editions is expected to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for the writers' charity.
In her edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone – described as "the definitive copy of any Harry Potter book" by Sotheby's director of printed books Philip Errington – as well as telling the familiar story of how she wrote the novel "in snatched hours, in clattering cafes or in the dead of night", Rowling's notes also give away the genesis of quidditch.In her edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone – described as "the definitive copy of any Harry Potter book" by Sotheby's director of printed books Philip Errington – as well as telling the familiar story of how she wrote the novel "in snatched hours, in clattering cafes or in the dead of night", Rowling's notes also give away the genesis of quidditch.
"[It] was invented in a small hotel in Manchester after a row with my then boyfriend," she writes. "I had been pondering the things that hold a society together, cause it to congregate and signify its particular character and knew I needed a sport."[It] was invented in a small hotel in Manchester after a row with my then boyfriend," she writes. "I had been pondering the things that hold a society together, cause it to congregate and signify its particular character and knew I needed a sport.
"It infuriates men … which is quite satisfying given my state of mind when I invented it.""It infuriates men … which is quite satisfying given my state of mind when I invented it."
The bestselling novelist has annotated 43 pages of the book and provided 22 of her own illustrations, from a sleeping baby Harry on the Dursleys' door step to a brooding Snape. "The personality of the author leaps from these pages and we are treated to a remarkable insight into her creative genius," said Errington.The bestselling novelist has annotated 43 pages of the book and provided 22 of her own illustrations, from a sleeping baby Harry on the Dursleys' door step to a brooding Snape. "The personality of the author leaps from these pages and we are treated to a remarkable insight into her creative genius," said Errington.
Rankin notes in his donated first edition of Knots and Crosses: "I seem to remember I planned to kill Rebus off at the climax; glad now I changed my mind." The author also criticises the prose he wrote over 30 years ago, in 1987. "My prose these days is a lot leaner. There's too much of the Eng. Lit. class about some of the writing here."Rankin notes in his donated first edition of Knots and Crosses: "I seem to remember I planned to kill Rebus off at the climax; glad now I changed my mind." The author also criticises the prose he wrote over 30 years ago, in 1987. "My prose these days is a lot leaner. There's too much of the Eng. Lit. class about some of the writing here."
Rankin writes, also underlining his use of the phrase "the manumission of dreams". "I'd obviously found the word manumission somewhere and was keen to shoehorn it into my book — no real idea what this phrase means."Rankin writes, also underlining his use of the phrase "the manumission of dreams". "I'd obviously found the word manumission somewhere and was keen to shoehorn it into my book — no real idea what this phrase means."
Julian Barnes, in his copy of his first and most autobiographical novel, Metroland, shows how an author might win literary prizes – Metroland took the 1981 Somerset Maugham Award for a first novel – but still struggle to win parental approval. "My father told me he liked the book – found it funny and liked the dialogue, though he thought the language 'a bit lower deck'."Julian Barnes, in his copy of his first and most autobiographical novel, Metroland, shows how an author might win literary prizes – Metroland took the 1981 Somerset Maugham Award for a first novel – but still struggle to win parental approval. "My father told me he liked the book – found it funny and liked the dialogue, though he thought the language 'a bit lower deck'."
His mother, meanwhile, "liked the reference to her needlework on p13, and thought it 'made some points'; but said she couldn't get over the bombardment of filth. When friends visited, she would only let them see the cover of the book – they weren't allowed to look inside."His mother, meanwhile, "liked the reference to her needlework on p13, and thought it 'made some points'; but said she couldn't get over the bombardment of filth. When friends visited, she would only let them see the cover of the book – they weren't allowed to look inside."
Barnes was comforted, however, by a letter from Philip Larkin, who said "that he had much enjoyed it, despite his prejudice against novels with people under the age of 21 in them. He added, gloomily, something like, 'but is that what life's like nowadays?' This unexpected praise was the most gratifying moment of the strange passage of first publication," writes Barnes.Barnes was comforted, however, by a letter from Philip Larkin, who said "that he had much enjoyed it, despite his prejudice against novels with people under the age of 21 in them. He added, gloomily, something like, 'but is that what life's like nowadays?' This unexpected praise was the most gratifying moment of the strange passage of first publication," writes Barnes.
Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney, annotating his poetry collection Death of a Naturalist, reveals in a note beside the poem At a Potato Digging that "Anthony Thwaite once described me (to my face) as 'laureate of the root vegetable'". The poet does not know, he also writes, rather poignantly, if his father ever read his poem Follower about how "My father worked with a horse-plough, / His shoulders globed like a full sail strung / between the shafts and the furrow".Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney, annotating his poetry collection Death of a Naturalist, reveals in a note beside the poem At a Potato Digging that "Anthony Thwaite once described me (to my face) as 'laureate of the root vegetable'". The poet does not know, he also writes, rather poignantly, if his father ever read his poem Follower about how "My father worked with a horse-plough, / His shoulders globed like a full sail strung / between the shafts and the furrow".
Insights into what might have been are given by Stoppard, in his play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. The playwright says he originally "wanted to call the play Exit Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, but for the bad grammar – "'Exeunt R and G' I didn't like as a title, so settled for 'are dead'". Lionel Shriver, meanwhile, reveals that We Need To Talk About Kevin was not originally intended to be written as a series of letters. "Much has been made of Kevin being an 'epistolary novel'. But it was originally written in the second person, not in letters. In order to make the book 'epistolary' I did little more than add dates, 'Dear Franklin', and 'Love Eva'," she says.Insights into what might have been are given by Stoppard, in his play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. The playwright says he originally "wanted to call the play Exit Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, but for the bad grammar – "'Exeunt R and G' I didn't like as a title, so settled for 'are dead'". Lionel Shriver, meanwhile, reveals that We Need To Talk About Kevin was not originally intended to be written as a series of letters. "Much has been made of Kevin being an 'epistolary novel'. But it was originally written in the second person, not in letters. In order to make the book 'epistolary' I did little more than add dates, 'Dear Franklin', and 'Love Eva'," she says.
And Nick Hornby speculates about "how different" his footballing memoir Fever Pitch would be if he were to write it today, "except, of course, I couldn't write it now, I'm too old … I'm too old to care about these things as much as I did then. Life and jobs and children and all sorts of things get in the way now. I'm not disowning the book – I'm very proud of it. I'm just saying that it's a young man's book, which is why it worked."And Nick Hornby speculates about "how different" his footballing memoir Fever Pitch would be if he were to write it today, "except, of course, I couldn't write it now, I'm too old … I'm too old to care about these things as much as I did then. Life and jobs and children and all sorts of things get in the way now. I'm not disowning the book – I'm very proud of it. I'm just saying that it's a young man's book, which is why it worked."
All the works from the First Edition, Second Thoughts auction will be on public show at Sotheby's London galleries on 20 and 21 May, with the auction – expected to be attended by a mix of private individuals, book dealers and libraries – taking place on the evening of 21 May.All the works from the First Edition, Second Thoughts auction will be on public show at Sotheby's London galleries on 20 and 21 May, with the auction – expected to be attended by a mix of private individuals, book dealers and libraries – taking place on the evening of 21 May.
"We've never done anything like this before and it does feel ground-breaking," said Heather Norman-Söderlind, the deputy director of English Pen. "We are indebted to all the 50 authors who contributed such immense good will to this project.""We've never done anything like this before and it does feel ground-breaking," said Heather Norman-Söderlind, the deputy director of English Pen. "We are indebted to all the 50 authors who contributed such immense good will to this project."
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