Presses
The Codex, the Hurders, and me: a new book, an old book, and two years of intermittent emailing
If I had to pick the single piece of my own writing that has generated the most reader responses, I would without hesitation name “The Codex Seraphinianus: A Fragment of the Complete History of an Unknown Planet,” an essay about Luigi Serafini’s hallucinatory faux-encyclopedia which The Believer published in May, 2007. (Aside: I’m hoping to meet or beat this record with “A Figure in the Distance Even to My Own Eye,” my new essay in the current issue of The Believer.) Two years out, the Codex essay continues to bring me new and interesting correspondence, to the tune of at least a letter or two per month. People write to say they enjoyed the piece, to thank me for turning them onto the Codex, or to share their own stories about when they first discovered it, or what they think it all means. Sometimes they want to know if the text has been “deciphered” yet, or if I personally think it can be deciphered at all. Often, they just want to know if I can send them the full text of Calvino’s introduction (it isn’t available in English, so I commissioned a translation from the French version, but it was only briefly quoted in the essay). Anyway, today I’m thrilled to share with you all news of a new Codex-related publication: Confronting and Collecting the Works of Luigi Serafini, available as a severely-limited edition (100 copies!) chapbook by Jordan and Justine Hurder.
When I first met Justine, in December of 2007, she was going by the last name of “Rubyred,” (never did find out if that was real or a nom de net). She told me she was in school in New Zealand, and working on a paper about the Codex. She wondered if I could send her the Calvino text (I did, as I always do). But the nice thing Justine did was, instead of just asking for something, offered something up as well. She sent me several photos she’d take of another Serafini work, The Pulcinellopedia Picolla, along with some doc files containing translations her boyfriend had made of various Italian phrases found throughout the book. I had heard of the PP, but never seen it, so this was a very fine treat. The PPedia is a kind of sketchbook, at least that’s the way I interpreted what she sent me- black drawings isolated on large white pages. At least one of the images she sent recurs in much more detailed form in the Codex, suggesting that the PPedia was–at least in some measure–a sort of scratchpad for Serafini while he worked out ideas for his major book project. Justine and I corresponded a bit, and I wished her luck on her paper.
About four months later–in April ’08–I heard from Jordan, the boyfriend. He wanted to let me know that he had just completed an article of his own on Serafini, which he had published on his blog. It was called “The Worlds of Luigi Serafini,” and it combined personal narrative with a very thorough and informative look at both the Codex and the PPedia, all from the perspective–his–of an amateur book collector. (He also said some nice things about my essay in his essay, which didn’t hurt.) Anyway, I was very excited to read his article, and weirdly enough, at the time he contacted me I happened to be working on a new Codex piece of my own– a very very short “lost books” sort of deal for Paste magazine. But I thought Jordan’s essay brought something new and valuable to the Serafinian table, so I included a shout-out to it in my piece, which, if memory serves, ran in November 2008 (though I’m having trouble right now figuring out if it ever actually ran, because it had been held back a few times, and now I can’t find it in my archives–but that’s a whole other story).
I heard from Justine again on June 18 of this year. She was writing to tell me that she and Jordan–who are now married, and living together in the US–have started their own small press, Chance Press, whose second book (after a Bukowski tribute anthology) is a revised and expanded version of Jordan’s “Worlds of” essay, now entitled Confronting and Collecting the Works of Luigi Serafini.
The essay touches on all of Serafini’s major book works, including the publishing history of the Codex, although at it’s base, it is about how a chance encounter with a rare book can snowball into a veritable obsession with the gifted mind of an author or artist. This book will interest anyone familiar with Serafini and his work, as well as those who appreciate the hobby of book collecting in general.
Being book wonks themselves, it doesn’t surprise me that they went all out on process, printing the book trimultaneously in a “regular” first edition of 50, an already-sold-out “deluxe” edition of 10, and a “trade” edition of 40. At $5 bucks (plus $2 for shipping) the trade edition is the cheapest way to go, but I’ve got my eye on that deluxe edition, which they describe thusly-
The deluxe edition features textured wrappers with a Gocco-printed pastedown (printed on Rives BFK), rounded corners, and each copy contains a hand-sewn mini chapbook with additional material attached inside the rear cover with a ribbon. (Each mini chapbook is unique, with a different type of fancy paper cover and a some snappy sewing by Justine.) Deluxe copies also have a color photograph of the Codex Seraphinianus tipped inside the front cover, and each copy is signed by the author.
The Chance Press Headquarters, presumably also Living Quarters
I really can’t begin to describe how happy it makes me that people like Justine and Jordan exist. And not just people like them, but the two of them in particular. They just seem incredibly rad, wise, and kind. And it’s great to know that there’s a lot more coming from Chance Press. Just check out their Published & Forthcoming page.
This story is nothing if not one of the digital age, and yet all the parties involve remain signally interested in physical culture in the form of book-making and collecting and reading. I love that part of it. I feel like this entire saga makes clear what’s best about the internet–how much potential it has to connect people to one another (interesting footnote: J&J first met on a Bukowski fan site, and presumably the web was integral to their staying close during the longest-distance-imaginable courtship between the US & NZ). Also, it’s demonstrative of the way in which print and digital cultures can (and in fact *do*) co-exist, each to the benefit of the other. So let’s all raise a belated glass to the newly(ish)weds and their brand new baby press. If anyone’s wondering where they’re registered, it’s PayPal. You should send them a gift, and let them send you one back.
Tags: codex seraphinianus
justin – thanks so much for writing this great piece! The essay was indeed a labour of love, and the fruits of that labour are even *rarer* than stated: the total first edition is only 50 (trade of 40 and deluxe of 10). The deluxe has completely sold out, but there are about 8 or so trade editions left.
We didn’t realise till today that you’d written such a lengthy piece on our press – we would have been in touch to thank you sooner!
thanks again, and looking forward to reading your latest in The Believer.
justin – thanks so much for writing this great piece! The essay was indeed a labour of love, and the fruits of that labour are even *rarer* than stated: the total first edition is only 50 (trade of 40 and deluxe of 10). The deluxe has completely sold out, but there are about 8 or so trade editions left.
We didn’t realise till today that you’d written such a lengthy piece on our press – we would have been in touch to thank you sooner!
thanks again, and looking forward to reading your latest in The Believer.
Thank you for mention of Codex, this is actually a book I’m hunting for years. Even if I found some copies, I don’t give up to purchase the original (even if its price is as fabulous as its content). Now I’m hunting also about Pulcinellopedia (the mixture of surrealism and Commedia dell’arte is so genious).
I’m very interested in such alternate reality books, especially if the writer constructs the authenticity of the existance. In my search for such books I found “The Islanders” by Charles Avery. Even if it isn’t written in an alternate Voynich-alike language, but the world, the illustrations and the allusions are really really great. I’m sure, you already know this book, but I just wanted to drop my 2 cents to the amazing world of alternate realities.
Thank you for mention of Codex, this is actually a book I’m hunting for years. Even if I found some copies, I don’t give up to purchase the original (even if its price is as fabulous as its content). Now I’m hunting also about Pulcinellopedia (the mixture of surrealism and Commedia dell’arte is so genious).
I’m very interested in such alternate reality books, especially if the writer constructs the authenticity of the existance. In my search for such books I found “The Islanders” by Charles Avery. Even if it isn’t written in an alternate Voynich-alike language, but the world, the illustrations and the allusions are really really great. I’m sure, you already know this book, but I just wanted to drop my 2 cents to the amazing world of alternate realities.
that codex believer essay was great. made me go hunt down my own copy of it. ended up ordering it online from some italian distributer i don’t remember. its my favorite book i own.
that codex believer essay was great. made me go hunt down my own copy of it. ended up ordering it online from some italian distributer i don’t remember. its my favorite book i own.
the dominant feature of the book as it exists in this decade is that when you manage to get your hands on a copy, it is so temporary that you can only catch glimpses of the damn thing before you have to leave it behind again, on a bookshelf or in a library. there are enough copies for large numbers of people to experience this frustration, but not enough for them to spend more time.
unless you are good at googling for .pdfs.
;)
the dominant feature of the book as it exists in this decade is that when you manage to get your hands on a copy, it is so temporary that you can only catch glimpses of the damn thing before you have to leave it behind again, on a bookshelf or in a library. there are enough copies for large numbers of people to experience this frustration, but not enough for them to spend more time.
unless you are good at googling for .pdfs.
;)
i’d never heard of this, but am massively intrigued. i enjoyed the Believer essay, et. al. I like the ideas of this, am going to have to remember this for a time when i’ve got some funds!
i’d never heard of this, but am massively intrigued. i enjoyed the Believer essay, et. al. I like the ideas of this, am going to have to remember this for a time when i’ve got some funds!
See also Alberto Manguel’s ‘A History of Reading’.
See also Alberto Manguel’s ‘A History of Reading’.
that essay is one of the most interesting things i ever read in the believer. i actually thought about writing you when it came out, but obviously didn’t. i tried to get a copy of the book through interlibrary loan but never could. wish i had the $500 to buy it, even temporarily. that essay made me feel good to know that people out there care about something so fresh, so timeless, and so rare.
that essay is one of the most interesting things i ever read in the believer. i actually thought about writing you when it came out, but obviously didn’t. i tried to get a copy of the book through interlibrary loan but never could. wish i had the $500 to buy it, even temporarily. that essay made me feel good to know that people out there care about something so fresh, so timeless, and so rare.
JW- yeah, the Manguel is badass. Everyone else who said they’ve been hunting for their own copy- patience is the watchword. Copies pop up on ebay, in bookstores, and elsewhere all the time, sometimes for massive amounts of cash and other times for a relative song. There is at least one European company from whom you can buy a copy of the latest edition (it goes in and out of print) but the site’s not in English and shipping overseas (if you’re in the US) is kind of a monster. Supposedly, Abbeville Press (who did the first and only-to-date American edition) is going to re-release it at some point. The project has been delayed several times but I’m pretty sure it’s something they want to see happen.
JW- yeah, the Manguel is badass. Everyone else who said they’ve been hunting for their own copy- patience is the watchword. Copies pop up on ebay, in bookstores, and elsewhere all the time, sometimes for massive amounts of cash and other times for a relative song. There is at least one European company from whom you can buy a copy of the latest edition (it goes in and out of print) but the site’s not in English and shipping overseas (if you’re in the US) is kind of a monster. Supposedly, Abbeville Press (who did the first and only-to-date American edition) is going to re-release it at some point. The project has been delayed several times but I’m pretty sure it’s something they want to see happen.
found a pdf, am stoked to have that at least!
found a pdf, am stoked to have that at least!
[…] a love-fest! A couple of days ago I posted about an old essay of mine on an art book called the Codex Seraphinianus, and about all the responses I’ve gotten to that essay over the years. To my enormous […]
Btw, one more thought: this project totally reminiscent of the short story “Dialogo dei massimi sistemi” by Tommaso Landolfi. I ask myself, whether Serafini was influenced by this great surrealist while of working on his Codex…
Btw, one more thought: this project totally reminiscent of the short story “Dialogo dei massimi sistemi” by Tommaso Landolfi. I ask myself, whether Serafini was influenced by this great surrealist while of working on his Codex…
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