Work in Progress
There’s always a novel or two in the pipeline. Watch this space for news of what’s next.
Serious Nonfiction
Beauty and the Book: Fine Editions and Cultural Distinction in America
(Yale University Press)
In post–World War I America—a world teeming with cheap and popular magazines, newspapers, radio broadcasts, and movies—many feared that traditional, serious books might not survive. This anxiety fueled a publishing boom in fine limited editions: books valued primarily as noble and even sacred physical objects, notable for their lavish material forms and scarcity. Owning such books affirmed preindustrial ideals of beauty and craftsmanship; more importantly, it bestowed social distinction and cultural status.
“A fine book about fine books. Benton’s study will delight bibliophiles with its clever mix of history, anecdote, and analysis.” Kirkus Reviews
Illuminating Letters: Typography and Literary Interpretation
Coedited with Paul Gutjahr
(University of Massachusetts Press)
What do we read when we read a text? The author’s words, of course, but also the subtle ways in which they’re presented, much as costumes, sets, and actors’ voices shape how we experience a play. With case studies ranging from the King James Bible to contemporary comic strips, this collection of essays explores how typography—the selection and arrangement of type and other visual elements on the page—can orchestrate textual meaning.
Historical Crime Fiction
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