This year’s Chelsea Book Fair has the extra attraction of a special exhibition staged by a great institution, The London Library. Now recognised as the world’s largest independent lending library, it was founded in 1841 by Thomas Carlyle – himself a Chelsea resident – and it has since maintained a place in the Literary London history.

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the first publication of Edward Fitzgerald’s translation of the magnificent 11th century Persian poem The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Initially ignored on its first appearance, Fitzgerald’s translation was soon ‘discovered’ and appreciated for its serious merit by Rossetti and Swinburne. It quickly became a bestseller, and was produced in hundreds of editions, which came in all sizes and shapes and often with illustrations, catering to the taste for the exotic east in late Victorian England.

In celebration of the anniversary of Fitzgerald’s publication, the ABA (organiser of the Chelsea Book Fair) has arranged an exhibition with The London Library, which boasts one of the most comprehensive collections of the Rubaiyat. The Library’s collection was donated by Edward Heron-Allen, a London solicitor who produced a prose translation of the Rubaiyat in 1898. There will also be representative samples from the Heron-Allen collection, including the earliest editions (and even some of the strangest).

Some of the highlights on offer at Chelsea include:

• The School of Fencing with a general explanation of the principal attitudes and positions peculiar to the art, 1787. A beautiful and extensive illustrated treatise on fencing combining the printed text and plates of Angelo’s celebrated manual and a copious manuscript gloss by an early anonymous annotator. Offered by Justin Croft for £4,800.

• An original pencil sketch for The Wind in the Willows, 'The Seafarer' Methuen, 1931, signed with the artist’s initials priced at £6,500.

• Revised edition of one of the original L'Esprit Nouveau, promoting the works and ideas of Le Corbusier and his contemporaries. From the library of Kenneth and Diana Rowntree, priced at £145.00.

For more information on the Chelsea Book Fair, including additional highlights please visit:

In celebration of all the poems and rhymes that have shaped the lives of children over the past four centuries, and still remain popular today, the Folio Society Gallery is curating a truly imaginative feast for adults and children alike.

Opening on 1st April in the Gallery at the British Library, 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Bat' presents the imaginative wonders of language, and how it brings to life amazing journeys, tales and rhymes for a younger generation.

The exhibition will cover four hundred years of Children’s poetry, nursery rhymes and song from the popular lullaby - 'Golden Slumbers', which first appeared in a play in 1603 – through to the present day. Volumes include: The earliest surviving printed collection of nursery rhymes, Tommy Thumb's pretty song-book (1744), as well as copies of other classics such as Robert Louis Stevenson’s A Child’s Garden of Verses; William Blake’s Songs of Innocence; Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland; Michael Rosen’s Don’t Put Mustard in the Custard and Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes.

This lively show will illustrate the duality of children’s poetry, demonstrating that whilst humour plays an important role, poets from the 18th century onwards have not been afraid to tackle serious issues such as slavery, the environment, war and racism.

Michael Rosen, Children’s Laureate, and curator of Twinkle Twinkle, said: “One of my favourite things is seeing a child’s eyes light up when they hear a poem, nursery rhyme or tale that makes them laugh or smile.  The importance of giving our children the chance to read and listen to wonderful tales through nursery rhymes and poems will hopefully inspire them to take a lifelong interest in reading.  We are lucky that on occasion we can access a wonderful collection such as this at the British Library and see for ourselves this historic collection that has inspired so many poets and writers, including myself.”

A special reading area for children (and adults) to engage with their favourite material will be part of the exhibition

www.bl.uk/whatson/exhibitions/twinkle/twinkletwinkle

In special celebration of Valentine’s Day this year, the British Library is offering bibliophiles the rare chance to find a unique present that speaks volumes.

The BL’s adopt-a-book scheme provides a breath of fresh air from the usual Valentine’s Day suspects, while simultaneously helping to preserve the Library's remarkable collection for future generations to enjoy.

BL recommendations:

For some romantic inspiration: Saint Valentine’s Pocket Book is a lovely and curious collection of love letters and sonnets.  

Shakespeare lovers: look no further than the beautifully bound and illustrated copy of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night's Dream, or Emma Marshall’s Shakespeare and his Birthplace, a stunning illustrated guide to Stratford upon Avon as Shakespeare would have known it. 

Learn from the master of love himself: Casanova Di Seingault’s, Giacomo Girolamo: The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. This wonderful memoir is now fully annotated for the first time in English.

A recipe for love: Shirley and Michael Scott’s A little book of Valentine recipes (c 1981). This booklet contains such recipes to warm the heart as: Mushroom A L'amour, Ceufs a la Coquette, Lamb chops en chemise, Hunters Delight, Melting Moments, True Lovers Knots, and Adam and Eves pudding.  

It's a kind of Magic: Oscar Wilde’s classic collection of fairy tales House of Pomegranates is available for those who want to bring a bit of magic into their romantic lives.

Either the Library can choose a book to suit your taste, or you can select from a range of titles at: www.bl.uk/adoptabook

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Edward FitzGerald's landmark translation of the Persian astronomer Omar Khayyam’s verses on mortality, fate and doubt.

During the nineteenth and twentieth century Khayyam’s poetry of ideas quickly became an unprecedented popular phenomenon, although it has since fallen into obscurity.

The new exhibition, which runs from February 3 until August 2, features some 200 items taken from the Harry Ransom Center's extensive collection and offers a fascinating narration of The Rubaiyat's history through various formats such as Persian manuscripts, and a first edition of FitzGerald's translation.

In addition to the verse manuscripts, there will be spectacular bindings, miniature editions and rare advertisements for 'Omar'-brand products and illustrated parodies.

http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/

To coincide with the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth, a new exhibition opens at the Folio Society Gallery (British Library) exploring the story of evolution, including some of the myths that have emerged around Darwin’s theories.

In order to process his ideas, which needed time to germinate, Darwin created a 'sand walk' at his Down House in Kent, which he used every day without fail to observe nature and reflect on his many experiments and years of traveling, while meticulously piecing together his theory of evolution.

A replica of Darwin’s 'thinking path,' which allows visitors’ to walk in the great naturalist’s footsteps, is just one of the many features of the gallery show.

During his life Darwin wrote nearly 7000 letters, corresponding with everyone situated in his realm of study, from pigeon breeders and farmers, to scientific peers all over the world. Darwin was reluctant to publish his life's work due to the potential controversy, and it was only after he received a letter from Alfred Russel Wallace in 1858 detailing his own theory of natural selection that Darwin decided to publish his work.

Correspondence between Darwin, Charles Lyell, modern geology founder, and Joseph Hooker sheds light on Darwin’s concerns that two decades of monumental work would go unseen. Following the advice of his trusted companions Darwin held a joint presentation with Wallace at the Linnaean Society, and just over a year later 'On the Origins of Species' was presented to the world.

http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/whatson/exhibitions/folio.html