Applewood Featured Books

A collection of illustrated fairy stories from Louisa May Alcott--the author who brought us Little Women . Originally published in 1854, this collection of fables was inspired by Louisa's time spent in the woods around Walden Pond--a spot endearingly named "Fairyland" by Walden's own Henry David Thoreau. Young Louisa collected these fairy fables into a volume dedicated to her friend Ellen Emerson, the daughter of Ralph Waldo Emerson. This volume--published under the title, Flower Fables --was Louisa's first published book. Applewood Books has partnered with Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House to publish this commemorative hardcover edition on the 150th anniversary of its first publication.

A glow-in-the-dark edition of the 1864 ghost-seeking guide--Ghosts are everywhere… if you know how to look. Originally published in 1864, Spectropia is a science-based, time-honored guide to seeing ghosts, ghouls, spirits, skeletons, and witches--no graveyard loitering necessary. Simply stare at the sixteen color plates inside this book for twenty seconds and you will see colorful spooky specters, life-sized or colossal. Whether a true believer or a skeptic, anyone can experience the paranormal with Spectropia .

Originally published in 1886, this collection of recipes and miscellaneous tips and tricks is a volume published almost entirely by women for women. The book was launched to raise funds for the women's suffrage movement and to communicate--in the shared, common language of a cook book--that a woman's place at the polls was not a replacement for her place at the home. Included in the long list of contributors are the names of housewives, doctors, political writers, and prominent suffragists like Lucy Stone, Julia Ward Howe, and Frances Willard. Contained in this volume are not just the instructions for preparing classics like "Rebel Soup," "Election Cake," or "Gravy as Mother Did it," but also tips for plain living and high thinking. The final pages include a section entitled, "Eminent Opinions on Woman Suffrage." The collective effort in compiling, publishing, and distributing this ground-breaking cook book bolstered practical skills for the women involved, and affirmed their ability to juggle civic and domestic duties almost as delicately as juggling eggs.

With its bold designs and striking color, this ABC book, originally illustrated in 1923 by acclaimed American artist Charles Buckles Falls, continues to enchant modern readers. Known for his graphic design and illustration, Falls applied his talents to the world of children's early learning books. The captivating, colorful, and bold timeless drawings were cut on wood blocks, lending the prints a tactile, enduring feel. The ABC Book helped prove that American authors could produce exceptional illustrated children's books on par with their British peers.

The nature writings of pioneering environmentalist and Sierra Club founder John Muir are like no other. In this essay from 1894, Muir describes the grandeur of the winds at play in the forests, with stunning and musical detail about the trees of the Sierra and their individual reaction to the wind. Muir's story of climbing a 100-foot Douglas Spruce to experience the sway and swirl of a storm for himself is unforgettable. This short work is part of Applewood's "American Roots," series, tactile mementos of American passions by some of America's most famous writers.

In this piece from 1920--originally published as a newspaper article in the Toronto Daily Star--a young Ernest Hemingway provides solid advice to the novice camper. In his typically succinct style, Hemingway gives tips on bug avoidance, bed preparation, and offers expert outdoor cooking instructions. Any city man enjoying an open-air vacation who follows Hemingway's advice "ought to be able to sleep comfortably every night, to eat well every day and to return to the city rested and in good condition." This short work is part of Applewood's "American Roots," series, tactile mementos of American passions by some of America's most famous writers.

Collectively known as the United States Bill of Rights, these first ten amendments to the United States Constitution limit the powers of the federal government and protect the rights of all citizens, residents and visitors on United States territory. Introduced in 1789 in the First United States Congress by James Madison, these amendments came into effect on December 15, 1791, when ratified by three-fourths of the states. This document plays a central role in American law and remains to this day a symbol of the freedoms and culture of this nation. In this beautiful gift edition, the text of the Bill of Rights is set alongside a history of the amendments, thus placing the document in its historical context.

This step-by-step drawing guide from acclaimed cartoonist E.G. Lutz has helped budding artists hone their skills since 1913.

E.G. Lutz provides simple, step-by-step instructions for constructing over one hundred distinct drawings, including lighthouses, horses, dragonflies, parakeets, and human expressions. The guide also demonstrates how to detail completed line art and how to draw subjects in profile as well as in front view. Younger artists will be especially enchanted by the sweet animal illustrations.A world-renowned cartoonist, E.G. Lutz’s 1920 book Animated Cartoons greatly influenced Walt Disney’s early career. Lutz also the author of Drawing Made Easy (1921), a popular guide for young artists. His enduring work is marked by a straightforward style of prose and illustration. Lutz’s style is preserved in this facsimile reprinting of his very first work.What to Draw and How to Draw It is a wonderful gift for beginning artists, who will delight in these charming creations from E.G. Lutz.

One of the most memorable speeches in American history, Frederick Douglass’s What to the Slave is the Fourth of July? is now available in an elegant hardcover edition.

Douglass first delivered the famous speech on July 5, 1852, to the Rochester Ladies' Anti-Slavery Society. After paying respect to the patriotic architects of America’s independence, Douglass exposed the hypocrisy of a nation that enshrined the inalienable rights of man yet enslaved millions. The signing of the Declaration of Independence was meaningless to slaves, Douglass argued, and the annual celebration of a freedom not afforded to them was the worst possible insult.

Throughout the speech, Douglass directly quoted passages from the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bible to support his argument that slavery must be abolished in the United States. Douglass was especially critical of the faith leaders in America that used the church to justify slavery rather than to spearhead positive societal change.

Despite Douglass’s condemnation of the institutions that protected slavery, the speech also emphasized America’s young age and her potential to change for the better. In keeping with this belief in an America that would one day guarantee freedom for all, Douglass delivered “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” to audiences nationwide in the decade preceding the Civil War.

Famous figures such as James Earl Jones, Morgan Freeman, and Douglass’s descendants have performed small sections of the hour-long speech. Abridged editions of the speech are also disseminated for educational purposes. Because “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” is an incredibly nuanced speech, it is often misrepresented or shared out of context. Now you can read the speech as it was meant to be experienced, in its entirety.

Frederick Douglass’s most famous speech is as relevant today as when it was first delivered in 1852. A defining document of the United States, What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? is essential reading for all Americans.

This colorful Victorian book evokes an age gone by, before the days of email and overnight shipping--when communication between people was a very special occasion, made more difficult by time and space. To Victorian letter-writers of the West a new, exotic and secret language came from the East-communicating through flowers. The language of flowers became so refined in the nineteenth century that this dictionary was necessary. Using this source, one could send a message of reproach, passion, friendship, quarrel or a myriad of other sentiments singly and combined via a simple bouquet without ever penning a single word.

One of the most popular pieces of American fiction is Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, originally published in 1820 in Irving's short story collection The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.  Set in New York's Hudson River valley after the American Revolution, it is rich with Dutch culture, regional history, and ghost stories. In schoolmaster Ichabod Crane and his adversary the Headless Horseman, Irving created two of the most unforgettable characters in American literature. 

 This short work is part of Applewood's American Roots series, tactile mementos of American passions by some of America's most famous writers and thinkers.