Fortune & Friendship

by Lawrence Clark Powell

First edition, second printing. Much on libraries and collecting. Presentation from Powell on front free endpaper and with postcard tipped-in. xiv, 227 pages. cloth.. 8vo..

227 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1968

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Many of the books in my collector memoir reading-list were furnished by a feature in Fine Books and Collections magazine, which detailed the top books on book collection. I'm certain this was one of the titles amongst them, but (as with a few others) I can't for the life of me understand why it was included. Powell was the head librarian at UCLA when its library school was founded, when its library experienced astronomical growth, and when the idea of institutions collecting contemporary, American authors became a worthy pursuit. In many ways, he was responsible for part of the latter, and his place in book history is solidified by it. However, this memoir focuses very little on books and much more on Powell's upbringing and friendships that resulted in his landing the UCLA post. The one redeeming factor of the memoir is in its detailing the shift from librarians being categorized as "enemies of books" to a more contemporary understanding of them as professionals who might work in concert with collectors. However, even this is not something Powell expands on. While it is clear he is esteemed by private collectors (and was one himself), he does not really suggest whether he was an exception amongst many or a singular case. Instead, he prefers to fill his memoir with details regarding his daily habits, which include mundane thoughts on the weather, his eating habits, and his college exploits. This is the stuff reminiscences to children should be made of, perhaps, but shouldn't populate the pages of published memoirs.