*Special Thank You to Lauren Rautiola, our Detroit Bookfest Project Manager, for designing our flyers!*
The 4th Annual Detroit Festival of Books (aka: Detroit Bookfest) is a glorious day of BOOKS, vinyl records, comics, creative arts, food, beer, funk music and more!
Please join us at Eastern Market Shed 3 in Detroit on Sunday, July 18, 2021.
The event is FREE for attendees! There will be an estimated 10,000+ attendees.
(“We hope for better things. They will rise from the ashes.”)
Father Gabriel Richard (Detroit, 1805)
In life, it’s good to celebrate progress, honor the past and always give credit to the architects and originators.
Father Gabriel Richard was a dynamic figure of early Detroit. We have him to thank for bringing the very first printing press to Michigan, among a host of other incredible accomplishments.
The Chinese invented paper around 100 AD. Then, they invented the process of imprinting ink on paper in 175 AD. They would take blocks of wood, ink them, put paper on them and rub them with a bamboo stick to create an impression.
The Chinese invented paper around 100 AD.
Around 1440 AD, Gutenberg, who previously worked for the Mainz mint in Germany, invented the printing press in Strasbourg, France. Gutenberg’s moveable type printing press revolutionized the world.
On February 23rd, 1455, Gutenberg printed 200 copies of his now famous Gutenberg Bible, a two-volume Bible written in Latin.
Currently, there are only about 48 copies known to exist. One of these babies is estimated to go for upwards of $35 million dollars if sold on the market today.
So, if anyone has an original Gutenberg Bible lying around they want to sell me, just let me know and I’ll be over in a jiff to buy it from you!
Gutenberg Bible (c. 1455 AD)
Quick Timeline of Father Gabriel Richard
(compiled from various sources by Ryan M. Place)
Printing Press
Saintes, France (October 15th, 1767)
Father Gabriel Richard is born.
Paris, France (1792)
While the French Revolution is in full swing, Father Gabriel Richard leaves France for the Midwest, USA. He was originally stationed in Baltimore, Maryland but his first official job was preaching as missionary to Native Americans in Southern Illinois.
Detroit (1798)
Father Gabriel Richard arrives in Detroit, which was a tiny French village on the river at the time.
Detroit (1802-1832)
Father Gabriel Richard is pastor of Ste. Anne de Detroit Catholic Church.
Early Detroit
Detroit (June 11th, 1805)
The Great Detroit Fire of 1805 leveled the city’s 200+ log cabin homes, including Fort Detroit.
Upon witnessing the devastation, Father Gabriel Richard uttered his now famous phrase “Speramus meliora; resurget cineribus” (“We hope for better things. They will rise from the ashes.”).
This phrase is now the City of Detroit’s official motto.
Detroit (June 1805)
After the blaze, a major food shortage ensued. Father Gabriel Richard organized massive food aid relief to the city from outlying ribbon farms in what are now the suburbs.
Detroit (June 30th, 1805)
Augustus Woodward arrives in Detroit. Judge Woodward was appointed chief judge of Michigan territory by President Thomas Jefferson. Judge Woodward joins forces with Fr. Gabriel.
Detroit (Spring 1809)
Father Gabriel Richard brings the first printing press to Michigan. He sets it up on Detroit’s Southwest side at 5450 West Jefferson Avenue, Detroit, up the street from Fort Wayne.
Judge Woodward’s Map of Detroit.
Detroit (August 1st, 1809)
Father Gabriel Richard prints the first book printed in Michigan.
Detroit (August 31st, 1809-1816)
Father Gabriel Richard and James Miller print Detroit’s first newspaper, The Michigan Essay: or Impartial Observer. By 1840, Michigan Territory will have over 30 newspapers.
Detroit (1812)
During the War of 1812, Father Gabriel Richard is imprisoned by the British for refusing to submit to them. “I have taken an oath to support the Constitution of the United States and I cannot take another,” Fr. Richard told them.
Detroit (July 1817)
Michigan’s first bookstore, The Detroit Book Store, opens. It is owned by John P. Sheldon and Ebenezer Reed. Father Gabriel Richard is a frequent customer and supplier.
Books!
Detroit (August 26th, 1817)
Father Gabriel Richard and Rev. John Monteith, with the assistance of Judge Woodward, establish the Catholepistemiad of Michigan. In 1837, this school moved to Ann Arbor and was renamed The University of Michigan.
Michigan (1823-1825)
Father Gabriel Richard serves as the Michigan Territory’s delegate to the United States Congress. He fought for the establishment of The Territorial Road, which connected Detroit to Chicago. This road is now known as Michigan Avenue.
Detroit (September 13th, 1832)
Father Gabriel Richard dies. He is the last victim of the raging cholera epidemic in Detroit. Reportedly, the epidemic started when a troop ship carrying infected soldiers to Chicago to squash Blackhawk’s rebellion, stopped in Detroit, and unwittingly unleashed the epidemic on fair Detroit.
Michigan (January 26th, 1837)
Michigan officially becomes a State.
Ste. Anne’s Catholic Church in Detroit, Michigan.
Father Gabriel Richard is buried in a subterranean crypt inside Ste. Anne’s Catholic Church (1000 Sainte Anne Street, Detroit, Michigan).
Printing Press.
Some other resources you should check out:
Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit houses Father Gabriel Richard’s original collection of books and papers
Flor-Dri (5450 W. Jefferson, Detroit), which was once the original site of Michigan’s first printing press in 1809, thanks to Gabriel Richard (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
First known illustration of a printing press (c. 1499 AD).
Atlas Obscura 2nd Edition (image courtesy of Atlas Obscura)
*Special thanks to Dylan Thuras & Lathea Williams for this*
We are raffling off 3 autographed copies of ‘Atlas Obscura, 2nd Edition: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders‘ signed by co-creator DYLAN THURAS!
*3 winners will be selected at random. Enter now for your chance to win!*
The raffle will run from Monday, December 02 to Sunday, December 08.
Dylan Thuras, Ella Morton, Joshua Foer (photo courtesy of Atlas Obscura)
Atlas Obscura was created in 2009 by Brooklyn, NYC-based Dylan Thuras and Joshua Foer.
Described as the “definitive guide to the world’s hidden wonders,” Atlas Obscura is an interactive guide to cool, strange, unusual places, food, and knowledge. This ongoing collaborative international mapping and cataloging project grows every day.
Themed around discovery and exploration, Atlas Obscura encourages people to be adventurous and become travelers in their own communities and around the globe.
John K. King Books Rare Book Room in DETROIT! (photo courtesy of Atlas Obscura)
To help drive this positive & global phenomenon, Dylan helped craft a book entitled ‘Atlas Obscura, 2nd Edition: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders‘.
Published in October 2019 by Workman Publishing Group, the guide runs 480 pages and was compiled by Dylan Thuras, Joshua Foer and Ella Morton.
*Special thanks to Dylan Thuras & Lathea Williams for this*
We are raffling off 3 autographed copies of ‘Atlas Obscura, 2nd Edition: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders‘ signed by co-creator DYLAN THURAS!
*3 winners will be selected at random. Enter now for your chance to win!*
The raffle will run from Monday, October 14 to Sunday, October 20.
Asylum Publications
Asylum Publications is a new publishing company located in Metro Detroit. Owned by serial entrepreneur Paul Burke, Asylum is slated to publish 100 titles by Summer 2020.
One of their most recent offerings is a beautifully rendered book called ‘The Early Years of McFarlane Toys‘.
Paul Burke worked closely with Todd McFarlane to co-develop McFarlane Toys and he has created a book about the unusual and ever-interesting twists & turns in bringing this multi-million-dollar toy company to life.
At the time, Paul was Co-founder / co-CEO / Vice Chairman of TMP International, which McFarlane Toys was a division of and, fun fact, they also had a partial ownership stake in the Edmonton Oilers NHL hockey team.
Image courtesy of Spawn
McFarlane Toys started in 1994 as Todd’s Toys, after they detached from Mattel and became independent. They quickly became the world’s 4th largest toy company and the largest US action figure company in Japan.
McFarlane Toys originally made Spawn action figures based on Todd’s comic book series called Spawn. After those were wildly successful, they started producing other general horror, movie and sports figures.
Span logo courtesy of Spawn
Fun Fact:
The Spawn comic book series just received a Guinness World Record for issue 301, making it the Longest Running Creator-Owned Comic Book in history.
‘The Early Years of McFarlane Toys’ is a fascinating book which you will enjoy immensely.
Biography of Paul Burke
Paul Burke (left) and Jack Faragasso (right) at Jack’s apartment in Manhattan NYC
Paul Burke is a well-known behind the scenes serial entrepreneur and financier whom typically does business on behalf of creators and artists.
Paul currently lives in Metro Detroit but has lived and traveled all over the world for business.
He has been a businessman for five decades and was involved in the management of rock band KISS in the 1970’s and even went on to found his own music publishing company, Stabur East Music / Can-Am Music, Inc.
In 1983 he got out of management and into publishing when he founded Stabur Graphics / Stabur Press publishing companies.
Stabur worked with some of the top cartoonists in the world and published several high-quality books, art prints, specialty books, books for Disney, Rocky Horror Picture Show, etc, until eventually merging with Caliber Comics, a company owned by his pal Gary Reed.
Among many other endeavors, Paul co-founded and was chairman of an automotive design and fabrication company, Blue Fusion, which became the 44th Global Tier One supplier to Ford Motor Company.
He re-organized a security mapping and documentation company for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
And he formed a company to advise private equity firms, EverGreen Capital Management and The Gores Group.
Stabur Home Video ‘Comic Book Greats’ (image courtesy of Stabur)
Over the years, Paul has interfaced with an impressive cross-section of pop-culture titans ranging from Stan Lee to Mad Magazine (Jack Davis and Bill Elder) to Bob Guccione (Penthouse) and others.
Paul Burke and Stan Lee even co-produced a 13-episode video series called ‘Comic Book Greats‘ from 1991-1992 for Stabur Home Video.
Paul also co-developed Deadworld Zombie Soda with Gary Reed. It started as a fun novelty joke, but sales unexpectedly took off and it became internationally popular.
Deadworld Zombie Soda (image courtesy of Deadworld)
Paul is currently involved with Asylum Publications, Source Point Press, Binary Press, and more.
Asylum Publications is scheduled to bring a number of books to market in all facets of pop culture, including publishing the fine art of 91-year-old Jack Faragasso, renowned New York artist and educator, in a follow-up to his ‘Early Photographs of Bettie Page’ book.
Asylum is working to make people aware of this great artist who has devoted his life to art, through a series of books and prints.
Dedd Fredd holding bottle of Asylum Zombie Soda (image courtesy of Asylum)
Here at Detroit Bookfest we are starting a new series called the Bookfest Explorer Series.
This will be a collection of travel experiences whereby we will periodically document our literary travels, both domestic and abroad, to help highlight the global community of books.
First up, Boston.
Founded in 1630, Boston is the 7th oldest city in the United States. Featuring sunken red brick sidewalks and beautiful old buildings aplenty, the city is loaded with history and rows of opulent townhouses for blocks.
Heading from Logan Airport to the Park Plaza Hotel (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
Open since 1807, non-members can tour the first floor of this exceptional private library for $10.00. All 12 floors are open to members.
The focus of the collection is arts and humanities. World-class paintings grace the walls and there are marble busts of philosophers on stands.
Through the rear window, you can see the grave of Paul Revere in the Granary Burying Ground! This old cemetery opened in 1660 and there are several historical grave sites here.
Also, as a bonus, check out the Paul Revere House (19 North Square). Built in 1680, it’s Boston’s oldest building. Paul Revere’s famous 1775 Midnight Ride started here.
Boston Athenæum (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
Boston Athenæum (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
Boston Athenæum (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
Image courtesy of James Cole
Boston Athenæum (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
Paul Revere’s Grave @ Granary Burying Ground (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
Paul Revere’s Grave @ Granary Burying Ground (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
old grave @ Granary Burying Ground (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
Open since 1848 and smartly situated in beautiful Copley Square, the BPL was the first large free municipal library in the United States.
Be sure to check out the gorgeous 2nd floor Bates Hall reading room.
Also located on the 2nd floor, the Abbey Room, looks medieval European ornate, walls adorned with giant murals of the Holy Grail tale and 150 life-size figures from Arthurian legend ring the room, staring down at you. Who says paintings can’t talk?
Boston Public Library (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
Bates Hall reading room @ BPL (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
This beautiful 14-floor hotel opened in 1855. Charles Dickens lived here on the 3rd floor from 1867-68. He read ‘A Christmas Carol’ in the Last Hurrah Bar inside the hotel for the first time in America. They have his original door (view it in the basement) and gigantic mirror (view it on the mezzanine level) here.
Also, of note, Ho Chi Minh was a pastry chef here 1911-13, Malcolm X was a busboy, the Boston Cream Pie was invented here, and President JFK was a frequent guest!
Located next to the worldwide home of the Christian Science Church (which also houses the world’s 9th largest pipe organ), the Mary Bakery Eddy Library features a one-of-a-kind experience inside The Mapparium.
For only $6.00, you can tour The Mapparium for a delightfully psychedelic experience. The Mapparium is a 30-foot stained glass globe built in 1935 and features 608 glass panels. A walkway bisects the center of it.
At one point, they turn the lights off and there’s a light show around the world. Crazy how sound travels in here, sounds like every whisper is microphone-amplified, incredible.
Please note that photography is not allowed inside The Mapparium.
Mapparium (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
Mapparium (image courtesy of Mary Baker Eddy Library)
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