Almost ten years ago, inspired by Margaret C. Anderson‘s The Little Review, I founded the Chicago Review of Books to serve as a forum for literature in the Midwest, since most American book criticism was (and still is) published on the coasts.
Today, I’m introducing a new publication aimed at filling a different gap.
We are currently living through a modern renaissance of fine press books thanks to publishers like The Folio Society, Beehive Books, Subterranean Press, and many more. But in my experience as a culture journalist, it can be difficult to secure media coverage for new fine press releases.
That’s why I’m launching Alderbrink, a new online magazine dedicated solely to fine press books — including hands-on reviews and breaking news.
Name and device
Alderbrink is named after Alderbrink Press, a Chicago fine press that was headquartered in the Fine Arts Building, where Margaret C. Anderson’s The Little Review was founded — as was Harriet Monroe’s Poetry magazine. Founded by Ralph Fletcher Seymour in 1897, Alderbrink Press was known for its fine, illustrated editions in the Arts and Crafts style.
It was a labor of love for Seymour, who began publishing Alderbrink editions in his spare time while working at the J. Manz Engraving Company as a 27-year-old letterer and illustrator. Seymour also designed and published Poetry magazine from the Fine Arts Building between 1912 and 1916.
Our device is an illustrated initial “A” designed by Seymour for his 1902 edition of The Art of the People by William Morris.
Reviews and news
When we review books, we don’t just consider their literary merit — we also take a careful, firsthand look at their production materials, binding processes, design, interior art, and typesetting.
Alderbrink reviews are based on careful in-person inspections and deep research. We use a five-star rating system composed of five different categories — slipcase, cover & spine, pages & type, illustrations, and text. An edition’s overall rating is an unweighted average of its five category ratings. For more details, see our About page.
Annual awards
One of my favorite traditions at the Chicago Review of Books was our annual awards ceremony. We’ll be doing something similar here — the annual Alderbrink Awards for the year’s best fine editions in the following categories every fall.
- Historical fiction
- Science fiction
- Fantasy
- History
- Science and nature
- Biography and memoir
Get in touch
Writers: If you’d like to write for Alderbrink, email me at adam@alderbr.ink.
Publishers: If you’d like to send us press releases or review copies, email me at adam@alderbr.ink.
Alderbrink 