Book Fairs | May 17, 2011

2011 Tennessee Antiquarian Book Fair

Cowan, TN - May 16, 2011 -- Cowan is the only small town in America with a national book fair. There are a number of major antiquarian book fairs held in the United States every year. These annual fairs are typically weekend events held in large cities such as St. Petersburg, Washington D. C., Akron, Albuquerque, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Seattle, Denver, and San Francisco. The 2011 Tennessee Antiquarian Book Fair will be held July 16 and 17 at Monterey Station in Cowan. Over fifty booksellers from more than 12 states are expected to participate in this year’s fair. Virginia, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Texas, and Florida are just some of the states represented by participating booksellers. More than a thousand book collectors and bookworms from all over North America are expected to attend the event.

The fair will include lectures by authors and scholars on many different topics of interest to collectors and book lovers in general. The keynote speaker will be bestselling author Nicholas Basbanes. Mr. Basbanes is best known for his book A Gentle Madness in which he relates stories about book collectors from antiquity to the 1980’s. Children’s literacy, the War Between the States in Tennessee, and book collecting 101 are just some of the other scheduled lectures.

Cowan is located just an hour's drive northwest of Chattanooga. It was established in the early 1850's as a station for the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad. The town is best known for its railroad depot museum and the nearby 2200-ft long, hand-drilled tunnel. It is the unique venue that makes this national event possible. The building now known as Monterey Station was built in the 1920’s and was originally used as a shoe factory and a yarn mill. With over 20,000 sq ft, it is one of the largest indoor event complexes in southeastern Middle Tennessee. The low operating costs and its location make it very attractive to booksellers and bookworms alike. Atlanta, Birmingham, Chattanooga, Huntsville, Knoxville, and Nashville are all less than 3 hours by car.

The fair will include a variety of collectable and rare books, autographed documents, and other ephemera. Bibliophiles will discover modern first editions of mystery, science fiction, and literature. Collectable books and documents concerning the War Between the States, the American Revolution, and both World Wars will be available. Dealers specializing in children’s literature, art, religion, fine bindings, and books about books will also be exhibiting at the fair. Book prices will range from $10 to $20,000, so there are sure to be interesting books for the leisure reader as well as the most avid collector. For highlights of the 2010 fair see: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jcznd5hxu8

The fair will be open 10 AM to 6 PM on Saturday and 11 AM to 5 PM on Sunday. Admission is $5 for adults and free to those under 18. The price covers both days and includes attendance at all the lectures as well as admission to the fair. Seating in the lecture hall is limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

www.tennaba.org

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Tom McGee
TN Antiquarian Booksellers’ Assn.
Tel. 931/636-5752
Cell Phone: 615/330-3812
Email: tom@tennaba.org
www.tennaba.org

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