“Bursting with brilliant writing inspired by Liverpool and the River Mersey, the Mersey Minis are a great way to read about Liverpool, whether you live here or know someone who'd love one, far away – a lovely pressie.”
-- LiverpoolConfidential.com *****
"The research in unearthing so many quotable quotes about Liverpool has been phenomenal."
-- Peter Elson, Liverpool Daily Post *****
"I was really impressed with the 'Mersey Minis' book..... it is a gem. It's quirky, charming and 'unputdownable'. The woodcuts by Clare Curtis compliment the book so well and give a sense of atmosphere and life to the text."
-- Tom Muir, Orkney Boat Museum *****
"I was given your Vol I for a birthday present... the book is very handy for carrying around. I was at a really boring event the other night and was able to read it surreptitiously."
-- Stephen Guy, local historian ****
"Mersey Minis presents Liverpool in miniature. A wonderful composite of the city - lovely to hold, and a delight to read."
-- Margaret Murphy, crime novelist *****
"Great idea, lovely wee books"
-- Dave Calder, poet and co-founder Windows Project *****
"What a very stylish - and eminently ransackable - collection!"
-- Charles Nevin, journalist *****
"A wonderful idea and great choice of texts!"
-- Christoph Grunenberg, director, Tate Liverpool *****
"A beautifully produced and fascinating book."
-- Loyd Grossman
Published by Capsica
ISBN 978-0-9548431-8-2
To be published a the end of June 2007
ARDEN, Lynette • ARNOLD, Matthew • AUDUBON, John James • BAINBRIDGE, Beryl • BLOW, Isabella • BODMER, Johann Georg • BOSANQUET, Robert Carr • BROPHY, John • BRYANT, William Cullen • BUTLER, Josephine • CLARKE, Margi • COLBECK, Christopher • COLERIDGE, Samuel Taylor • CORNELIUS, John • COX, Samuel Sullivan • CREEVEY, Thomas • DICKENS, Charles • DOUGLASS, Frederick • DRUMMOND, Bill • DUNCAN, William Henry • DUTENS, Jean-Michel • EDDY, Daniel Clarke • EMERSON, Ralph Waldo • EMIN, Tracey • ENFIELD, William • ENGELS, Friedrich • EVERETT, Kenny • FRISCH, Otto • GÁL, Hans • GARRETT, George • GAYLE, Howard • GLADSTONE, William Ewart • HAWTHORNE, Nathaniel • HEAD, George • HEFFNER, George Henry • HOLMES, Oliver Wendell • HOPKINS, Gerard Manley • HUGHES, Shirley • KEMPSON, Rachel • KIRKLAND, Caroline • KOHL, Johann Georg • LODGE, Oliver • LUCIE-SMITH, Edward • MASEFIELD, John • MAURY, Ann • MAURY, James • McGOUGH, Roger • MELLY, George • MELVILLE, Herman • MORLEY, Paul • NEVIN, Charles • NEWTON, John • ORWELL, George • PATEY, Edward • PATTEN, Thomas • PEVSNER, Nikolaus • PRIESTLEY, J B • PRIVATE EYE • RATHBONE, Eleanor • RODENBERG, Julius • RUSSELL, Willy • SASSOON, Siegfried • SAYLE, Alexei • SCHOPENHAUER, Johanna • SCOTT, Walter Dixon • SELF, Will • SHEPPARD, David • SHIMMIN, Hugh • SIDNEY, Samuel • SIMEY, Margaret • STONEHOUSE, James • STOWE, Harriet Beecher • STRAW, Jack • STRIPE, Henry • TAINE, Hyppolite • THATCHER, Margaret • UNSWORTH, Barry • VAN DEN BERGH, Dirk • WEETON, Nelly • WESLEY, John
ILLUSTRATIONS
The striking illustrations were commissioned for Mersey Minis from artist Clare Curtis, and present her unique visual response to Liverpool. Clare follows a long tradition of British printmakers with her distinctive linocuts, which are imbued with a bold, contemporary feel. Felixstowe-based Clare demonstrates her empathy with the sea with maritime patterns and motifs appearing throughout her work. These specially commissioned icons have been chosen for their multi-layered local references.
Check on the Mersey Minis homepage for news of an exhibition of the illustrations, and for details of how to get your own set of limited edition prints.
A note on the text
The extracts in Mersey Minis are reproduced from original sources, many of which are historic and therefore sometimes using styles and language unfamiliar to modern readers. I have, however, in most cases retained the original spellings, punctuation and sometimes the grammatical mistakes so as not to impede the energy and flow of the writer, and to reflect the uniqueness and idioisyncracy of his or her account. The date given at the start of each extract is the date the writing refers to, and not necessarily when it was written or published.
