The most collectable books to be published in Liverpool's 800th anniversary year: a five-volume anthology of writing about Liverpool and Merseyside
Ringo Starr (2004)
I told him I was stood in the John Lennon Airport. We had a bit of a laugh because it’s obviously quite something to have a whole airport named after you. And I told Macca that I would settle just for having a baggage carousel named after me or something.
“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 took the Mersey Minis to th reading group I run in Hoylake Cottage Hospital. There are about ten in the group, all elderly and most can no longer hold a book or see to read; so for the last two weeks I have read from the Minis. I can't tell you how much they have enjoyed it. We had ots of laughs and shared so many memories, and everyone had a thoroughly good time."
-- Dr Angella Macmillan *****
"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 *******
Henry Brooks ADAMS • Prince ALBERT • Reverend Richard Acland ARMSTRONG • John James AUDUBON • Joseph BALLARD • Lorenza Stevens BERBINEAU • Sir John BETJEMAN • Bryan BLUNDELL • Henry BOOTH • John BROPHY • William Wells BROWN • Karel CAPEK • Sir James CHADWICK • Dame Margaret COLE • Captain Greenvile COLLINS • Sir Neil COSSONS • Agnes COWPER • Samuel Sullivan COX • Geoff DAVIES • Daniel DEFOE • Samuel DERRICK • Charles DICKENS • Paul DU NOYER • Dr William Henry DUNCAN • Baron Charles DUPIN • The EDINBURGH REVIEW • Celia FIENNES • Margaret FULLER • Sir Frederick GIBBERD • Allen GINSBERG • Linda GRANT • Robert GRAVES • Niall GRIFFITHS • Saranda HADJARI • John HAMILTON • Edward Chambré HARDMAN • Sophia Peabody HAWTHORNE • Gerard Manley HOPKINS • Michael HOWARD • Quentin HUGHES • The ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS • Washington IRVING • Henry JAMES • Derek JEWELL • King JOHN • Reverend John JOHNS • Bishop James JONES • Carl Gustav JUNG • Johann Georg KOHL • Tony LANE • John LELAND • Stephen LEACOCK • John Winston LENNON • The LIVERPOOL REVIEW • Malcolm LOWRY • Sir Edwin LUTYENS • Lady Constance LYTTON • Sir Paul McCARTNEY • Herman MELVILLE • Hugh MILLER • Nicholas MONSARRAT • Edmund MOREL • Ramsay MUIR • Frederick Law OLMSTED • Libor PESEK • John Wellborn ROOT • Sir Ronald ROSS • Arthur RUBINSTEIN • Johanna SCHOPENHAUER • Walter Dixon SCOTT • Hugh SHIMMIN • Sir Henry Morton STANLEY • Olaf STAPLEDON • Ringo STARR • George STEPHENSON • Harriet Beecher STOWE • Henry STRIPE • Baroness Margaret THATCHER • Paul THEROUX • Nelly WEETON • Reverend John WESLEY • William WORDSWORTH
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.
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.