The George Mason Friends get a variety of donations. One day a book arrived in a plastic bag. I don't think it was handed to anyone in particular. You can see from the photograph that this book has seen some wear. The leather on the spine has practically vanished. Still, it was given to the person dealing with old books.
When she opened the book, she was amazed to see that this book dates to 1794. It was published in Philadelphia and the author was Thomas Jefferson. The publishing history of Notes on the State of Virginia is that the book was first published in France. The next publications were from Philadelphia. On the title page, the book states it is the second American publication. The actual date is November 12, 1794.
This book is just one of many for sale at the Fall Book Sale. It is in one of the lobby display cases if you want to see it in person. If you want to see a list of items in the display cases, use the links off the George Mason Friends page.The sale starts at 5 pm Thursday, October 22. I urge you to find a legal parking place. I would hate for a parking ticket to color your view of this great sale.
Some people come to this sale over multiple days. As can be expected, opening night is a bit crowded. On Friday and Saturday, there is room and time to browse. You can even talk to some of the Friends about books and other interests. Sunday gets a bit crowded, being the last day.
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