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Image: Mid 19th century encaustic tile from the vestibule of the Athenaeum.
New Books for November
Kenneth
J. Lacovara, "Giants
at the End of the World: Recent Dinosaur Discoveries from Southernmost
Patagonia, Argentina"
 Sauropod
dinosaurs were a diverse and cosmopolitan clade of long-necked, quadrupedal
herbivorous dinosaurs that included the largest terrestrial animals ever. Join
Drexel University’s Kenneth J. Lacovara as he reveals his latest discoveries
regarding these dinosaurs in Argentina. Associate Professor in the Department of
Biology, Kenneth J. Lacovara holds a Ph.D. in Geology from the University of
Delaware and is an elected fellow of the prestigious Explorers Club. He has led
five expeditions to southern-most Patagonia, where he recently excavated a new
species of dinosaur, represented by the most complete skeleton ever discovered
of an extremely massive dinosaur. In 2011 the Carnegie Museum of Natural History
will feature Lacovara’s Patagonian research in an exhibit entitled The
Frontiers of Science. His most recent documentary, Monsters
Resurrected: Spinosaurus, debuted in December, 2009 on the Discovery
Channel and is available now on Netflix. Reception to follow.
Wednesday,
November 9, 2011, 5:30 PM
Free for Athenaeum members. RSVP to Susan
Gallo at 215-925-2688 or sgallo@philaathenaeum.org,
All others $10 Register
here.
Mah-Jongg
Lessons
 On
Monday, November 7th, and Monday, November 21st, the Athenaeum will offer
Mah-Jongg lessons. The lessons will take place from 2:00-4:00pm and will
be taught by Lois Reibach. Reservation required. RSVP to Susan Gallo at sgallo@PhilaAthenaeum.org
or 215-925-2688.
 The
Athenaeum's legacy collections, surviving from the 19th and early 20th
centuries, include rich holdings in the designed bindings which provide
inspiration to contemporary book artists. Arts and Crafts Movement
artists, such as Margaret Armstrong, the studio of the Decorative Designers, and
others, represent the depth of the Athenaeum collections for decorated
commercial bindings. This symposium, created to accompany the "Decorated
Book" exhibition, will provide a context for both today's and yesterday's
approach to the art of the book.
Friday, December
2, 2011
Click
here for registration information
Olive
Lothrop Grover, for Josephine Rand, The
Spirit-Guest.
New York: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1897.
Beginning Calligraphy Workshop: Make a Holiday
Card with Harriett Ackerman
 Harriet
Ackerman returns to us with her wonderful beginning calligraphy workshop. In
this workshop you will make your own holiday card, just in time for Hanukkah,
Christmas, and Kwanzaa. You will learn techniques that can also be applied to
other kinds of cards, labels, and presentations. Ages 15 and over.
Saturday,
December 3, 2011, 1:00PM-3:00 PM
Click
here to register
Member Critics
 Eric
Allison and Lauren Peters. Historic Preservation and the Livable City.
Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons, 2011.
This
fast-paced book tells three discreet stories. The first is the history of
historic preservation, which credits the backlash from the demolition of New
York City’s Penn Station in 1968 for legitimizing the practice of designation
and regulation of historic buildings and sites, which was not widely practiced
before that time.
The second story defines the
term “livable city” as an amalgam of safety, sustainability, accessible
cultural centers, walkability, while being respectful of our roots and providing
a sense of place.
The third story provides the
most new information and is focused on the economics of historic preservation.
A cited Rutgers University study concludes that for every $1million of historic
preservation activity, 38 jobs are created vs. 36 jobs for $1million of new
construction. A point is made that the U.S. Green Building Council’s
measurement of resource reuse in its LEED (Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design) rating system gives only 3 points (out of 69) for the
reuse of an entire building, including its interior walls, ignoring that fact
that demolition of an existing structure produces a tremendous amount of waste,
roughly 155 lbs. per SF.
Several U.S. and Global cities
are used as case studies for the points the authors make and conspicuous by its
absence is any reference to historic preservation efforts in Philadelphia.
Submitted
by Janet Kimbleton Grace
Do
you have a book that you loved (or hated), and would you be willing to share
that opinion on the Athenaeum e-newsletter? If so, please send your short
essay to sltatman@philaathenaeum.org.
Save
the date:
November 5: First Saturday, Athenaeum open, 11:00am-3:00pm.
November
9: Kenneth J. Lacovara, “Giants at the End of the World: Recent
Dinosaur Discoveries from Southernmost Patagonia, Argentina,” 5:30pm.
December 2: The Decorated Book Symposium, 12:00pm.
December 2: Opening reception for The Decorated Book: Continuing A
Tradition exhibition, 5:00pm.
December 3:
First
Saturday, Athenaeum open, 11:00am-3:00pm.
December
3: Beginning Calligraphy Workshop, 1:00pm.
See
the Event
Calendar for details and additional
events.
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