Doper Assistance Requested!

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

On Saturday I was packing up some things in my father’s house in preparation for his upcoming move. He’s moving to a smaller place so some of his books will need to be put in storage. While going through the books I found something that seemed out of place, as it was a 19th century travelogue. I asked him if he wanted to keep it and he told me it was written by his mother’s grandmother. My great, great grandmother! I have very little in the way of family history, so I was even more excited when I opened the book and found a family tree written in pencil on the inside cover. There’s a picture of the author and the tree descends down to my father.

Ok, here’s where I need some help. The book is in terribly poor condition. The binding is almost completely off, and the pages are very fragile. I would like to find out if it can be restored. I’m going to look for local restorers, but if anyone knows a good one anywhere I’d be very appreciative.

I would also love to find another copy of this book somewhere so I could read it. Besides being written by a relative I’ve never heard of before, it sounds like it might be interesting. Here’s a woman in the late 1800s writing about her travels to Europe, Egypt, Palestine and other places. I never knew I had an adventurer in the family, nor a writer (I wish my father would have told me about her when I was younger and thought I might be a writer myself one day.)

I’ve done the requisite Google searching and have found a few references to the book (and a volume of poetry she also had published) but nothing available for purchase.

Here’s what I know about the book:

Title: Golden memories of Old World lands: Or, What I saw in Europe, Egypt, Palestine and Greece

Author: Maria Ballard Holyoke

Publisher: Charles H. Kerr (1893)

Any advice for tracking this book down would be great.

2

Can’t help with the restoration aspect. I did find one of her books of poetry.

There are a number of places that will search for an out-of-print book for you.

Good luck! What a fabulous find. I hope you can locate a copy! Keep us posted.

3

Thanks, freckafree! The second link is being blocked here at work but I’ll check that out when I get home.

4

You might try this link to two copies of the poetry book.

There’s a book dealer here in Topeka that specializes in antique books, although most of them are Kansas related. He’s been very helpful in tracking down stuff for me. I can email him and ask him if he has search advice, or can put it on his “want” list. You never know where stuff will turn up.

5

Wow, Baker, thanks. That would be great.

Oh, I found the poetry volume on the other site and ordered it.

6

Wow! You gotta love the internet! :slight_smile:

7

You may be able to interlibrary loan it from your public library, if you can’t find a reasonably priced reading copy. From WorldCat, East Carolina University seems to own it, probably others as well.

8

I did a WorldCat search (you need access to a subscription to use it), and found 9 libraries in the US that have the book. The closest one to you is probably the Joyner Library at East Carolina University, in Greenville.

I looked up the book in the Joyner Library catalog, and it is currently checked in (i assume that means available), with the call number D919 .H75x

Here are all 9 libraries:



US,CT	UNIV OF CONNECTICUT
US,IL	MOODY BIBLE INST LIBR
US,IL	NORTHWESTERN UNIV
US,IL	QUINCY UNIV
US,IL	WHEATON COL
US,NC	EAST CAROLINA UNIV
US,NY	BROOKLYN PUB LIBR
US,OH	OBERLIN COL LIBR
US,OK	UNIV OF OKLAHOMA

ETA: Beaten to the punch by Zsofia.

9

That would work for reading purposes, Zsofia, thanks (althought I’d love to find an intact copy to keep too.)

10

Thanks to you too, Mhendo.

11

As an aside, I did a search on Google Books and they have a “Find in a Library” feature which accesses WorldCat too. Good to know.