New York’s International Antiquarian Book Fair kicks off March 5 at the Park Avenue Armory, showcasing rare literary treasures. Highlights include Maurice Sendak’s inscribed first edition of Where the Wild Things Are, original 1880 Gustave Eiffel sketches of the Statue of Liberty, and one of just 100 James Joyce-signed copies of Ulysses in its original green wrapper. Visitors can also browse a French 1885 Louis Vuitton design blueprint, Samuel Beckett’s autographed 1960s letters, a Mark Twain-inscribed first edition of Huckleberry Finn, and a letter from Russian Empress Catherine the Great ordering a gift for her future husband—whom she later overthrew.
Other rarities span a first-edition Les Trois Mousquetaires by Alexandre Dumas, Rembrandt illustrations, Andy Warhol’s rare red ink works, a magic manual from Harry Houdini’s library, Allen Ginsberg’s draft typescript of Howl, and a Jack the Ripper collection dedicated to an investigator. Celebrity collectors often disguise themselves to avoid attention—Johnny Depp once attended under a hoodie masking his face.
Greed is good for the movies
Greed, opening Friday, satirizes a British retail billionaire whose empire crumbled, leaving pensions in jeopardy. Star Steve Coogan, playing a caricature of real-life excess, sported oversized fake teeth for the role: “In real life, this man was a total ass,” he noted. The film critiques wealth disparity but avoids naming specific companies.
Sanctified by truth
Criticism mounts against Bernie Sanders, likening his economic policies to Cuban state control and citing biblical passages (James 4:1–2) about destructive desires. The segment argues his rhetoric fuels division.
Uptown & upstate
Leslie Uggams returns to the Apollo Theater on April 27 for Blue, a 16-week run directed by Phylicia Rashad. Meanwhile, upscale Pawling, NY, faces unresolved complaints about dog waste management.
Jane Fonda appears noticeably leaner in her new documentary but quipped about “fighting weight” post-filming.
Only in New York, kids, only in New York.