Franklin Gilliam, Texas Bookman. Eight Reminiscences. F. Warren Roberts, Anthony Rota, Larry McMurtry, Richard Landon, David Farmer, Peter B. Howard, Andrew Hoyem & John Crichton

Dallas: The Book Club of Texas, 2014, 2014. First edition, second issue; 375 copies printed. The first issue contained printer's errors and the majority of it was pulped. Fewer than ten copies of the first issue survived. Designed by David Holman at the Wind River Press. As new.. 8vo, gray cloth, gilt lettering. Frontis and ten illustrations. ¶ Franklin Gilliam, Texas Bookman, was a work long in the making. Part biography, part encomium to the famous proprietor of The Brick Row Book Shop from 1953 to 1983, the planning for the publication began within hours of Franklin's funeral, more than 20 years ago, in Cuero, Texas. Like most things involving Franklin, the wheels turned slowly, so much so that a few individuals, including most of the contributors to the book, thought it was some kind of joke. In late 2013 there was a determination by The Book Club of Texas to finally see the project through or forget about it once and for all, and responsibility for its production was dropped into the lap of the current proprietor of The Book Row Book Shop. The result, with all faults, is a series of personal reminiscences of an unforgettably unique character, which makes for a most unconventional prospective on the life of a most unconventional antiquarian bookseller.