Poetry City Marathon
| Author | Dave Morice |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | poetry |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Hardcover |
| Pages | 10,119[1] |
Poetry City Marathon is a poetry book written by poet Dave "Dr. Alphabet" Morice. The book is 10,119 pages long,[1] and is most notable for being one of the largest single-volume books ever bound,[citation needed] measuring in at two feet thick.[1]
Conception
[edit]The book was conceived in honor of Iowa City having been named "City of Literature" by the UNESCO.[2] The book was written between July and October of 2010 at a rate of approximately 100 pages every night for 100 nights while being sponsored by the publishing company Sackter House Media.[2] In order to accomplish this, Morice took in submissions from artists, students, and businesses. A digital version of the book in its work-in-progress phase was available for the public to access as it was being written, allowing anyone to witness the book's progress. The book was printed on 8 1/2 by 11-inch paper by Bu Wilson and pressed by University of Iowa Libraries Preservation employee Bill Voss, a process which was completed over the course of 24 hours.[3]
Reception
[edit]The book was put on display as a highlight at a 4-month exhibition hosted by the University of Iowa Main Library in 2011, honoring the Iowa Writers' Workshop and the Actualist Poetry Movement.[1][3] The singular physical copy produced for the exhibition is presently located in the library's archives.[citation needed]
The then-head of the Preservation Department, Nancy Kraft, stated that she hoped to submit the book to the Guinness Book of World Records as a possible contender for the world's thickest book.[1][3] This title is presently held by Shree Haricharitramrut Sagar by Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan.[citation needed]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e of Iowa, University (January 25, 2011). "Library Binds 10,000-Page, Two-Foot-Thick Book of Poetry". newswise.com. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
- ^ a b Staff, UIAA (April 2011). "My Big Book of Poetry". magazine.foriowa.org. Archived from the original on January 11, 2025. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
- ^ a b c Voss, Bill (January 7, 2011). "10,000 page book bound at Conservation Lab". blog.lib.uiowa.edu. Archived from the original on January 11, 2025. Retrieved January 11, 2025.