Has a copy of John James Audubon's The Birds of America ever survived a flood by floating?

May 22, 2012 8:48 AM

Has a copy of John James Audubon's The Birds of America ever survived a flood by floating?

I was in a conversation last night and this story dribbled out of me about Birds of America surviving a leak or flood in a Liverpool library by floating. I remember reading about how the size of the books meant they were watertight so it was simply a case of waiting for them to dry out.

It's entirely possible it was some other great book like a Shakespeare Folio or a Bible and that it wasn't in Liverpool but it would be good to know that my brain isn't just making this stuff up. Again.

posted by feelinglistless to media & arts (4 answers total)

Well, The Birds of America was published in Double Elephant Folio, and its dimensions were 39.5" x 28.5". I've never heard of a well-known volume of this size, though I'm sure they exist.

Here's a photo from Wikipedia. Sure looks like it can float to me.
posted by Gordion Knott at 8:59 AM on May 22, 2012

I think you might be getting confused about the details from this Guardian article, which reports that a copy of Audobon owned by Liverpool council libraries was saved from firemens' hosing during the blitz.
posted by roofus at 9:10 AM on May 22, 2012

This makes no sense. It doesn't matter of the book floats, the pages will still soak up water.
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 9:12 AM on May 22, 2012

roofus: Thanks, yes, that's it.
posted by feelinglistless at 11:11 AM on May 22, 2012