Virginia Lee Burton to Hemingway: A Denver Bibliophile’s Collection

If you enjoyed our summer issue’s “How I Got Started” profile of Denver bibliophile Taylor C. Kirkpatrick, be sure to check out the full interview, posted here.

Sparked by a copy of Virginia Lee Burton’s Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel given to him as a child in the seventies, Kirkpatrick began collecting books and never stopped — Hemingway is a particular favorite, but he also seeks out Aesop's Fables and its variants, book art, children's books, fine bindings, and books on travel and exploration. He is particularly passionate about getting the younger generation interested in books. He established the Know Your ABCs: Alternative Books for Children Diversity Collection at the University of Denver and, most recently, has sponsored The Kirkpatrick Prize, an annual book collecting prize for collectors aged thirty and under who reside in Colorado. This year’s winner will be announced on June 30 and recognized at the 2021 Rocky Mountain Book and Paper Fair.