Circumstances
6 December 2022
Delivery update:
We have made every effort to have the trade edition ready to mail before Christmas. Unfortunately, events—including the dreaded “supply chain issues”— have conspired against us. A delay in trucking the 20,000 lbs of books from the printer to the distributor means it is no longer realistic to try and package the books with the care and attention they deserve and still get them mailed before the holiday.
The plan now is for Deep Vellum to begin shipping the old trade edition pre-orders in mid-January. We feel confident about this plan and do not foresee any other possible delays. With a little luck the numbered and lettered editions will also be ready to ship at this time.
There are some benefits with the new plan. There are challenges to safely shipping a book this large, and mailing during the busiest time of year notably increases the incidence of rough handling of packages. Since the trade edition is still effectively a limited edition of 2800, one advantage of shipping after the holiday rush is greater assurance the books will arrive to customers unharmed. After waiting on this wondrous edition for so many years, we want to make sure your book arrives in pristine shape.
Quite close
4 December 2022
A message from John Crowley:
“The big book that I began thinking about in New York City sometime around 1975 was completed by 1981. It’s gone through various printings in various lands and languages, but none has been as gorgeous, as readable, as exquisitely illustrated, or as beautifully made as the one that now exists. Those who read the book in its long-ago state can now acquire a version that has in effect gone to heaven and returned – in manufacture, in creative thought, completeness, and beauty. It has been a long time coming – and even longer for those readers who put down their dollars long ago. We – you, me, the bookmakers and illustrator – have been waiting just as long. I hope that the at-last arrival of your own volume will disperse all the woes of waiting so long.”
At long last production is nearly complete! The trade hardcover edition of the book is printed and bound. Early this coming week 20,000 lbs of books will be loaded on a truck and en route from the printer to our non-profit sponsor, Deep Vellum, who is handling distribution. This means books will begin shipping in the coming weeks! Such joyous news has been made possible through the diligent efforts of a small group of volunteers and support from a few generous donors.
With a project whose order history spans 18 years, we need to hear from all of you who have pre-ordered, before we can ship your book. We can only ship to those pre-orders whose addresses have been confirmed.
Please confirm or update your complete mailing address and contact info by completing the form at-- https://littlebig25.com/Form.shtml.
If you have recently confirmed your address with Ben Kamm, or ordered your book through Deep Vellum, you do not need to fill out or submit this form.
With so many predictions for the book's release over the years, all we can confidently say right now is that we are quite close to shipping and that the team at Deep Vellum endeavors to have the trade edition mailed before the year’s end, hopefully by solstice. However, there is no guarantee books will arrive by Christmas. Shipping will start with oldest orders (beginning in 2004), so those who have been waiting the longest should receive their books first, but only if you have confirmed your mailing address. Domestic orders will be shipped through the United States Postal Service; the best method for international shipping is still TBD. Tracking will be emailed to each customer at the time of shipment.
Production of the numbered and lettered editions is taking longer. The slipcases are being manufactured now and the sheets signed years ago by John Crowley, Peter Milton and Harold Bloom are being carefully inserted by hand before each book is bound. The latest estimate from the printer is that they will be ready “in January”. We will post further news here.
A handful of preview trade edition were recently sent to the author, artist, and major donors to the project. You can watch a video of Neil Gaiman unboxing his copy-- https://journal.neilgaiman.com/
The project's non-profit sponsor, Deep Vellum Publishing, is now handling sales and fulfillment. Copies of the trade edition and posters remain available through-- https://store.deepvellum.org/products/little-big
Thank you for your heroic patience and support for this long-awaited edition!
The Completion Team