Geek Out on Emperor Norton!
William Drury's 1986 biography Norton I: Emperor of the United States remains the authoritative book-length historical treatment of the Emperor.
Alas, the book is long out of print, and nicely preserved copies are not in abundance and — thus — come at a premium. But, when one is trying to rally a movement to name the Bay Bridge for Emperor Norton, is there really any choice other than to bite the bullet and buy the thing?
Delighted that the copy that arrived in my mailbox this week is every bit as lovely as the bookseller's Web site promised. I haven't finished the book yet — but I've read enough to know that there is an absolute wealth of historical detail and that the writer is an exceptionally gifted and elegant storyteller.
If you're going to have one Emperor Norton book in your collection, this is the one to get.
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