NEWS & PRESS RELEASES

TITLE: IK presents its publication of LINNAEUS' NOTEBOOK FROM 1725 - the very first writings by Carl Linnaeus DATE: January 2007 ARTICLE CONTENT: IK Foundation & Company have the great pleasure of launching, at the official Swedish inauguration of the Linnaean year 2007 in Linnaeus' own school town of Växjö, their research and publishing project associated with this unique work, Linnaeus' Notebook from 1725. The work which was begun in 2005 includes a complete and thorough examination of the handwritten manuscript, involving interpretations and references to the publications the young Linnaeus himself refers to in his notebook. Moreover, a completely new transcription of the manuscript, which was at times difficult to read, was carried out by Linnaean expert and bibliophile Torbjörn Lindell. He also writes the extensive volume of commentaries for the publication which is planned to be completed during 2009. Besides the fundamental research connected to the notebook generated by this future publication, a special hand made paper is being developed for the facsimile volume This development is carried out by various international paper experts together with Lessebo Handpappersbruk (Vida Paper AB), situated a few miles east of Växjö. The research and publishing work is done through IK Foundation & Company in England in collaboration with, among others, the person responsible for the notebook at Växjö town library. The work will be published in the series Mundus Linnæi and is a part of IK's long-term commitment to PUTTING THE REAL WORLD OF LINNAEUS FIRST. B A C K G R O U N D LINNAEUS' FIRST YEARS AT SCHOOL Embosomed in the southern Swedish county of Småland lies Växjö, the town where Linnaeus first went to school. Even today one can visit his school building - the old grammar school, Gymnasium, next to the cathedral.He was only a seven year old boy when he came to Växjö to embark on his education. Later, he acquired the reputation of being a good "knower of plants", an interest which absorbed so much of his time that once he had moved up to the Gymnasium his other studies were sidelined. This is where his path to becoming one of the foremost naturalists in the world had its beginning, which would affect mankind's view of nature for ever after. UNIQUE DOCUMENT NOW MADE AVAILABLE The publication of the Linnaeus' Notebook in the series Mundus Linnæi is of significant international scientific importance. New aspects of the young Linnaeus' life and thinking will benefit research, but maybe also make for exciting and enjoyable reading for anybody interested in this young talent, whose studies were so very nearly cut off due to others' lack of understanding... VOLUMES 1-3 The book, generally referred to as "Örtaboken", the Book of Plants, clearly reflects young Linnaeus' wide ranging thoughts in note form. There are also a few sketches, drawings and tables. The format of the notebook is 100x150mm and it contains 169 pages. In their relatively complicated approach, the notes reveal a mature young man with hints of brilliance. Volume 1 will be a complete facsimile edition of the Notebook and will reproduce as accurately as is possible the18th century original. The next volume, Volume 2, includes the complete transcription, page for page, into English. Here the sometimes hard-to-read notes in the Notebook become accessible. The volumes will be published following both the format and pagination of the original. In the concluding volume, Volume 3, the author Torbjörn Lindell contributes his comments on the texts in the Notebook. For example the young Linnaeus quotes from about 70 learned oeuvres which are commented on - why and how did Linnaeus have access to those, their characters, scientific and scholarly significance and where they occur in the writing of the Notebook et cetera. Volume 3 concludes with references and an extensive index of search words. About the Author (Vol. 3): Torbjörn Lindell FLS, Linnaeus bibliophile and expert. Founder of "The Lindell Collection", one of the most outstanding private collections of Linnaeus literature . SEE ALSO: Mundus Linnæi Series The IK Bookshop