Ken Sanders Rare Books are hosting a couple of events to celebrate their 50th anniversary!
Ken Sanders Rare Books are hosting some events to celebrate the 50th anniversary of both Ken Sanders Rare Books and the hit environmental classic The Monkey Wrench Gang, a book that has followed Ken throughout his career!
Literary Libations
Saturday Sept 27th
The Clubhouse
Literary Libations is a live recording of the Let’s Go Eat and Drink Podcast and monthly boozy book club series hosted at Clubhouse (850 E S Temple St,) Ken Sanders of Ken Sanders Rare Books, Bill Allred (Radio from Hell X96), and Jim Santangelo of Wine Academy of Utah bringing writers, readers, and community into intimate conversation.
Our literary highlight Edward Abbey is being spotlighted for the 50th anniversary of his environmental classic The Monkey Wrench Gang. Wine Pairing + Non-Alcoholic Beverages included.
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The next day, Sunday, September 28, Ken Sanders Rare Books and A. Fisher Brewing Company are teaing up for a day-long celebration.
On Sunday, Sept. 28 at 11 a.m., six Monkey Wrench Gang beer labels will be released at Fisher Brewing Company. A portion of proceeds from beer sales will be donated to Ken Sanders Rare Books, Western Wildlife Conservancy and the Great Basin Water Network.
In 1985 -– 10 years after the initial publication of The Monkey Wrench Gang -– Ken Sanders began publishing his own version of Abbey's novel, with illustrations by R. Crumb. Five of the beer labels are Crumb's interpretation of the members of The Monkey Wrench Gang, and the sixth label is meant to celebrate Sanders, his bookshop and the literary legacy he has championed in Utah for the past 50 years.
"It has only taken me fifty years to become an official member of the Monkey Wrench Gang, albeit as part of a six pack!" -- Ken Sanders.
At 4 p.m., the beer, wine and cocktails will flow as Sanders speaks at Fisher Brewing Company. Sanders will be introduced by Salt Lake Tribune columnist Robert Gehrke. Filmmaker Trent Harris will also speak. While a general Monkey Wrench Gang theme will dominate the day, the event is also a celebration of Sanders himself, who is marking the 50th anniversary of his Salt Lake City-bookshop, now housed on Library Square, in the old SLC library.
Sanders' cache of Monkey Wrench Gang-related ephemera will also be on hand, including t-shirts printed with MWG characters, books, as well as a 50th anniversary commemorative special edition of The Monkey Wrench Gang, with writings by Sanders and paintings by artists Trent Call, Sophie Crumb (R. Crumb's daughter) and Ralph Steadman. View Monkey Wrench Gang Merch here...
For the 2025 event, one beer will be brewed –- a 5-percent alcohol by volume juniper berry western pale ale -– but six labels will be placed on the 16oz cans. The beers will be available in any assortment. For example, six four-packs totalling 24 beers, with four of each label. Or, a six-pack with each of the six labels. Or just a four-pack of your favorite character... Single cans will also be available for purchase. Cans cost $4, plus tax.
This is not the first collaboration between Sanders and Fisher Brewing Company. In 2020/2021, the two paired up for a similar partnership. At that time, the brewery crafted six different beers, one for each member of The Monkey Wrench Gang -– Bonnie Abbzug, George Washington Hayduke, Doc. Sarvis and Seldom Seen Smith, as well as the entire gang and the image of the Wrench. Proceeds from beer sales were donated to Ken Sanders Rare Books, which aided the bookshop's survival during the pandemic. At that time, due to pandemic restrictions, Fisher Brewing's taproom was closed to the public. Supporters of the book, Sanders and Fisher lined up each Sunday for three months to get their hands on the R. Crumb illustrated beer labels.
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The Sunday evening events are free and open to the public. Fisher Brewing is located at 320 W. 800 S. in Salt Lake City. The brewery is a 21 and over bar. Photo ID is required for entry.
Details of the Anniversary Party, including images of the beer labels, are available here...