The Library
Books | History / World
Andrew Pettegree
Arthur der Weduwen
Perfect for book lovers, this is a fascinating exploration of the history of libraries and the people who built them, from the ancient world to the digital age. Famed across the known world, jealously guarded by private collectors, built up over centuries, destroyed in a single day, ornamented with gold leaf and frescoes, or filled with bean bags and children’s drawings—the history of the library is rich, varied, and stuffed full of incident. In The Library, historians Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen introduce us to the antiquarians and philanthropists who shaped the world’s great collections, trace the rise and fall of literary tastes, and reveal the high crimes and misdemeanors committed in pursuit of rare manuscripts. In doing so, they reveal that while collections themselves are fragile, often falling into ruin within a few decades, the idea of the library has been remarkably resilient as each generation makes—and remakes—the institution anew. Beautifully written and deeply researched, The Library is essential reading for booklovers, collectors, and anyone who has ever gotten blissfully lost in the stacks.
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More Details:
Author
Andrew Pettegree
Pages
528
Publisher
Basic Books
Published Date
2021-11-09
ISBN
1541600789 9781541600782
Community ReviewsSee all
"An in-depth history of where libraries began to where they are now is explored in this book. Told in chronological order, I learned much about the book, the process of buying and selling books, how opinions on collecting books shape history, and how the modern public library is in fact very modern.
This book has given me a new sense of awe when it comes to the written word. Books have survived many conflicts and natural disasters in which causes humanity to revive the love of books. Every challenge that has faced libraries has never won. There is something truly special about books and their knowledge.
As I was reading, one thought kept occurring to me over and over again: statistically there is no reason that we as humanity should have libraries today. Between the countless wars, raids, disasters, and general unpopularity, the modern library has defied odds. How lucky I was not only to be reading this book, but I actually obtain it from my own library and spent time inside the library reading it. I would often pause my reading and take a look around the feeling of gratitude and pride in a single place was palpable. This book really opened my eyes to the unexpected in the mundane.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has read Erik Larson nonfiction and enjoyed it. It was a little denser than Larson, but the information was fascinating and told in a very organized way.
I give this book a 4/5 star rating. "
Olivia Denning