A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books
The passion to possess books has never been more widespread than it is today; indeed, obsessive book collecting remains the only hobby to have a disease named after it. A Gentle Madness, finalist for the 1995 National Book Critics Circle award, is an adventure among the afflicted. Richly...
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The passion to possess books has never been more widespread than it is today; indeed, obsessive book collecting remains the only hobby to have a disease named after it. A Gentle Madness, finalist for the 1995 National Book Critics Circle award, is an adventure among the afflicted. Richly anecdotal and fully documented, it combines the perspective of historical research with the immediacy of investigative journalism. Above all, it is a celebration of books and the people who have revered, gathered, and preserved them over the centuries.
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Format: paperback
ISBN:
9780805061765 (0805061762)
Publish date: March 15th 1999
Publisher: Owl Books
Pages no: 668
Edition language: English
Category:
Non Fiction,
Biography,
Writing,
History,
Reference,
Language,
Literature,
Science,
Books About Books,
Philosophy,
Psychology
Oh my God! There are people crazier than me out there!This is one long book, about people who love books to the point of madness, and the world they've created for themselves to play in. It's a delight to go there with a cicerone as astute and witty as Basbanes.Dozens and dozens of modern-day biblio...
Has some very interesting recollections of famous book-lovers and collectors, as well as famous book thieves and other unique book-related incidents. Especially enjoyed the sections about Xavier Marmier (1809-1892).
I reserve the right not to finish any book that fails to grab my attention. After 74 pages I was still fighting my way through every one. Life's too short for books like that.
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