David Arbogast Top Contributor: The title of this books sums up its contents, although it should be noted that these are hardly all of the most beautiful libraries in the world, but are an excellent selection among them. They are, understandably, monuments of Western civilization with the result being that the libraries are primarily European with some American examples. Each is covered in sufficient detail with excellent color photography. It is truly a delightful coffee-table book. This hefty coffee table book presents the origins of some of the most distinguished and beautiful libraries around the world.
There are only 23 libraries featured in here but I found the selection to be well-made, though it focuses almost exclusively on the great libraries in Europe, one in Russia, and several from the United States.
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Bibliophiles will particularly appreciate the beautiful color photographs of these amazing repositories of knowledge and learning, showcasing old structures that reflect Gothic and other styles. Aside from the photographs most of which are full page , the book also details each library's history. I was fascinated to learn how the renowned Bodleain Library in Oxford came about. Up until , Oxford University did not really have a library to speak of, due largely to mismanagement, censorship in the form of purging of any text with references to Catholicism, and more.
It was only in that a man named Thomas Bodley came upon the scene and spent years creating a proper library in Oxford. The libraries featured here are: I buy a lot of books like this for specific room purposes. We were going to build, bought instead and are remodeling.
- Combat Training of the Individual Soldier and Patrolling.
- Angiocardiography: Current Status and Future Developments!
- Where the Green Jobs Are: Green Jobs & Careers in the DC Metro Area.
- .
Not so with this book. I was extremely impressed with nearly every library depicted with the exception of the US libraries hmmm, I wonder what that says about us? Regardless of my snarky attitude, the results of what can be done with unlimited architecture, fine artisans and time is very well represented here.
I also bought the book for my mother who is a librarian and she was equally impressed. If you like libraries and their architecture, I feel certain you will enjoy this book.
- Doubt, Atheism, and the Nineteenth-Century Russian Intelligentsia;
- A Breath Away (Mills & Boon Blaze) (The Wrong Bed series Book 39)?
- Portuguese people - Wikipedia;
- .
- John Sinclair - Folge 1683: Aus der Hölle entlassen (German Edition).
- !
- ?
- Seduced By His Touch (Byrons of Braebourne)?
- Portuguese people?
- Frequently bought together?
- Mina (Italian singer).
- Supporting Literacy: A Guide for Primary Classroom Assistants.
- Napoléon La dernière phase (French Edition);
Don't worry about what isn't here and just enjoy what is. The pics are large often a spread so you don't miss out on wonderful details. A few locations seemed like buildings ornamented with books vs "defined by" but ok, it's still great eye candy. The only gripe I will put front and center is omission of Coimbra both historical and breathtakingly beautiful -- perhaps it's been too "done".
Makes us proud to think that people would love books so much. I liked the book so much I bought my father it for Valentine's Day. He has visited many libraries and gone on library tours in Europe, so the pictures brought back many memories for him and reminded him of how our ancestors treasured libraries and kept the books in good condition.
Anybody who is a library connoisseur will enjoy this book. As written in the introduction, "One must spend hours upon hours, and days upon days in the cocoon of a great library in order to understand and love the cozy isolation that it can provide. Some people will never break away from its spell and remain eternal readers, having lost the desire to discover the real world.
Others will know how to find lin libraries both knowledge and its instruments. The libraries presented here exude supreme reverence for the book and its contents as towering human achievements. One is hard-pressed to doubt the immortality of the texts contained within each binding.
Despite the lofty craftsmanship of the art, architecture and the bindings themselves, they have served their purpose only if a reader has been invited, if not lured, to match their dignity. Invest the requisite exertion and time to read and contemplate the knowledge of great books, and you will find the lavishness of even these libraries lacking. Their material riches are first and foremost a catalyst for the enrichment of the soul through the act of reading.
Very beautiful book and delivered timely.
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