The Library : A Fragile History

Andrew Pettegree

ISBN 10: 1541600770 / ISBN 13: 9781541600775

Published by Basic Books Nov 2021, 2021

About this Item

Neuware - A history of libraries and the people who built them, from the ancient world to the digital age "Engaging [and] ambitious" (TheWashington Post) Famed across the known world,jealouslyguarded by private collectors, built up over centuries, destroyed in a single day, ornamented with gold leaf and frescoes,or filled with beanbags and children s drawings the history of the library is rich, varied, and stuffed full ofincident.InTheLibrary, historians AndrewPettegreeand Arthur derWeduwenintroduce us to the antiquarians and philanthropists who shaped the world s great collections, trace theriseand fall ofliterarytastes, and reveal the high crimes and misdemeanors committed in pursuit of rare manuscripts.In doing so, they reveal that whilecollections themselves are fragile, often falling into ruinwithin a few decades, the idea of the library has been remarkably resilientas each generation makes and remakes theinstitution anew. Beautifully written and deeply researched,The Libraryis essential reading forbooklovers, collectors, andanyone who has ever gotten blissfully lost in the stacks.

Seller Inventory # 9781541600775

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Library : A Fragile History
• Publisher: Basic Books Nov 2021
• Publication Date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1541600770
• ISBN 13: 9781541600775
• Binding: Buch
• Condition: Neu
• Dimensions: 242W x 160H x 48D millimeters 242 millimeters width by 160 millimeters height by 48 millimeters depth
• Weight: 816 grams

About this title

Synopsis

A history of libraries and the people who built them, from the ancient world to the digital age

“Engaging [and] ambitious” (The Washington Post) 
 
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. 

About the Author

Andrew Pettegree is professor of modern history at the University of St Andrews. A leading expert on the history of book and media transformations, Pettegree is the award-winning author of several books on news and information culture. He lives in Scotland.

Arthur der Weduwen is a British Academy postdoctoral fellow at the University of St. Andrews. This is his fifth book. He lives in Scotland.