The Private Life of Books

Second edition, one of 1,000 copies printed. Six poems by Henry Wessells on reading, memory, books, and the second law of thermodynamics. Photographs by Paul Schütze. Originally published as an artist book in September 2014. The title poem, read by the author, provides the concluding voiceover in The Booksellers documentary directed by D.W. Young. Henry Wessells is a writer and antiquarian bookseller. He lives in Montclair, New Jersey. Paul Schütze is an Australian artist working with sound, image and fragrance. He lives on the Kent coast. “Suitable for a gentleman-scholar’s waistcoat pocket, for consultation upon occasion, or for the reticules of learned ladies.” — Mark Valentine “Yes . . . the poems which I liked excessively.” — Barry Humphries.