Treasures of the British Library / compiled by Nicolas Barker and the curatorial staff of the British Library

Surveys the massive fifteen-million-item collection of the British Library, a collection that spans almost three thousand years of human creativity

This is an outstanding chronicle of one of the world's great treasure houses. So vast are the British Library's collections and so splendidly are they presented here that this book would be an inspiring addition to any library. The library's 15 million items span almost 3000 years of human creativity. Many of the world's greatest written works are there, including a Magna Carta, a Gutenberg Bible, a First Folio of Shakespeare, the Diamond Dutra, and the earliest version of Beowulf. The book's 330 photos, including 140 color plates, make one linger over every page, and the text is expertly written by the Library's Deputy Keeper of Rare Books and the curatorial staff. This is an exciting addition to the other Abrams books on great libraries, such as Marshall B. Davidson's Treasures of the New York Public Library ( LJ 1/89).
- Daniel J. Lombardo, Jones Lib., Inc., Amherst, Mass.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.