Preferences in "books on books"

I'm about halfway through reading the book *A Gentle Madness.*

So far, it's not as engaging as I had hoped it would be. I think I prefer
more anecdotal narratives, heavy on the thrill of the chase, ripe with
details of serendipitous discoveries, and filled with minutia about the
books themselves. For instance (in a case where *A Gentle Madness* did
indeed deliver) the detail about the 40-line and 42-line pages of Gutenberg
bibles and how the ascenders on the type were filed off to allow more lines
to the page. That's the ticket!

And I have to admit to being as intrigued as the author apparently was about
the Haven O'More/Michael Davis falling out and subsequent court case. The
author doesn't speculate much. Perhaps because the parties are (or were)
still alive at the time the book was written?

But for the most part, perhaps what I'm sensing is the difference between a
collector (or perhaps a dealer) writing about their own finds and someone
writing about the collecting activities of others. Perhaps what I'm missing
is that authentic excitement that only a first person narrative can really
bring out. That's why I love to read the brags of many posters right here in
rcb (I could name names, but then I'm sure I'd leave someone out),
especially when they come complete with details about the books themselves.

So, I'm wondering....what kind of books on books do other posters here
prefer, and if anyone has my preferences, could they recommend titles?

Alice

"my-wings" wrote in message
...

I'm about halfway through reading the book *A Gentle Madness.*

So far, it's not as engaging as I had hoped it would be. I think I prefer
more anecdotal narratives, heavy on the thrill of the chase, ripe with
details of serendipitous discoveries, and filled with minutia about the
books themselves.



You should probably finish AGM first--there are plenty of good stories
throughout. On the other hand, I think Basbanes's intention was to present
a "history" of book collecting and collectors, surveying as much of the
whole field as possible, so not every anecdote--or collector/collection--is
going to make it in.

There are several chapters in *Patience & Fortitude* and *Among the Gently
Mad* that have the kind of anecdotes you are looking for. Additionally, one
of the best bibliographies of such books is at the end of AGM.

Of things I've read in the last couple of years, I'd recommend: John Baxter,
*A Pound of Paper*, H.P. Kraus's *A Rare Book Saga*, C. Lake's *Confessions
of a Literary Archaeologist*, C. Everitt's *Adventures of a Treasure
Hunter*, E.J. Wessen's *Rare Book Lore*, D. Meyer's *Memoirs of a Book
Snake*, and Wolf & Fleming's *Rosenbach*.


William M. Klimon
http://www.gateofbliss.com

"William M. Klimon" wrote in message news:0rr0c.5953$fD2.620@lakeread02...

Of things I've read in the last couple of years, I'd recommend: John Baxter,
*A Pound of Paper*, H.P. Kraus's *A Rare Book Saga*, C. Lake's *Confessions
of a Literary Archaeologist*, C. Everitt's *Adventures of a Treasure
Hunter*, E.J. Wessen's *Rare Book Lore*, D. Meyer's *Memoirs of a Book
Snake*, and Wolf & Fleming's *Rosenbach*.

Two more that I'm currently looking at a 1) _The Book About
Books: The Anatomy of Bibliomania_, by Holbrook Jackson (1950); and
2)_A Passion for Books: A Book Lover's Treasury of Stories, Essays,
Humor, Lore, and Lists on Collecting, Reading, [yada yada...], Edited
by Harold Rabinowitz and Rob Kaplan (1999).

1) is a homage to Richard Burton's _The Anatomy of Melancholy_ and
looks to be fun (for those who are into 17th century classics) as well
as instructive; 2) is a more practically oriented anthology which
might be good for a beginner of BOB to start with.

--
Ht

Alice wrote and I snipped:
I'm about halfway through reading the book *A Gentle Madness.*
So far, it's not as engaging as I had hoped it would be. I think I
prefer more anecdotal narratives, heavy on the thrill of the chase, ripe
with details of serendipitous discoveries, and filled with minutia about
the books themselves..........

A Gentle Madness was a hard read for me the first time I read it. I'll
have to read it again, because Nicholas Basbanes has probably forgotten
more about books than I'll ever know.

Bill Klimon already mentioned at least two books I recommend: Charles P
Everitt's The Adventures of a Treasure Hunter and Wolf's biography of
A.S.W. Rosenbach.

If you haven't read any books by A. Edward Newton, try at least one, any
one. I also recommend any book by William Targ, especially his
autobiography, Indecent Pleasures. Another autobiography of a book
collector on your reading list should be Vincent Starrett's Born in a
Bookshop.

Finally, there are two books of essays I recommend.H.George Fletcher's A
Miscellany for Bibliophiles and Mary Hyde Eccles' Miscellany of Her
Essays and Addresses.

Fletcher's book has been mentioned in the past by others in RCB, and
raved about. Buy it and put it near the top of your reading list. Soon
you will rave about it too.

I think you might like the essays of Mary Hyde because she was a
collector, heart, soul, and mind. She wrote about what she and her
husband collected, primarily manuscripts and books by and about Samuel
Johnson and James Boswell. We can only dream, but she had the money to
make her dreams come true. Besides the essays about Johnson's books and
Boswell's cabinet, the book contains fitting tributes to some
illustrious bibliophiles such as John F. Fleming, as well as some
humorous writings about R. W. Chapman and Colonel Ralph Isham. Her
essay, "Grolier Watching by a Lady," details her travels and
experiences with the Grolier Club as a "watcher," before women were
finally admitted as members of the Grolier Club in May 1976. A fifty
dollar book it is, but worth every penny.

Jerry Morris


Welcome to Moi's Books About Books: http://www.tinyurl.com/hib7
My Sentimental Library http://www.picturetrail.com/mylibrary and
moislibrary.com http://www.tinyurl.com/hisn

"William M. Klimon" wrote in
message news:0rr0c.5953$fD2.620@lakeread02...
"my-wings" wrote in message
...

I'm about halfway through reading the book *A Gentle Madness.*

So far, it's not as engaging as I had hoped it would be. I think I
prefer
more anecdotal narratives, heavy on the thrill of the chase, ripe with
details of serendipitous discoveries, and filled with minutia about the
books themselves.



You should probably finish AGM first--there are plenty of good stories
throughout. On the other hand, I think Basbanes's intention was to
present
a "history" of book collecting and collectors, surveying as much of the
whole field as possible, so not every anecdote--or
collector/collection--is
going to make it in.

There are several chapters in *Patience & Fortitude* and *Among the Gently
Mad* that have the kind of anecdotes you are looking for. Additionally,
one
of the best bibliographies of such books is at the end of AGM.

Of things I've read in the last couple of years, I'd recommend: John
Baxter,
*A Pound of Paper*, H.P. Kraus's *A Rare Book Saga*, C. Lake's
*Confessions
of a Literary Archaeologist*, C. Everitt's *Adventures of a Treasure
Hunter*, E.J. Wessen's *Rare Book Lore*, D. Meyer's *Memoirs of a Book
Snake*, and Wolf & Fleming's *Rosenbach*.


Thanks to everyone for all the good ideas....and *A Gentle Madness* began to
be more interesting almost immediately after I wrote this post. I guess once
the author had moved into the realm of living collectors, he was able to get
more of the kind of stories that interest me.

Alice