angelreadsthings's review
4.0
4 1/2 Stars. I accidentally stumbled upon this book in the library one day and am very grateful that I did. As soon as I opened this book, I was overcome with awe by the splendor and magnificence of these libraries. The bookcases, the cupolas, the embellishments, and even the books themselves were all exquisite and stunning. Even the descriptions were quite dazzling, drawing me in especially with their in depth descriptions of the libraries. This is by far the most beautiful book I have ever read.
sarahfett's review
5.0
I would love to travel to these beautiful libraries to see them in person!I've been to two of them, both in the United States: The New York Public Library's Stephen A. Schwarzman Building and the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Just from the photos, Prague's National Library is the one I'd most like to visit.
antlersantlers's review
2.0
This definitley wasn't the most beautiful libraries in the world, but really the fanciest. They all looked relatively similar, which is to say dusty and grotesquely ornamented. It's a bunch of crusty old libraries used by crusty old white dudes. Boo.
psalmcat's review
4.0
Really amazingly beautiful pictures in this book, taken by Guillaume de Laubier. Most of the libraries are in Europe, none in Asia, Africa or the Americas outside of three in the U.S. (NYPL, the Library of Congress, and the Boston Athenaeum).
The problem with these libraries is that most of them are not really useable libraries anymore, especially not for the general public. Most of them are museums, lovely rooms filled with musty ancient books. I don't know; give me an ugly building with people using the materials inside of it and I think that's quite a lot more beautiful.
But anyway. Lots of money went into creating these frozen rooms. The monastery library in Ulm at Wiblingen Abbey is incredibly lovely, as is the Trinity College Library in Dublin (one of three University libraries included: they are all in use of course, but I suspect the 'good bits' are limited to graduate students or professors).
Anyway. If you want to see books were arranged in the pre-electricity era, this will give you a good selection of ideas. If you want to see amazing architectural detail and painting and other artwork, this book is for you. If you want to see people actually reading...well, maybe not so much.
The problem with these libraries is that most of them are not really useable libraries anymore, especially not for the general public. Most of them are museums, lovely rooms filled with musty ancient books. I don't know; give me an ugly building with people using the materials inside of it and I think that's quite a lot more beautiful.
But anyway. Lots of money went into creating these frozen rooms. The monastery library in Ulm at Wiblingen Abbey is incredibly lovely, as is the Trinity College Library in Dublin (one of three University libraries included: they are all in use of course, but I suspect the 'good bits' are limited to graduate students or professors).
Anyway. If you want to see books were arranged in the pre-electricity era, this will give you a good selection of ideas. If you want to see amazing architectural detail and painting and other artwork, this book is for you. If you want to see people actually reading...well, maybe not so much.
krisrid's review
5.0
This is an absolutely gorgeous coffee-table book that takes the reader on a tour of - as the title states - the most beautiful libraris in the world.
Most of the libraries are open to the public, but they are far-flung, so if you won't be doing any world travelling soon, but are interested in some of the most historic unique and, yes, beautiful libraries in the world!
I own this and never tire of looking at the pictures and reading about these fascinating libraries.
Most of the libraries are open to the public, but they are far-flung, so if you won't be doing any world travelling soon, but are interested in some of the most historic unique and, yes, beautiful libraries in the world!
I own this and never tire of looking at the pictures and reading about these fascinating libraries.
natep's review against another edition
3.0
Writing was dull and used descriptors that were extremely specific to architectural jargo, some of the libraries were not that beautiful, and some beautiful libraries were missing (Melk Abbey one comes to mind). Also felt the lighting from many pictures diminished their beauty as it was very dark so it just looked gloomy. My favourite was the one with the white diamond floor, an Abbey in Austria
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