karencarlson's review
2.5
About twelve years ago, during my read of BASS 2011, I came across a story by pre-Overstory Richard Powers titled “To the Measures Fall.” It’s the story of a woman’s relationship with a book, and how that relationship continued and changed throughout her life as she reread it at various times. I can remember, unprompted, only a handful of the stories I’ve read over the years; this is one of them.
I was hoping to capture that same feeling – relationships with books – in this anthology of writings about books. I was disappointed.
It’s not that I didn’t enjoy parts of it, it’s just that it’s one of those Great Men [almost exclusively a sausage-fest] Write About the Greatness of Books. It's probably different if you're really into editors and booksellers and collectors, but (with a few notable exceptions) it didn't move me.
FMI see my blog post at A Just Recompense.
I was hoping to capture that same feeling – relationships with books – in this anthology of writings about books. I was disappointed.
It’s not that I didn’t enjoy parts of it, it’s just that it’s one of those Great Men [almost exclusively a sausage-fest] Write About the Greatness of Books. It's probably different if you're really into editors and booksellers and collectors, but (with a few notable exceptions) it didn't move me.
FMI see my blog post at A Just Recompense.
msmandrake's review
3.0
A collection of essays about books and reading in general that is wildly disparate in both subject and length , so the rating is an average.
bibliophilistic's review
5.0
I found this in my recommendations box here on Goodreads after I added a similar book. The cover was actually what initially drew me in, and after reading the summary of the book, I immediately bought it, already knowing that I would love it. It was a pleasure reading this book.
I did not read every single essay all the way through, as some of them did not interest me very much, but I read most of them and they were really good. And there is a great foreword/introduction by Ray Bradbury. I had great fun looking through the lists spread throughout the book - I love lists.
Anyway, I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in books about books, and especially if you like collecting valuable books, as there much of the content is about that.
I did not read every single essay all the way through, as some of them did not interest me very much, but I read most of them and they were really good. And there is a great foreword/introduction by Ray Bradbury. I had great fun looking through the lists spread throughout the book - I love lists.
Anyway, I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in books about books, and especially if you like collecting valuable books, as there much of the content is about that.
elisabethmnc's review
1.0
While I was expecting an anthology about the love of books and reading, the focus of this was almost entirely rare book collecting. Many of the pieces are old and seriously dated, and virtually the entire collection is by and about rich white men, complete with a healthy sprinkling of misogyny.
atroskity's review
5.0
Like many collections of essays from various sources, some pieces were stronger than others. This was, however a very enjoyable and, indeed, passionate exploration of books with contributions from a variety of people, of many times and places.
Perhaps what has stuck with me the most, due to the current climate of the publishing and printing industries, was an excerpt from a longer piece by Anna Quindlen, "How Reading Changed My Life," that examines the future of the book in digital age (in the late 1990s). While it's interesting to see that the argument preoccupying so many readers today was already stewing nearly 15 years ago, the piece was tinged with a touch of sadness and bitter humor for me personally; her outlook is positive but is not holding up quite so well in the present day.
Another piece I really enjoyed was Umberto Eco's examination of the large personal library, something he most definitely possesses. It's suggested reading for anyone who has ever had a non-bibliophile friend survey your overstuffed shelves and ask "Have you read all of these books?" Really, what good is a library where you've read everything? I agree with my pal Umberto: not much good at all.
For those of us who turn to books not only for entertainment or edification, but for solace and understanding, there is the essay by George Hamlin Fitch. After the death of his beloved son, only the comfort of books could keep him going, and I feel that is the ultimate testament to the power of the written word.
A Passion for Books is a well-balanced compilation of insight, humor and wit and it ranks among my favorite books about my favorite thing: books.
Perhaps what has stuck with me the most, due to the current climate of the publishing and printing industries, was an excerpt from a longer piece by Anna Quindlen, "How Reading Changed My Life," that examines the future of the book in digital age (in the late 1990s). While it's interesting to see that the argument preoccupying so many readers today was already stewing nearly 15 years ago, the piece was tinged with a touch of sadness and bitter humor for me personally; her outlook is positive but is not holding up quite so well in the present day.
Another piece I really enjoyed was Umberto Eco's examination of the large personal library, something he most definitely possesses. It's suggested reading for anyone who has ever had a non-bibliophile friend survey your overstuffed shelves and ask "Have you read all of these books?" Really, what good is a library where you've read everything? I agree with my pal Umberto: not much good at all.
For those of us who turn to books not only for entertainment or edification, but for solace and understanding, there is the essay by George Hamlin Fitch. After the death of his beloved son, only the comfort of books could keep him going, and I feel that is the ultimate testament to the power of the written word.
A Passion for Books is a well-balanced compilation of insight, humor and wit and it ranks among my favorite books about my favorite thing: books.
franschulman9's review
4.0
This book is a lot of short excerpts and essays written by people who love books for what’s in them and those who love books as physical objects. I read it on my iPhone on the subway when I wanted something short and enjoyable that didn’t require a lot of concentration. I learned a little bit about book collecting also.
eksexton's review
3.0
Tons of great quotes for how the passionate reader really feels. I'm not a serious collector so a few of the narratives regarding collecting rare books weren't my favorite essays in the collection.
kimberlyrose's review
1.0
I was rocketship-revving excited for this book. The rocketship backfired and fell over. Ka-boom. Thud.
There were four problems with this book which overshadowed the rare-gem-thoughts in several essays.
1. It was more about the love of collecting books, not the love of reading books, more about the power collecting books can have than the power reading books can have.
2. The limiting belief that "high" art is the only sort of art worth perusing, the only sort that has value, can affect a person profoundly? It was everywhere. Annoyed the fuck out of me, it did. Low art, high art, it's all art, it's all worthy and has the potential to punch you in the soul throat. If I didn't ask you specifically cuz I value your input, don't give me your subjective list of 100 best books for everyone in the world, you arrogant sob, I ain't you.
3. Dated. My god was it dated. Most POVs were middleclass American, or upper middleclass American, and male. (And, perhaps understandable because of the selection committee, an inordinate amount of Jewish POV essays?) Also, ebooks *can* be part of a beloved personal library. Ebooks *can* affect the emotions. (But we've come a long way in quality and appreciation of the new book format--ebooks--since 1999.)
4. The little intro blurbs before most of the essays were completely off-putting. It don't impress me much to hear about the author's brilliance, his awards, his accolades, his accomplishments before I read anything he wrote; all it does is alienate me, and sets a tone of "eww, unapproachable, unreal, unlikeable."
Love reading, be it romance or comics, classic literature or raunchy poems? Wanna read about the power of *reading*? Try The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs. Please give me a rec if you have one too!
There were four problems with this book which overshadowed the rare-gem-thoughts in several essays.
1. It was more about the love of collecting books, not the love of reading books, more about the power collecting books can have than the power reading books can have.
2. The limiting belief that "high" art is the only sort of art worth perusing, the only sort that has value, can affect a person profoundly? It was everywhere. Annoyed the fuck out of me, it did. Low art, high art, it's all art, it's all worthy and has the potential to punch you in the soul throat. If I didn't ask you specifically cuz I value your input, don't give me your subjective list of 100 best books for everyone in the world, you arrogant sob, I ain't you.
3. Dated. My god was it dated. Most POVs were middleclass American, or upper middleclass American, and male. (And, perhaps understandable because of the selection committee, an inordinate amount of Jewish POV essays?) Also, ebooks *can* be part of a beloved personal library. Ebooks *can* affect the emotions. (But we've come a long way in quality and appreciation of the new book format--ebooks--since 1999.)
4. The little intro blurbs before most of the essays were completely off-putting. It don't impress me much to hear about the author's brilliance, his awards, his accolades, his accomplishments before I read anything he wrote; all it does is alienate me, and sets a tone of "eww, unapproachable, unreal, unlikeable."
Love reading, be it romance or comics, classic literature or raunchy poems? Wanna read about the power of *reading*? Try The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs. Please give me a rec if you have one too!