hannerwell's review against another edition
Yes I did roll my eyes every time she dropped a friend’s name closely followed by their snobby career title in order to make a point, but otherwise appreciated the bits written to and about her fellow “carnal common reader”.
katieproctorbooks's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book so, so much. I will read it again. What a delight.
bibliobaggins_'s review against another edition
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
friendofhayley's review
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
It felt like an inside secret that was finally being expressed. I love the love for books that was so frankly expressed! Great read, would love to read more from this author.
fernandapazcg's review against another edition
5.0
El libro más emotivo que he leído en mucho tiempo. Es una carta de amor a los libros, a las bibliotecas personales, a las historias que teje cada lector cuando lee, cuando guarda libros, cuando los regala. También es una historia sobre las personas que nos acercan a los libros. Espero releerlo pronto.
elle_tea's review against another edition
4.0
من عاشق خوندن کتابهاییم که درباره کتاب و کتابخوانی نوشته شدن.
notesonbookmarks's review against another edition
5.0
I don't know if I've ever been so comforted by the words of a book. Except that one essay with the footnotes, I plan to read this over and over again.
katiez624's review against another edition
4.0
This collection of essays is extraordinarily intellectual and bookish with plenty of unfamiliar terms. The subject matter is very cerebral but the quirky, personal stories she shares make the stories accessible and very amusing. The topics chosen for the collection of essays are eclectic and unexpected, but they all demonstrate Fadiman's fervor for books and literature from all time periods.
Growing up in a household full of books and passionate readers, Fadiman continued to pursue her love of reading and writing throughout her entire life and chose a spouse with the same zeal for books. In these essays, she references a LOT of other written works, most of which I have never heard of because of my preference for contemporary works. But I'm sure I would have gotten a lot more out of these essays if I were familiar with them.
Overall, this collection is well-written and overwhelmingly literary and such a tribute to books of all kinds; I'm glad I read it, but I don't think I am the target audience.
Growing up in a household full of books and passionate readers, Fadiman continued to pursue her love of reading and writing throughout her entire life and chose a spouse with the same zeal for books. In these essays, she references a LOT of other written works, most of which I have never heard of because of my preference for contemporary works. But I'm sure I would have gotten a lot more out of these essays if I were familiar with them.
Overall, this collection is well-written and overwhelmingly literary and such a tribute to books of all kinds; I'm glad I read it, but I don't think I am the target audience.