The Man Who Loved Books

by Jean Fritz, Trina Schart Hyman (Illustrator )

A brief biography of the Irish saint who was known for his love of books and his missionary work throughout Scotland.

Genres: Picture Books, Biography, History, Ireland, Childrens, Nonfiction, Religion

48 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Jean Guttery Fritz was an American children's writer best known for American biography and history. She won the Children's Legacy Literature Award for her career contribution to American children's literature in 1986. She turned 100 in November 2015 and died in May 2017 at the age of 101.

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am SO disappointed that there are NO reviews of this book on GoodReads! What could be a better title for all book lovers than to hear the tale of one of the ORIGINAL book lovers, who traveled an entire country to find new books, who painstakingly copied each book that he could (books at this time were primarily in monasteries and were often guarded jealously!), who caused a BATTLE over the right to copy a book (that does seem to be going a bit too far...!), who spent his entire life in the pursuit of acquiring more and more BOOKS in a time when books were scarce and many argued that their multiplication would lead to the extinction of the bards! Columba was an Irish saint in 521 and ended up copying three hundred copies of the New Testament in his own hand so that churches across Scotland (where he was a missionary) could have their own Bible! Even though this is a "kid's" book, I think it should be read by every book lover!

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love books about people who love books! This is a very well-written, albeit short, biography of Columba, who lived from 521-597, a thousand years before the printing press was invented. Born in Ireland, he later left due to a war that he helped cause. The fact that he, by himself, penned 300 copies of the New Testament to give to Scottish churches is an amazing feat! Fritz brings this man to life and makes his life and adventures accessible to young readers. Trina Schart Hyman's illustrations in shades of brown and black are just a taste of her talent, which eventually led to the dazzling full-color illustrations that she created in later books. Be sure to check out Columba's pet crane, who has some great facial expressions! She also added sea serpents to some of the ocean scenes. This is juvenile biography at its best.

[Carol Bakker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I borrowed this book from the Internet Archive (archive.org). Jean Fritz and Trina Schart Hyman: what a happy collaboration! I first discovered TSH's illustrations in Saint George and the Dragon. They are sumptuous and reward a lingering eye.

There are tradeoffs in every new technology. In the sixth century many people didn't like books because if a person could read, what would happen to memory?

This book gives a sense of Columba's larger-than-life personality. Columba exiled himself from Ireland after being responsible for the death of 3,000 men avenging a dispute about copying a book. He settled in Iona, an island off of Scotland, and built a community there. (I've visited: it's lovely.) He made 300 copies of the New Testament in his own hand.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

We just love Jean Fritz. She just has a way of telling stories(especially biographies) that really help you identify with people. She uses lots of quirky details that help you find a niche in your brain for the historic figure -- his pet crane, in this book. The illustrations were great too -- only sepia - but such wonderful details inpsired by the medieval illuminations and celtic designs. Great stuff. We had read a couple of other books on Saint Columba before so we were prepared for the horrible twist of 3000 men dying in his selfish battle for the book. I liked that this book continued his stroy longer than the other biographies.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the story about someone who shares my love for reading but I do have mixed feelings about 3,001 men going to war because of a copied book and a disagreement with the ruling by the court.

[Magda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so great!

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy learning about Columba, the man who loved books. I don't know this kind of history well, and it was an interesting story. I like Columba's resistance to the idea that books will destroy people's memories, and he works hard to see that poets are not banished from Ireland: "What kind of people would the Irish become without stories and songs to liven them?"

However, some flawed medieval religious practices are too prominent. Sixth-century Columba thinks that to show his love for the church, he needs to wear a hair shirt and sleep with a rock as a pillow. After defying the verdict of a royal judge, out of guilt for his part in a bloody war, he punishes himself with exile. Plus, the way he gets out of his vow is pretty letter of the law.

I wanted to like this book more. I think I found this book by looking for more books by the illustrator (Hyman), whose work I like. Apparently it's the same story as Across a Dark and Wild Sea .

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging story about a man who lived to read and create books for others to read. I'm a bit surprised that I'd never heard of him before. The narrative was a bit long and somewhat dry in places, but I found the historical aspects of the tale fascinating.

The illustrations are old fashioned and really convey the age of the story. I was amazed at Columba's ability to transcribe so many editions of the New Testament by himself. We really enjoyed reading this book together.


This book was selected as one of the books for the March 2014 - Ireland discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this one out primarily for the title and the artist. The art certainly lived up to my hopes. The title perhaps less so: it's true, Columba loves books, but there's a whole lot more to The Man Who Loved Books than that. Unexpectedly, this is a semi-fictional story of Saint Columba (so get ready for some religion) who, uh, led a warband to kill the king of Ireland, then shamefully exiled himself and some followers to Iona.

So, yeah, books play into the overarching plot (the battle stemmed from Columba rudely copying a book he was told not to copy), but there's way more going on here, and much of it will sail over kids heads. But as an adult, I can certainly say I enjoyed the read and especially the art.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever started a war or killed someone or lost a friend over a book? 6th century Irish saint Columba did. He loved books so much that when 3,001 men were killed because he hand-copied his friend's book (against his friend's direct refusal to allow it) he exiled himself away to Iona. From there he served as a missionary all over Scotland and hand-copied more than 300 New Testaments for the churches in Scotland. He returned to his beloved Ireland only once, years later, and blindfolded, to resolve a terrible dispute between the bards and the kings. He died six years later, back on Iona, while writing. What a fascinating story!

If you love books, you must read this book!

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a lot packed into this picture book biography of Columba, an Irish saint. It's an interesting story, but I wonder who the intended audience is. Though it's a picture book, with some pretty remarkable illustrations, I don't see a child being interested in sitting still long enough to listen to (or read) even just one of these text-heavy pages.

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

A shame that this couldn't have full-color illustrations in the illuminated style. Same story as Across a Dark & Wild Sea

[Willow Redd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love stories like this, where history meets legend and quality storytelling.

This was a library sale find, and at first I thought it would go to my Little Free Library, but instead I think I'll hold onto this one for a while.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the shortest, most compact biography I have ever read. But it is powerful.

[Jean-Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this for our Middle Ages history lesson on Monks of the Christian Church.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This doesn't seem like an infallible historical resource, but it certainly is fabulously illustrated.

[Karen Floyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

An entertaining story of the life of St. Columba, who loved books so much that it got him into such trouble in his homeland of Ireland that he had to leave it. This turned out to be a Good Thing, however, since he settled on the island of Iona and set up a monastery there, which produced the Book of Kells. He was also one of the Irish monks who helped convert the people of what is now Scotland to Christianity.
Both Jean George's narrative and the illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman are wonderful. I read this to my children a very long time ago and they loved it.

[Susan's Sweat Smells Like Literature · Rating 5 out of 5]

The legend of St. Columba, the Irish patron saint of booklovers is beautifully retold, with a bit of a swagger, but the absolutely best thing about this brief volume is the brilliant illustration by Trina Schart Hyman. Detailed drawings make it look like an actual medieval book -- illuminations with flashes of humor. For booklovers of all ages!

So glad that I was encouraged to read this book.

[RWaggoner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good biography by J. Fritz. Liked the wood cut-like illustrations, especially the sea scenes.

[Natasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting Saint biography, of an imperfect easily-angered Irish man, who later in his life was responsible for copying out the New Testament 300 times with his own hand. Be warned, there is a battle (over book rights) in the middle of the book, which includes a field piled with dead bodies in the illustrations. The final also shows Columba slumped over his parchment with a quill pen still in his hand, which led my son to ask how did he for in the middle of copying a sentence.