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The Most Beautiful Libraries of the World
From El Escorial in Spain to the Congress in Washington, from Trinity College, Cambridge to the Abbey of Saint-Gall, this volume reveals an exceptional heritage: nearly 20 shrines to culture, entirely devoted to the presentation of knowledge, stacked with writings and shrouded in silence.
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First published October 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
January 22, 2008
Sometimes I curl up in the foetal position and dream of places like these.
Other times, I sob quietly while rocking back & forth.
Other times, I sob quietly while rocking back & forth.
July 28, 2009
When I die, I don't want to go to heaven. I want to haunt the Library of Congress.
April 25, 2019
Wow! They aren't kidding! These are some beautiful libraries! The cover photograph of the Great Hall of the Library Congress has provided me with something in the way of inspiration, and I sense a new tourist destination for yours truly, the next time I find myself in D.C. Actually, I have a feeling that all of the twenty-three libraries profiled in this gorgeous book will be going on the "to-do" list (which, as it encompasses the "to-read," "to-see" and "to-experience" list, is practically infinite).
This is a book that the reader will want to savor, for although Jacques Bosser's brief descriptions of the history of each library are quite informative, it is Guillaume de Laubier's breathtaking photographs which must surely count as its chief attraction. Whether gazing upon the Baroque splendor of The Monastic Library at Wiblingen (Ulm, Germany), the almost-decadent ostentation of the Vatican Library, or the unique (and more democratic) elegance of the New York Public Library, the bibliophile is in some danger of experiencing sensory overload... I'll be blunt: I didn't just savor this book (reading a few profiles a night), I wallowed in it. Ah bliss!
This is a book that the reader will want to savor, for although Jacques Bosser's brief descriptions of the history of each library are quite informative, it is Guillaume de Laubier's breathtaking photographs which must surely count as its chief attraction. Whether gazing upon the Baroque splendor of The Monastic Library at Wiblingen (Ulm, Germany), the almost-decadent ostentation of the Vatican Library, or the unique (and more democratic) elegance of the New York Public Library, the bibliophile is in some danger of experiencing sensory overload... I'll be blunt: I didn't just savor this book (reading a few profiles a night), I wallowed in it. Ah bliss!
December 29, 2008
Well, this was a library themed Christmas. I got this book, the Dewey the library cat book, and the Nancy Pearl librarian action figure. All very much appreciated and fun for me.
This book is absolutely beautiful. Of course, I'm a library nerd who can't wait to work in any library, but I was practically drooling over all the gorgeous, color, full page photographs. The written descriptions of the libraries were lovely as well.
I think the niche for this book is probably fairly small, but if you love libraries, you would probably love this book.
This book is absolutely beautiful. Of course, I'm a library nerd who can't wait to work in any library, but I was practically drooling over all the gorgeous, color, full page photographs. The written descriptions of the libraries were lovely as well.
I think the niche for this book is probably fairly small, but if you love libraries, you would probably love this book.
January 1, 2008
These are truly gorgeous libraries and this is a beautiful coffee table type book although the history given for each of the featured libraries is really interesting. I’ve been to the New York Public Library; it’s the only one of the featured libraries that I’ve seen in person. For many years I’ve wanted to see and spend significant time in the Library of Congress and now, after seeing the photos, I’m practically desperate to see it. But, what makes a library for me is not the architecture or interior design but the books, and so the background information was fascinating to me, and the photos that I enjoyed the most were those that were full of books.
January 5, 2015
This was one of the most beautiful books I think I've ever read. It's sad that many of these libraries, the public isn't even allowed to go inside!
September 26, 2017
Eine wunderschöne Zusammenstellung von Bibliotheken auf der ganzen Welt. Mit tollen Fotos und interessantem Hintergrundwissen.
March 12, 2008
The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World (2003)
This book is about the art and architecture of magnificent edifices, together with the storehouse of human knowledge and culture contained within. It’s a tour of twenty three of the world’s most historic libraries, representing twelve countries. Lest you think this is all a bunch of dull reading about these 23 libraries, I estimated about 174 pages of beautiful color photographs that accompany about 54 pages of text. A true coffee table book that anyone can delight in.
It begins with the National Library of Austria in Vienna. Earlier known as the Hofbibliothek, it’s a masterpiece of Baroque Austrian architecture from the early to mid 1700s. The grand hall alone covers almost 12,000 square feet and is 64 feet high. The collection now includes 6.5 million books.
There’s the Benedictine Abbey Library of Admont, not far from Salzburg in Austria; the Monastic Library of Wiblingen in Ulm, Germany, near the Danube in southwest Germany; the Benedictine Abbey Library of Metten, Germany, east of Munich, is an extreme luxury example of Bavarian Baroque; the Herzogin Anna Amalia Library in Weimar, Germany—the son of Duchess Anna Amalia invited Goethe to reside in Weimar, near the Czech border, until his death—the one million volume collection lost over 50,000 volumes to a devastating fire in September 2004.
Although there are accounts of a library in the old seventh century St. Peter’s Church, it was Nicholas II, a passionate bibliophile elected Pope in March 1447, that gave a real start to the Vatican Library. The fame of this attraction to humanists and scholars reached its peak under Pope Leo X—Giovanni de Medici—who was elected in 1513. Then many manuscripts were lost in the Sack of Rome in 1527 by the army of Emperor Charles V. Afterwards came the Vatican of the Counter-Reformation and its war against heresies. Pope Paul V instituted the Index of Banned Books in 1559 which remained in force until 1966, however the collection continued to grow impressively and, today, holds some 75,000 manuscripts and over 1.1 million printed books.
The Riccardiana Library of Florence is the product of a wealthy Florentine family in the 16th and 17th centuries. The guiding tone for the Mazarine Library in Paris was librarian Gabriel Naude, whose book, Advice for Forming a Library (1627), is a foundation of modern library science. Since 1926 the library of 17th century Cardinal Mazarin has developed an area of specialty in regional and local French history. On the other side of an oak door in the Mazarine Library is the Institute Library, founded after the French Revolution of 1789 after the revolutionaries abolished the royal academies. The Institute took over the functions of the academies and a library was needed for this “parliament of scholars.” Today the Institute Library has 600,000 works, including over 800 current periodicals.
The Senate Library at the edge of the city of Paris began as a palace built by Marie de Medicis, widow of Henry IV and regent of the kingdom, in 1615. The transformation from Palace to Library began in 1800 when the revolutionary Senate of the Consulate required a research tool. The Cabinet des Livres of the Duc D’Aumale in Chantilly, France, demonstrates what can result from one of the greatest bibliophiles of the nineteenth century. In the first plans for his dream chateau, which he intended to build in Chantilly, it was the library that occupied the central space. The Abbey Library of Saint Gall, near Lake Constance in Switzerland, is like a microcosm of the history of European culture. From Irish missionary work in the 7th century to the Benedictine takeover, to the Reformation followed by the great secularization movement, the Abbey has survived it all.
The Bodleian Library of Oxford University struggled in its beginning. From 1320 when the Bishop of Worcester decided to build a hall for a collection of manuscripts to the dark days of 1555 when all works with any reference to Roman Catholicism had to be purged and 1556 when the furniture was sold and the empty hall was transformed into the School of Medicine, the library awaited Thomas Bodley, Protestant and one time ambassador for Queen Elizabeth I. Bodley spent his time and his fortune creating the library. His money and books were accepted in 1598. In 1602 the library contained 1700 printed works. By 1605, there were over 6000 volumes. In 1610, Sir Thomas Bodley received, free of charge, a bound copy of every work published by London printers, marking the beginning of copyright registration in England. By 1849, the library owned 220,000 books and today, with 6.5 million volumes, is the second largest university library in the world, after Moscow.
The Wren Library of Trinity College, Cambridge, was begun in 1676, at a time when Christopher Wren, mathematician turned architect, was busy with London. The 1666 fire that devastated London resulted in Wren being appointed to draw up the plans for the city and construct fifty two churches and St. Paul’s Cathedral while planning and building the Cambridge library. The facades are in a noble and classical style, but the interior really demonstrates the “functionalist” vision of the architect. The great hall has bookcases set perpendicular to the wall, creating eleven alcoves in each side and the entire space tends to be black, white, and dark oak, except for a picture window of stained glass facing south.
The John Rylands Library of Manchester, England, was actually a tribute by his widow to commemorate her husband and became one of the most beautiful private libraries in the United Kingdom with the most remarkable book collection of the early twentieth century. The Trinity College Library in Dublin was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I to propagate the “good” religion, i.e., Anglican Christianity, in a primarily Catholic country. Its greatest treasure is the illustrated Gospels, the Book of Kells, from around 800 AD. The National Library in Prague is a brilliant testimony to 17th century Baroque at is apogee. Its ceiling frescoes with fake balconies confound the true scale of the hall. The Library of the Royal Monastery of El Escorial, north of Madrid, was founded by Philip II after defeat of the French in 1557, though the entire complex, including the library, was not completed until 1654. Many of the treasures originally in El Escorial were moved to museums and palaces in Madrid but the monastery-palace and library remain one of the most brilliant expressions of Spain’s Golden Age. The National Palace Library in Mafra, thirty one miles north of Lisbon, Portugal, was modeled after the Imperial Library in Vienna but was built when Portugal’s fortunes began to decline. The library still has 40,000 volumes from the 16 to 18th centuries in an otherwise empty complex containing 880 rooms and bedrooms.
The Boston Athenæum was founded in 1807 on Beacon Hill, Boston, by a number of the most important families in Boston with a sculpture gallery on the ground floor, the library on the second floor, and a painting gallery on the third floor. Its collection of paintings and sculptures formed the nucleus of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, which was originally housed in the Athenæum. Its collection of more than half a million works focuses on the history of Boston and New England, biographies, English and American literature, and the fine arts. It possesses one of the largest collections of American documents on the Confederate states and is the proud owner of George Washington’s library. The Boston Athenæum, a private membership library, is one of the oldest and most impressive examples of American cultural philanthropy.
The Library of Congress in Washington DC had its origins in 1800 when John Adams authorized its operation and books were stored in the U.S. Capitol. In 1814 the Capitol and its books were destroyed by the British. Congress quickly rebuilt the collection, especially including the purchase, in 1815, of Thomas Jefferson’s personal library—the largest in the country—for $23,940. The Thomas Jefferson Building was dedicated in 1897 and in buildings and annexes throughout Washington, the collection now contains more than 17 million books and 95 million maps, manuscripts, photographs, films, and other collections in 460 languages.
At the New York Public Library, Patience and Fortitude are the names of the two pink Tennessee marble lions sculpted by Edward Clark Potter that welcome the visitor. John Jacob Astor, the wealthiest American in 1848, left $400,000 to create a reference library. In 1870, James Lenox, a wealthy merchant and housing developer, founded a library for his own collection. After the passing of Samuel Tilden in 1886, former New York governor and past presidential candidate, the Tilden Trust was charged with the creation of a great public library. Finally, the three merged and a building was commissioned. For the cost of nine million dollars, two million more than the Library of Congress, the cultural monument was built with the first stone laid in 1902 and inauguration day in 1911. The Library contains almost 12 million items and is visited each year by more than ten million readers.
The National Library of Russia began in 1795, when Tsarina Catherine II ordered the construction of a building in St. Petersburg, to house a library that would help form an “enlightened aristocracy”. The library contains more than 32 million volumes, including Voltaire’s personal library of almost 7000 items, and has become one of the five largest libraries in the world.
This book is about the art and architecture of magnificent edifices, together with the storehouse of human knowledge and culture contained within. It’s a tour of twenty three of the world’s most historic libraries, representing twelve countries. Lest you think this is all a bunch of dull reading about these 23 libraries, I estimated about 174 pages of beautiful color photographs that accompany about 54 pages of text. A true coffee table book that anyone can delight in.
It begins with the National Library of Austria in Vienna. Earlier known as the Hofbibliothek, it’s a masterpiece of Baroque Austrian architecture from the early to mid 1700s. The grand hall alone covers almost 12,000 square feet and is 64 feet high. The collection now includes 6.5 million books.
There’s the Benedictine Abbey Library of Admont, not far from Salzburg in Austria; the Monastic Library of Wiblingen in Ulm, Germany, near the Danube in southwest Germany; the Benedictine Abbey Library of Metten, Germany, east of Munich, is an extreme luxury example of Bavarian Baroque; the Herzogin Anna Amalia Library in Weimar, Germany—the son of Duchess Anna Amalia invited Goethe to reside in Weimar, near the Czech border, until his death—the one million volume collection lost over 50,000 volumes to a devastating fire in September 2004.
Although there are accounts of a library in the old seventh century St. Peter’s Church, it was Nicholas II, a passionate bibliophile elected Pope in March 1447, that gave a real start to the Vatican Library. The fame of this attraction to humanists and scholars reached its peak under Pope Leo X—Giovanni de Medici—who was elected in 1513. Then many manuscripts were lost in the Sack of Rome in 1527 by the army of Emperor Charles V. Afterwards came the Vatican of the Counter-Reformation and its war against heresies. Pope Paul V instituted the Index of Banned Books in 1559 which remained in force until 1966, however the collection continued to grow impressively and, today, holds some 75,000 manuscripts and over 1.1 million printed books.
The Riccardiana Library of Florence is the product of a wealthy Florentine family in the 16th and 17th centuries. The guiding tone for the Mazarine Library in Paris was librarian Gabriel Naude, whose book, Advice for Forming a Library (1627), is a foundation of modern library science. Since 1926 the library of 17th century Cardinal Mazarin has developed an area of specialty in regional and local French history. On the other side of an oak door in the Mazarine Library is the Institute Library, founded after the French Revolution of 1789 after the revolutionaries abolished the royal academies. The Institute took over the functions of the academies and a library was needed for this “parliament of scholars.” Today the Institute Library has 600,000 works, including over 800 current periodicals.
The Senate Library at the edge of the city of Paris began as a palace built by Marie de Medicis, widow of Henry IV and regent of the kingdom, in 1615. The transformation from Palace to Library began in 1800 when the revolutionary Senate of the Consulate required a research tool. The Cabinet des Livres of the Duc D’Aumale in Chantilly, France, demonstrates what can result from one of the greatest bibliophiles of the nineteenth century. In the first plans for his dream chateau, which he intended to build in Chantilly, it was the library that occupied the central space. The Abbey Library of Saint Gall, near Lake Constance in Switzerland, is like a microcosm of the history of European culture. From Irish missionary work in the 7th century to the Benedictine takeover, to the Reformation followed by the great secularization movement, the Abbey has survived it all.
The Bodleian Library of Oxford University struggled in its beginning. From 1320 when the Bishop of Worcester decided to build a hall for a collection of manuscripts to the dark days of 1555 when all works with any reference to Roman Catholicism had to be purged and 1556 when the furniture was sold and the empty hall was transformed into the School of Medicine, the library awaited Thomas Bodley, Protestant and one time ambassador for Queen Elizabeth I. Bodley spent his time and his fortune creating the library. His money and books were accepted in 1598. In 1602 the library contained 1700 printed works. By 1605, there were over 6000 volumes. In 1610, Sir Thomas Bodley received, free of charge, a bound copy of every work published by London printers, marking the beginning of copyright registration in England. By 1849, the library owned 220,000 books and today, with 6.5 million volumes, is the second largest university library in the world, after Moscow.
The Wren Library of Trinity College, Cambridge, was begun in 1676, at a time when Christopher Wren, mathematician turned architect, was busy with London. The 1666 fire that devastated London resulted in Wren being appointed to draw up the plans for the city and construct fifty two churches and St. Paul’s Cathedral while planning and building the Cambridge library. The facades are in a noble and classical style, but the interior really demonstrates the “functionalist” vision of the architect. The great hall has bookcases set perpendicular to the wall, creating eleven alcoves in each side and the entire space tends to be black, white, and dark oak, except for a picture window of stained glass facing south.
The John Rylands Library of Manchester, England, was actually a tribute by his widow to commemorate her husband and became one of the most beautiful private libraries in the United Kingdom with the most remarkable book collection of the early twentieth century. The Trinity College Library in Dublin was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I to propagate the “good” religion, i.e., Anglican Christianity, in a primarily Catholic country. Its greatest treasure is the illustrated Gospels, the Book of Kells, from around 800 AD. The National Library in Prague is a brilliant testimony to 17th century Baroque at is apogee. Its ceiling frescoes with fake balconies confound the true scale of the hall. The Library of the Royal Monastery of El Escorial, north of Madrid, was founded by Philip II after defeat of the French in 1557, though the entire complex, including the library, was not completed until 1654. Many of the treasures originally in El Escorial were moved to museums and palaces in Madrid but the monastery-palace and library remain one of the most brilliant expressions of Spain’s Golden Age. The National Palace Library in Mafra, thirty one miles north of Lisbon, Portugal, was modeled after the Imperial Library in Vienna but was built when Portugal’s fortunes began to decline. The library still has 40,000 volumes from the 16 to 18th centuries in an otherwise empty complex containing 880 rooms and bedrooms.
The Boston Athenæum was founded in 1807 on Beacon Hill, Boston, by a number of the most important families in Boston with a sculpture gallery on the ground floor, the library on the second floor, and a painting gallery on the third floor. Its collection of paintings and sculptures formed the nucleus of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, which was originally housed in the Athenæum. Its collection of more than half a million works focuses on the history of Boston and New England, biographies, English and American literature, and the fine arts. It possesses one of the largest collections of American documents on the Confederate states and is the proud owner of George Washington’s library. The Boston Athenæum, a private membership library, is one of the oldest and most impressive examples of American cultural philanthropy.
The Library of Congress in Washington DC had its origins in 1800 when John Adams authorized its operation and books were stored in the U.S. Capitol. In 1814 the Capitol and its books were destroyed by the British. Congress quickly rebuilt the collection, especially including the purchase, in 1815, of Thomas Jefferson’s personal library—the largest in the country—for $23,940. The Thomas Jefferson Building was dedicated in 1897 and in buildings and annexes throughout Washington, the collection now contains more than 17 million books and 95 million maps, manuscripts, photographs, films, and other collections in 460 languages.
At the New York Public Library, Patience and Fortitude are the names of the two pink Tennessee marble lions sculpted by Edward Clark Potter that welcome the visitor. John Jacob Astor, the wealthiest American in 1848, left $400,000 to create a reference library. In 1870, James Lenox, a wealthy merchant and housing developer, founded a library for his own collection. After the passing of Samuel Tilden in 1886, former New York governor and past presidential candidate, the Tilden Trust was charged with the creation of a great public library. Finally, the three merged and a building was commissioned. For the cost of nine million dollars, two million more than the Library of Congress, the cultural monument was built with the first stone laid in 1902 and inauguration day in 1911. The Library contains almost 12 million items and is visited each year by more than ten million readers.
The National Library of Russia began in 1795, when Tsarina Catherine II ordered the construction of a building in St. Petersburg, to house a library that would help form an “enlightened aristocracy”. The library contains more than 32 million volumes, including Voltaire’s personal library of almost 7000 items, and has become one of the five largest libraries in the world.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2011
Full of big color photos that make you feel like you're standing in the room. Some of them are centerfolds!
This heavy book also has lots of history of the libraries featured, such as owners and how they began, dates of the buildings and restorations, etc. But it's all about the photos here, which is book porn at it's finest.
I first saw this book on a visit to Manhattan where it was at the gift shop of the Fifth Ave. branch, which is glorious and of course, one of the libraries in the book.
This heavy book also has lots of history of the libraries featured, such as owners and how they began, dates of the buildings and restorations, etc. But it's all about the photos here, which is book porn at it's finest.
I first saw this book on a visit to Manhattan where it was at the gift shop of the Fifth Ave. branch, which is glorious and of course, one of the libraries in the book.
June 4, 2023
A coffee table book that shows off some of the most beautifully-designed libraries found in the world, specifically in Europe and a handful in the United States. All these libraries originated from pre-modern era, where books were highly valuable as no printing press existed for mass production. Monarchs, clergy and notable nobilities who were bibliophiles, who wanted to show off their prized collection of works, made libraries of the highest standards. These all represented the era and culture of where they originated from; some being renovated to fit in with the new times. All of which, makes them very eye-catching and full of luster to behold for any bibliophile.
Definitely a piece for any book lovers, this book does show the true beauty that libraries can be as vibrant any as other significant architectural landmarks. The locations are amazing, even though these are exclusive to those who have special permission to visit. The text describes the history of the locations, although they very much run dry in the details despite how short the text pages are. I would have appreciated this book more if it had any locations from other countries that were not within the Northern Hemisphere. It is still a nice piece for a coffee table one can admire for its tributary and high quality panoramic photographs of these notable libraries.
Definitely a piece for any book lovers, this book does show the true beauty that libraries can be as vibrant any as other significant architectural landmarks. The locations are amazing, even though these are exclusive to those who have special permission to visit. The text describes the history of the locations, although they very much run dry in the details despite how short the text pages are. I would have appreciated this book more if it had any locations from other countries that were not within the Northern Hemisphere. It is still a nice piece for a coffee table one can admire for its tributary and high quality panoramic photographs of these notable libraries.
May 23, 2019
I found these libraries to be absolutely beautiful but I fear that they are underused because the languages are not used as often and many of the books are extremely valuable.
June 20, 2022
If I could live in a book....
December 25, 2009
This photographic celebration of lavish and historically important libraries is a pleasure to page through and imagine oneself lingering amidst the books, ornate staircases, and countless sculptures. Ranging from medieval monasteries through royal and national collections to some Victorian age showplaces, the book includes several fold-outs of particular rooms striking for their beauty or at least their ornateness.
Each library is introduced with brief historical notes on the people or institutions behind its building and current status. I found these vignettes very helpful in orienting me to the specifics of what otherwise could be a series of quite similar presentation of Baroque, Renaissance, or Enlightenment aesthetics of display.
Some of the soaring rooms reminded me (I must admit) of my favorite book porn of all time -- the sweep of the library Belle is finally given access to in Disney's Beauty and the Beast - rows and ranks of books rising forever!
There are some interesting omissions, such as the Reading Room of the British Museum (formerly Library). The book, published in 2003, includes only two of the places shown in the web-based photo series of the world's most interesting libraries that Ruth Bavetta pointed us to last year (link here), namely the monastery library of El Escorial in Spain and the New York Public Library.
But I was happy to find five places that I've personally visited either as a tourist or a researcher: the Vatican Library (Rome), the Senate Library (Paris), the Bodleian Library (Oxford), the John Rylands Library (Manchester UK), and the Library of Congress (Washington DC). There are at least two more pictured here that I still hope to see some day: The New York Public Library (in particular its Rose Reading Room) and Trinity College (Dublin) with its Book of Kells.
Each library is introduced with brief historical notes on the people or institutions behind its building and current status. I found these vignettes very helpful in orienting me to the specifics of what otherwise could be a series of quite similar presentation of Baroque, Renaissance, or Enlightenment aesthetics of display.
Some of the soaring rooms reminded me (I must admit) of my favorite book porn of all time -- the sweep of the library Belle is finally given access to in Disney's Beauty and the Beast - rows and ranks of books rising forever!
There are some interesting omissions, such as the Reading Room of the British Museum (formerly Library). The book, published in 2003, includes only two of the places shown in the web-based photo series of the world's most interesting libraries that Ruth Bavetta pointed us to last year (link here), namely the monastery library of El Escorial in Spain and the New York Public Library.
But I was happy to find five places that I've personally visited either as a tourist or a researcher: the Vatican Library (Rome), the Senate Library (Paris), the Bodleian Library (Oxford), the John Rylands Library (Manchester UK), and the Library of Congress (Washington DC). There are at least two more pictured here that I still hope to see some day: The New York Public Library (in particular its Rose Reading Room) and Trinity College (Dublin) with its Book of Kells.
Read
December 3, 2011Note "Beautiful" in the title.
Most of these didn't draw me in the why I'd expected. Much elaborate decor from olden times and nowhere to read. The story of the "Little Green Castle"(The Herzogin Anna Amalia Library) in Weimar was an exception, and also one of the only structures in the first 100 pages that wasn't an exhibit in floor to ceiling marble. (Goethe fascinates and this a piece of that story.)
Despite all the exotics present(or perhaps because), my favorite is the New York Public. It looks like the library of my dreams.
The Library of Russia was also a highlight for its curiosities, and the The National Palace Library in Mafra for its open spaces and natural light.
In the preface are noted books by the author Nicholas Basbanes, a foremost library lover: "A Gentle Madness" and "Patience and Fortitude". If anyone reads please let me know.
And for all my librarian friends- Charles VI, to the astonishment of his contemporaries, opened his libraries to (almost) everyone, he nonetheless forbade entry to "ignoramuses, servants, idlers, talkers, and gawkers."
Most of these didn't draw me in the why I'd expected. Much elaborate decor from olden times and nowhere to read. The story of the "Little Green Castle"(The Herzogin Anna Amalia Library) in Weimar was an exception, and also one of the only structures in the first 100 pages that wasn't an exhibit in floor to ceiling marble. (Goethe fascinates and this a piece of that story.)
Despite all the exotics present(or perhaps because), my favorite is the New York Public. It looks like the library of my dreams.
The Library of Russia was also a highlight for its curiosities, and the The National Palace Library in Mafra for its open spaces and natural light.
In the preface are noted books by the author Nicholas Basbanes, a foremost library lover: "A Gentle Madness" and "Patience and Fortitude". If anyone reads please let me know.
And for all my librarian friends- Charles VI, to the astonishment of his contemporaries, opened his libraries to (almost) everyone, he nonetheless forbade entry to "ignoramuses, servants, idlers, talkers, and gawkers."
September 11, 2009
Breathtaking photography of beautiful libraries! Includes libraries in Austria, Germany, Italy, France, Switzerland, England, Ireland, The Czech Republic, Spain, Portugal, United States and Russia. Among those included from the United States are Boston's Antenaeum, The Library of Congress and The New York Public Library.
I enjoyed the brief history on each one too...learning tidbits such as The Vatican Library is one of the "rare important institutions that "hides" its books" and "until 1613, consulted works were chained to desks". I also enjoyed learning that in The Library of The Royal Monastery of El Escorial, the books are shelved backwards by decree of King Philip II, to preserve the bindings and the titles were written on the edges of the pages facing out. Fascinating and gorgeous book!
A stunning coffeetable book.
I enjoyed the brief history on each one too...learning tidbits such as The Vatican Library is one of the "rare important institutions that "hides" its books" and "until 1613, consulted works were chained to desks". I also enjoyed learning that in The Library of The Royal Monastery of El Escorial, the books are shelved backwards by decree of King Philip II, to preserve the bindings and the titles were written on the edges of the pages facing out. Fascinating and gorgeous book!
A stunning coffeetable book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to Read
October 3, 2011I am looking forward to reading this book as I enjoy traveling. I currently have "My List" of places that I want to visit, and I would like to add interesting and historical libraries to "My List"! For example, my sister lives in New York City, so she and I visited the New York Public Library to see the original Winnie the Pooh and also one of the first editions of The Gutenberg Bible. Libraries have many facets of interest to offer patrons: architecture, historical interest, and artifacts. I believe the book, The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World, will allow me to review and decide what libraries that I would like to add to "My List" for future travel opportunities.
September 23, 2008
A nice book about libraries around the world. Okay, Europe is overrepresented in it but that shouldn't keep anyone from buying/reading the book. I personally liked the articles about the New York Public Library and this famous Boston library ( can't remember the name right now ) the most. Has probably to do with the fact that I know both libraries and that I spent a lot of time there. All libraries are well described and each article gives you a lot of facts about the history of the library. Well researched book.
March 9, 2011
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.
Read
October 1, 2008More marble and figureheads and respectability than my taste. But Father Guido Sarducci test passed for this one crazy library in Manchester. I also love how I loved it from the pictures, but the story panned out in all these ways I didn't expect. Prim widows, low church bull-headedness, and more! Finished the book now and the libraries that escape the stuffy, marble overload: the above mentioned Rylands, El Escorial, and Mafra in Portugal.
November 17, 2013
The title of this book is literally true, & it was a privilege to be reminded of the three Libraries in this book I've been in, as well as pick out a couple that I want to visit. These Libraries are, to their cities, "what cathedrals were to the cities of the Middle Ages" & this book allows a glimpse into them. Highly recommended for those people sophisticated enough to appreciate the vast importance of these incredible institutions.
January 1, 2008
Superb book. "A picture is worth a thousand words" is how I would describe this book. The photography is not only beautiful but looking at the details of the art, sculpture and furniture inside these libraries is breathtaking. Three of the libraries named in this book are in the U.S. (Boston, DC & NYC)
May 14, 2008
This is a beautiful book. I especially love the NY Public Library section, because I have been there. It's amazing to think, all that beauty is right there in the middle of all that hustle and bustle! Now if only I could see the rest.
September 3, 2008
A survey of some of the most amazing libraries still operating in the world. I saw this at the Kimble Art Museum in Fort Worth, TX and just had to pick it up. The book is drop-dead awe-inspiring. Supreme bibliopr0n of the highest order.
April 3, 2010
Bosser/deLaubier aren't lying with the title - and the descriptions and histories of the libraries just add to the attraction of this lovely book. The reproductions are excellent although I would have loved to see some of the things described in the text but not pictured.
March 10, 2011
What an outstanding collection of jaw dropping photos!Its been my dream to visit these libraries.
Drool over the book of Kells and other Illuminated texts.I love calligraphy.
Library copy": The book I read curiously had the middle photo layout printed upside down?
Drool over the book of Kells and other Illuminated texts.I love calligraphy.
Library copy": The book I read curiously had the middle photo layout printed upside down?
July 27, 2011
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.
January 5, 2012
Got this for Christmas from my boy and I absolutely love it!
The descriptions are very detailed and the stories they tell are very interesting and fun. The images are out of the world. Hopefully one day I'll be able to visit some, if not all, of the places in the book.
The descriptions are very detailed and the stories they tell are very interesting and fun. The images are out of the world. Hopefully one day I'll be able to visit some, if not all, of the places in the book.
March 14, 2007
Kate and Sara--I think you would like to page through this one.
July 8, 2008
I love this book - there are so many gorgeous libraries. I don't happen to work in one of them...but I do love my profession! It is a stunning tribute. I know I am a geek, by the way.
Read
August 29, 2008Looked at the pictures! Really, they are beautiful!
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