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The Book Lovers' Miscellany
How is ink made? What is the bestselling book of all time? What are the oldest known books in the world? And how does one make sense of the colors found on Penguin paperbacks? The answers to these questions and many more await readers in The Book Lovers’ Miscellany.
The Book Lovers’ Miscellany is a cornucopia for bibliophiles. With customary wisdom and wit, Claire Cock-Starkey presents a brief illustrated history of paper, binding, printing, and dust jackets, with a wealth of arcane facts that even the most avid book lovers may be hard-pressed to answer: Which natural pigments were used to decorate medieval bibles? Which animal is needed for the making of vellum? Curious facts are drawn from throughout the history of books and publishing, including many more recent examples, such as a short history of the comic and the story behind the massively successful Harlequin romance imprint Mills and Boon. Readers can explore the output of the most prolific writers and marvel at the youth of the youngest published authors—or lament the decisions of the publishers who rejected books that later became colossal bestsellers. The book also includes a collection of lists, including unfinished novels, books that have faced bans, books printed with mistakes, the most influential academic books of all time, and the longest established literary families.
The perfect gift for every bibliophile, The Book Lovers’ Miscellany is equally well suited to reading straight through or dipping into here and there.
The Book Lovers’ Miscellany is a cornucopia for bibliophiles. With customary wisdom and wit, Claire Cock-Starkey presents a brief illustrated history of paper, binding, printing, and dust jackets, with a wealth of arcane facts that even the most avid book lovers may be hard-pressed to answer: Which natural pigments were used to decorate medieval bibles? Which animal is needed for the making of vellum? Curious facts are drawn from throughout the history of books and publishing, including many more recent examples, such as a short history of the comic and the story behind the massively successful Harlequin romance imprint Mills and Boon. Readers can explore the output of the most prolific writers and marvel at the youth of the youngest published authors—or lament the decisions of the publishers who rejected books that later became colossal bestsellers. The book also includes a collection of lists, including unfinished novels, books that have faced bans, books printed with mistakes, the most influential academic books of all time, and the longest established literary families.
The perfect gift for every bibliophile, The Book Lovers’ Miscellany is equally well suited to reading straight through or dipping into here and there.
136 pages, Hardcover
First published January 15, 2018
2 people are currently reading
194 people want to read
About the author
Claire Cock-Starkey
24 books25 followersI started out in media, working at BBC Radio Four and Five Live before going on to work at LBC. From there I found my spiritual home working with Ben Schott, starting out as researcher on the Sporting, Gaming and Idling Miscellany. I went on to help develop the format for Schott’s Almanac, working as Assistant Editor on the first two books before rising to become UK & Series Editor on the four subsequent UK books, three German and three US editions.
Working with Ben I also had the opportunity to assist with various miscellaneous offerings for The Daily Telegraph, The Times, Conde Nast Traveller, New York Times, Vanity Fair and Smythson diaries.
After producing a small team of children I decided it was time to set up on my own, so since 2011 I have been busily working as a freelance writer and editor – juggling writing books and articles, project managing a vast array of Lego building operations and editing and indexing a number of non-fiction titles.
I am happiest perched in the British Library reading rooms surrounded by a pile of obscure and fascinating books researching my next offering.
Working with Ben I also had the opportunity to assist with various miscellaneous offerings for The Daily Telegraph, The Times, Conde Nast Traveller, New York Times, Vanity Fair and Smythson diaries.
After producing a small team of children I decided it was time to set up on my own, so since 2011 I have been busily working as a freelance writer and editor – juggling writing books and articles, project managing a vast array of Lego building operations and editing and indexing a number of non-fiction titles.
I am happiest perched in the British Library reading rooms surrounded by a pile of obscure and fascinating books researching my next offering.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 26, 2018
This could be me: 
But I don't just love to read.
I’m obsessed with collecting bookmarks (yes, I like my bookmarks to match the books I'm reading, which is why I actually have hundreds); I love to decorate my shelves with interesting bookstands and other stuff (not too cheesy though); I love to write letters by hand on special paper with an ink pen and create my own cards (for Christmas for example); I have pictures on the wall next to some shelves depicting art from certain bookish worlds; I even wear book-related socks from time to time and drink out of book-related tea cups. I can spend entire days in a bookstore without ever getting bored.
I dream of what it must be like to have libraries like so many of my American and British friends and I turn green with envy. In short: I'm a book nerd.
This book, then, is a treasure-trove for a bibliophile like me. It tells you of the composition of ink used for books, what was used for keeping written records through the ages (from papyrus to vellum and today’s paper) and how the respective thing is made, what the digits in any given ISBN mean, how Penguin was founded and how it revolutionized the book industry.
Additionally, there are great lists in here such as ten famous authors and their pen names, or what book prizes there are in the world, who won the Nobel Prize in literature when, the most-banned books from around the world, famous first and last lines.
These are just a few examples. The book might not be very big but is certainly is filled to the brim with interesting information from the world of books and there were actually a number of surprises in here as well as some history lessons.
Naturally, the lists could all be longer because we book nerds are never fully satisfied, but the author managed to always give a diverse overview and great mix and I liked how this was such a perfect example of the details a bibiophile can revel and get lost in.
But I don't just love to read.
I’m obsessed with collecting bookmarks (yes, I like my bookmarks to match the books I'm reading, which is why I actually have hundreds); I love to decorate my shelves with interesting bookstands and other stuff (not too cheesy though); I love to write letters by hand on special paper with an ink pen and create my own cards (for Christmas for example); I have pictures on the wall next to some shelves depicting art from certain bookish worlds; I even wear book-related socks from time to time and drink out of book-related tea cups. I can spend entire days in a bookstore without ever getting bored.
I dream of what it must be like to have libraries like so many of my American and British friends and I turn green with envy. In short: I'm a book nerd.
This book, then, is a treasure-trove for a bibliophile like me. It tells you of the composition of ink used for books, what was used for keeping written records through the ages (from papyrus to vellum and today’s paper) and how the respective thing is made, what the digits in any given ISBN mean, how Penguin was founded and how it revolutionized the book industry.
Additionally, there are great lists in here such as ten famous authors and their pen names, or what book prizes there are in the world, who won the Nobel Prize in literature when, the most-banned books from around the world, famous first and last lines.
These are just a few examples. The book might not be very big but is certainly is filled to the brim with interesting information from the world of books and there were actually a number of surprises in here as well as some history lessons.
Naturally, the lists could all be longer because we book nerds are never fully satisfied, but the author managed to always give a diverse overview and great mix and I liked how this was such a perfect example of the details a bibiophile can revel and get lost in.
February 15, 2018
In case you haven't worked it out yet, I love books. I even like reading books about books too, and when I was given an opportunity to read The Book Lovers’ Miscellany I jumped at the chance. This small volume is packed to the covers with details and facts and stories about books, authors and significant events from the world of literature.
If you want a list of publishers who declined the books that went onto break all the sales records, which parts of animals have graced the pages and the what the largest and smallest books ever made were about and the texts that have been translated the most, then this is a really good place to start. You can find out who are the youngest authors, who are the most prolific and who left unfinished manuscripts, as well as finding out what the colours of the original Penguin paperbacks were for. Not sure what colophon and incunabule mean? The answers are in here as well as finding out what books other than science fiction contains wormholes.
This is a delightfully written and produced book that is a treasure trove of information. Perfect for anyone who has the slightest interest in books, authors and reading, it is short so will take almost no time to read spend a few moments to learn a new fact every time you open it.
If you want a list of publishers who declined the books that went onto break all the sales records, which parts of animals have graced the pages and the what the largest and smallest books ever made were about and the texts that have been translated the most, then this is a really good place to start. You can find out who are the youngest authors, who are the most prolific and who left unfinished manuscripts, as well as finding out what the colours of the original Penguin paperbacks were for. Not sure what colophon and incunabule mean? The answers are in here as well as finding out what books other than science fiction contains wormholes.
This is a delightfully written and produced book that is a treasure trove of information. Perfect for anyone who has the slightest interest in books, authors and reading, it is short so will take almost no time to read spend a few moments to learn a new fact every time you open it.
March 29, 2018
If you love books, old ones, new ones, lovely thin spines, the textures, the swish of the page as you turn it, and of course the fact that you can keep them on your bookshelf like old friends, this book is for you. A beautiful little 100-page pocketbook that is filled with facts and resources about reading, books, novels, authors, publishers, bookshops, historical tidbits, libraries, paper, ink, quills, writing, and so much more. Who is the No. 1 most translated author? Agatha Christie. What is the rarest book in the world? Shakespeare’s Venus and Adonis. Looking for the most beloved book town in US? Try Hobart Book Village in the Catskills in New York. Are you curious about notable printing errors in old novels or what Kurt Vonnegut advises about writing a short story (“Every sentence must do one of two things: reveal character or advance the action” and more), or the story about world’s most mysterious book—owned by a magician/astrologer? I liked the list of the memorable last lines in fiction, one of which is “And the ashes blew towards us with the salt wind from the sea.” Can you guess the author and novel? This is a great gift book and one that will thrill bibliophiles.
February 23, 2024
The second in the set of three this book is all about books (as if the title didn't give it away) and is filled with facts and figures on the topic from all aspects and corners of the world.
The book itself covers everything from the earliest of books up to the modern age (which in this book is still a few years out of date - although to be honest any book put down in print will immediately be out of date),
There are some details which are duplicated in the "Library" edition of the 3 but to be honest they are still relevant to the topics so its hardly a tragedy. So if you love interesting and unusual facts this books is perfect
The book itself covers everything from the earliest of books up to the modern age (which in this book is still a few years out of date - although to be honest any book put down in print will immediately be out of date),
There are some details which are duplicated in the "Library" edition of the 3 but to be honest they are still relevant to the topics so its hardly a tragedy. So if you love interesting and unusual facts this books is perfect
December 17, 2017
If you're looking for the perfect gift for a book lover, then look no further than The Book Lovers' Miscellany. What a treasure trove of information this is. I want to read it again and again to see what I missed. It's one of those books that you'll read something new each time you pick it up.
I just love the pocket size of this book, it makes it so transportable and I feel like I want to carry it with me everywhere so I can dip in and out of it and read excerpts to my friends and family. There are so many interesting facts and so much to learn in this small but mighty book. If you're a lover of lists, you will LOVE this...from the most translated authors to the most popular children books. These facts are portrayed in such a way that you will remember them and be able to amaze your book loving friends, which I plan to do!
I can't recommend this book highly enough, I feel like it is my little bibliophilic bible and I never want to be parted from it. Small but mighty, The Book Lovers' Miscellany will enchant any book lover.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
I just love the pocket size of this book, it makes it so transportable and I feel like I want to carry it with me everywhere so I can dip in and out of it and read excerpts to my friends and family. There are so many interesting facts and so much to learn in this small but mighty book. If you're a lover of lists, you will LOVE this...from the most translated authors to the most popular children books. These facts are portrayed in such a way that you will remember them and be able to amaze your book loving friends, which I plan to do!
I can't recommend this book highly enough, I feel like it is my little bibliophilic bible and I never want to be parted from it. Small but mighty, The Book Lovers' Miscellany will enchant any book lover.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
April 10, 2018
Ok...if you like books/reading (you obviously do) then you simply must read this book!
I cannot recommend it enough.
Everybody that has a Goodreads or Instagram (bookstagram) Account should read this book. Guaranteed you will love it!
I cannot recommend it enough.
Everybody that has a Goodreads or Instagram (bookstagram) Account should read this book. Guaranteed you will love it!
April 15, 2018
What an absolute delight! I enjoyed every page.
December 7, 2017
The Book Lovers’ Miscellany is a cornucopia of bookish facts and information.
This is a little gem of a book. Although I read it in the order presented, it would pay huge dividends if treated like a bookish box of chocolates, dipping in at random and seeing what tasty morsel came out. Alternatively, as many pages are cross referenced, readers could enjoy a kind of literary mystery tour, jumping from one author led note to another. The footnotes too add an extra dimension of interest.
An aspect I really enjoyed was the way different elements prompted memories for me. The references to papyrus took me back to a trip to Egypt where I saw it made, for example. I adored the oath for the Detection Club that I hadn’t come across before because it made me giggle.
Whilst many of the materials such as the glossary of book and manuscript terms were familiar, and avid bibliophiles may feel they know much of the information already, reading The Book Lovers’ Miscellany also provided new information and I especially liked learning the ages of older first time authors – there’s hope for me yet!
Claire Cock-Starkey writes with a meticulously researched, fluent and authoritative style that is a pleasure to read. I think The Book Lovers’ Miscellany would be a perfect gift for any book lover, be they a reader or a writer.
This is a little gem of a book. Although I read it in the order presented, it would pay huge dividends if treated like a bookish box of chocolates, dipping in at random and seeing what tasty morsel came out. Alternatively, as many pages are cross referenced, readers could enjoy a kind of literary mystery tour, jumping from one author led note to another. The footnotes too add an extra dimension of interest.
An aspect I really enjoyed was the way different elements prompted memories for me. The references to papyrus took me back to a trip to Egypt where I saw it made, for example. I adored the oath for the Detection Club that I hadn’t come across before because it made me giggle.
Whilst many of the materials such as the glossary of book and manuscript terms were familiar, and avid bibliophiles may feel they know much of the information already, reading The Book Lovers’ Miscellany also provided new information and I especially liked learning the ages of older first time authors – there’s hope for me yet!
Claire Cock-Starkey writes with a meticulously researched, fluent and authoritative style that is a pleasure to read. I think The Book Lovers’ Miscellany would be a perfect gift for any book lover, be they a reader or a writer.
January 16, 2018
A nice, short, very interesting read! I'll surely want to reference some of the information I learned in the future- would be nice to visit an official book town! :)
January 2, 2018
a great potted history of some key aspects of books, including printing materials and processes, opening lines and quotations, book prizes. Really accessible style. Book does what it needs to, which is give some interesting facts.
July 4, 2019
A delightful read for a bookworm.
June 12, 2018
This was really interesting and informative; as others have said, it's a real treasure trove of book facts. It's definitely a good list for a book lover, and I'm already thinking of putting at least one copy aside for Christmas. However, now that I've read this through once from cover to cover I don't think I will again - it's just a list of trivia. Super interesting trivia, but all the same, not anything I need to re-read again as a whole. If I owned a copy I could see myself flicking through it now and again to kill a minute, or find an interesting fact to remind myself of, but nothing more than that.
March 19, 2018
This is a cute little book all about something dear to my heart: books. It is full of lots of really interesting little facts about the history of books, printing, and publishing: such as how the ISBN (International Standard Book Number) came about, and what the different numbers in the sequence mean. There are also facts about authors, such as the most translated author (Agatha Christie), most prolific writers, and most famous opening and closing lines. Basically, if there is a cool book related fact, then you will very likely find it in here. A treat for book lovers.
April 12, 2018
Jam packed with book information, facts, terms and author information, this is a must read.
From the silly to the serious this small book is so interesting I guarantee you will impress even the most bookish bookworm in your life. There are actual bookworms...
A great gift for that fact finder in your life. A perfect read if you crave facts.
From the silly to the serious this small book is so interesting I guarantee you will impress even the most bookish bookworm in your life. There are actual bookworms...
A great gift for that fact finder in your life. A perfect read if you crave facts.
December 23, 2017
Loved it! Perfect for any book lover!! Full review to follow soon.
March 23, 2018
Really fun! One of my purchases from Shakespeare and Company, Kilometer Zero, Paris.
June 10, 2024
The Book Lovers' Miscellany by Claire Cock-Starkey is a cute little pint sized hardback packed with bibliophilic facts and fictions. Quirky chapter titles include: Movies That Started Life As Books, Identifying a First Edition, The Twenty Most Influential Academic Books of All Time, Oddest Title of the Year, Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts, Famous Last Lines and more.
Some of the chapters are short and snappy at just a few paragraphs while others are in listicle format making this perfect for dipping in and out of. If you're a traditionalist like me who wouldn't dream of 'dipping in and out' of a book and insists on reading a book 'properly' - front to back - then you'll find a mix/combination of topics that didn't seem united by chronology or subject matter.
The content in The Book Lovers' Miscellany is definitely of a miscellaneous nature, which even extended to bookish gossip in the form of a supposedly well-known estrangement between A.S. Byatt and her sister Margaret Drabble.
"According to newspaper reports, the sisters have apparently been estranged since childhood due to their intense sibling rivalry and are said not to read each other's books due to the autobiographical elements in their work." Page 31
I didn't even know these talented and accomplished authors were sisters, so learning that they don't share their literary success together as they should was sad.
Reading the chapter on Most Prolific Writers, I was shocked to learn Enid Blyton wrote more than 800 books, and while I was aware of Barbara Cartland's prolific writing career, seeing in print that she produced 723 novels in her lifetime was seriously impressive.
I love stationery, but in a chapter about Quills I found this astonishing:
"John of Tilbury, a scholar in the household of Thomas Becket in the twelfth century, described how a scribe taking a full day of dictation would need between sixty and a hundred quills sharpened and readied." Page 41
Wow! I'm presuming you'd need a trunk or sack for the quills. And what did they do for the assizes during that period? The Book Lovers' Miscellany by Claire Cock-Starkey is full of facts and trivia, much of which I've read about elsewhere yet still managed to be entertained by again.
Recommended for trivia junkies and readers who love books about books. You know who you are!
Some of the chapters are short and snappy at just a few paragraphs while others are in listicle format making this perfect for dipping in and out of. If you're a traditionalist like me who wouldn't dream of 'dipping in and out' of a book and insists on reading a book 'properly' - front to back - then you'll find a mix/combination of topics that didn't seem united by chronology or subject matter.
The content in The Book Lovers' Miscellany is definitely of a miscellaneous nature, which even extended to bookish gossip in the form of a supposedly well-known estrangement between A.S. Byatt and her sister Margaret Drabble.
"According to newspaper reports, the sisters have apparently been estranged since childhood due to their intense sibling rivalry and are said not to read each other's books due to the autobiographical elements in their work." Page 31
I didn't even know these talented and accomplished authors were sisters, so learning that they don't share their literary success together as they should was sad.
Reading the chapter on Most Prolific Writers, I was shocked to learn Enid Blyton wrote more than 800 books, and while I was aware of Barbara Cartland's prolific writing career, seeing in print that she produced 723 novels in her lifetime was seriously impressive.
I love stationery, but in a chapter about Quills I found this astonishing:
"John of Tilbury, a scholar in the household of Thomas Becket in the twelfth century, described how a scribe taking a full day of dictation would need between sixty and a hundred quills sharpened and readied." Page 41
Wow! I'm presuming you'd need a trunk or sack for the quills. And what did they do for the assizes during that period? The Book Lovers' Miscellany by Claire Cock-Starkey is full of facts and trivia, much of which I've read about elsewhere yet still managed to be entertained by again.
Recommended for trivia junkies and readers who love books about books. You know who you are!
September 24, 2024
An enjoyable book to dip into. Small and unassuming it offers fascinating nuggets on the history, industry and culture of books. Over a month, I read a few pages at a time and picked up some splendid little gems of history, not least The Wicked Bible with the suspicious misprint - Thou Shalt Commit Adultery. Printed in 1631, it is thought 10 copies survive. Lots of information from paper sizes to lost books; from dust jackets to types of bindings; and papyrus to e-books. A little treasure. Now for The Library Miscellany.
May 9, 2021
I received this book as a gift. It's a touch larger than the largest iPhone. I thought "ok, what could this little book have to offer?" Don't be deceived by its look. It is jam packed with incredible tidbits about books and the literary world. You'll learn something new about history, geography, movies, authors; there's something for everyone. This is definitely a "highly recommended" gift for any book lover!
May 6, 2025
Picked this up randomly during a trip to Oxford simply because it caught my eye. It’s always good to know random bits of book knowledge as an English student, and this book did not disappoint. It does everything you want it to do as a book lover, giving you fun little facts in short and snappy chapters about various topics relevant to the book world. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and would recommend to literally anyone who likes books.
January 1, 2019
What a little treasure! There's a surprising amount of book-related information (both trivia and serious) contained in this small volume.
Very tempted to buy myself a copy so I can dip into it again any time I like. Sadly the copy I read is a library copy and must be returned.
Very tempted to buy myself a copy so I can dip into it again any time I like. Sadly the copy I read is a library copy and must be returned.
January 6, 2020
A nice little tome for the book lover. Filled with book trivia and fun tidbits that appeal the bibliophiles.
P.S. I now know the difference between serif and sans serif. Who knew those terms actually meant something?!
P.S. I now know the difference between serif and sans serif. Who knew those terms actually meant something?!
July 23, 2023
A great read for any book lovers.
Loved the fact: " Books account for less than one per cent of the world's timber usage (however, 40 per cent goes on making all types of paper including toilet roll, newspaper and office paper)"
Long live books!
Loved the fact: " Books account for less than one per cent of the world's timber usage (however, 40 per cent goes on making all types of paper including toilet roll, newspaper and office paper)"
Long live books!
January 1, 2020
Loved it! Book trivia is always a great thing to read about.
My only complaint was the size of the type :(
My only complaint was the size of the type :(
April 29, 2021
Interesting, well-curated bits of information about books. Dip into it over a few weeks rather than blasting through all at once.
February 15, 2024
Nice, anglocentric
August 7, 2024
Incredible, informative book and a very interesting read with fascinating information about books. Well worth a read.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews