Books as a Way of Life: Essays by Gordon N. Ray

by Gordon N. Ray, G. Thomas Tanselle (Editor)

Gordon N. Ray (1915-1986), professor of English at the University of Illinois from 1946 to 1960 and president of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation from 1963 to 1985, was one of the major book and manuscript collectors of his time. His two great Morgan Library catalogues, on English and French book illustration, are monuments both to his collecting and to his scholarship. Over the years he wrote a number of essays and addresses on book collecting, the book trade, libraries, and the role of books in life. Some of them have become famous, while others are not well known; all are perceptive and eloquent statements, full of literary allusions and touches of humor. Books as a Way of Life brings together virtually everything of this kind that he wrote; the result is an appealing and important book that has come to be regarded as a classic contribution to the literature of the book world.

432 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Gordon N. Ray was an esteemed American author, literary scholar, and collector, widely recognized for his expertise on William Makepeace Thackeray and his extensive work in Victorian literature. Born in New York City in 1915, he graduated from Indiana University and earned his Ph.D. at Harvard, where he later taught before serving as a U.S. Navy officer in World War II. His wartime experiences, including long stretches aboard the USS Belleau Wood, were enriched by voracious reading, especially of Trollope.
Ray held prominent academic and administrative posts at the University of Illinois, serving as English department chair and later as vice president and provost. He was also a professor at New York University until 1980. His multi-volume edition The Letters and Private Papers of William Makepeace Thackeray and his two Thackeray biographies earned wide acclaim. In the 1950s, he helped acquire the H. G. Wells archives for Illinois, leading to significant publications on Wells and his correspondence.
From 1963 to 1985, Ray presided over the Guggenheim Foundation. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Philosophical Society. His private collection of illustrated books was the foundation of major exhibitions at the Pierpont Morgan Library and Columbia University. Ray died in Manhattan in 1986, leaving a legacy of scholarship and curation.

Reviews

[Marc Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very interesting book of essays, written by Gordon Ray-a book collector, English Literature professor, and for a number of years President 0f the Guggenheim Foundation. Most of the essays are printed from speeches he delivered at various book related events. They are fascinating snapshots of the book world of the 1960's to the mid 1980's. In one essay, " The Future of the Book", written in 1966, he details his thoughts on the resilience of the physical book vs. technology supplanting the book. He doubles down on the physical book. What he couldn't foresee (nor could almost anyone) was the advent and ubiquitousness of the personal computer and the rise of e-books. As I understand it, physical books are still ascendant, and Mr. Ray would be delighted. Some of the challenges he elicits for librarians, institutions of higher learning and book collectors still exist today. As a scholar collector and a member of the prestigious Grolier Club, this book is a fitting tribute to him and his vision. If the subject matter interests, highly recommended.