A Book of Books

by Abelardo Morell (Photographer), Nicholson Baker (Preface)

A visual tribute to the printed word, this delicious ode to the book will be irresistible to anyone who treasures the feel of fine paper and the special allure of a clothbound volume.Abelardo Morell's elegant photographs of books are presented induotone reproductions, highlighting the grace and sensuality of theprinted page. Morell has selected unusual books, like a leather-bound volume that is smaller than a paper clip, an impossibly large dictionary and illustrated books whose characters appear to leap off the page.He has photographed the endless ocean of books in a library and thestrikingly beautiful way in which weathered and water-damaged bookstake on sculptural form.

Genres: Books About Books, Photography, Nonfiction, Art, Reference

107 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[booklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

A picture book of black-and-white book photographs. A photographer accidentally took an unusual picture one day which helped him see a book in a new way. After that he set out to find and take pictures of as many uncommon, strange and rare books as he could find, as well as to look at some more ordinary folios from different vantage points.

This has been on my shelves for years and I pull it down ever so often and treat myself, but it has been awhile now. Last week discovered this and pulled it down again. It is a visual book-lovers delight. Each oversized two page spread contains a picture(s) of book(s) and maybe some poetry/quotes from authors on their love for books or reading.

A personal favorite is two open books with the pictures of Ellen Ternan and Charles Dickens facing each other. The painful ones are the books which have fallen into extreme neglect. I suppose they are rather interesting from an archeological perspective, but they will never again be read as originally intended.

A rainy, or even sunny, day treat for those of us who live among the stacks.

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the Isabella Stewart Gardner. The was a rabbit outside the Living Room window, enjoying some grass. In the book, there were several pictures based on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking-Glass, including one of the rabbit hole, which particularly delighted me.

Museum copy

[Rissie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the Eudora Welty quote sums up this book and how I feel about it:

"I cannot remember a time when I was not in love with them -- with the books themselves, cover and binding and the paper they were printed on, with their smell and their weight and with their possession in my arms, captured and carried off to myself."

Books are beautiful in there own right and not just as a container (for lack of a better word). I am grateful for this book which celebrates that idea.

[Tanyx · Rating 4 out of 5]

It looses a star purely for book damage. I see the beauty, but I also see books warped beyond their original meaning. That works metaphorically, but actual, irreversible book damage? Pain.

They are beautiful though, and tell stories beyond the book's contents. The story of a book, in of itself.

[Bmw800 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Porn for book lovers/A cool coffee table book for people who love books.

[Krista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any bibliophile should love this book. These black and white photographs portray the life of the book. From the tiniest books, to those weathered and worn that take on the appearance of trees, Morell is an artist with a passion for finding the aesthetic beauty of literature. Although he addresses e-books in the end, this coffee table book makes you feel the tactile power of the written word.

[Laura (booksnob) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely photography book full of pictures of books. The photos give you a new perspective of how to look at a book. Full of quotes and photos, this book is a treasure and belongs on a book lover's coffee table.

[Faith-Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really beautiful book of bookish photographs. The photographs are gorgeous. I love thumbing through this incredible book. This book would make any reader on your list happy.

[Corinne Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful coffee table book. Great pictures that make you think about books in a different way and quotes from great thinkers.

[Soojeong Herring · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great photography book about books! This book gave me a joy but also a different visual perspective to look at physical books. I also want to take pictures of books too!

[Charity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and enchanting, visually and otherwise.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title says it all. Lovely photos of books, the insides of books, etc.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really fun preface about how reading a book is like when Superman moves through a wall.

[Rosario Buitrago · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully captures what it is to completely enamored with books, in both their physicality and in their storytelling.

[bookyeti · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book of art photographs of...you guess it, BOOKS!

[SmarterLilac · Rating 4 out of 5]

A stunning collection of clever and timely photographs. I especially love the 'Water Alphabet' photo which is the closing piece in the book. I would love to have that on my wall someday.

[Hannah]

This book is the heaven Borges imagined, but you don't have to die to get there.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

a book of photographs of books with a few bookish quotes. pretty neat!

[Joy]

gorgeous photographs of books, if you love design and you're a bibliophile...