Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Potter Style (1995), Edition: 1, Hardcover, 256 pages
Description
At Home with Books is a visual delight, a helpful resource, and an inspiration for every bibliophile with a growing home library. Includes professional advice on editing and categorizing your library; caring for your books; preserving, restoring, and storing rare books; finding out-of-print books; and choosing furniture, lighting, and shelving. Full-color photographs.
User reviews
LibraryThing member BookWallah
I do not want to be here I thought, but my sponsor insisted I come. The other addicts were done sharing, and now it is my turn. Nervously I stand and begin my story to the group, “Hello, my name is Scott, and I am a bibliomaniac”. I can’t believe I am back in this needling 12-step program’s
“I believed I was doing really well, I avoided bookstores, I did not buy anything over the Internet, in fact I had not even posted any reviews to LibraryThing for 59 days,” I droned on and on, but then my sponsor nudged me, hard, so I focused my confession, “but then I was walking past the Beaverton Public Library, and I thought it won’t hurt just to look around inside,” it was glorious, “but boy was I wrong, I just had to check out at least one book,” or maybe it was more like 12. “So I went upstairs and headed for the oversize books,” actually I think I ran, “and went to the shelf with the 027s”, nothing like the tale of another drunk bibliophile to get a quick fix, “and selected the oversize tome, At Home with Books.”
“I snuck home and began secretly reading it when no one was around,” and I imagined any one of these could be my library. “This book was a horrible influence on me,” except now I know what I really want, “it is series of these awful, shameful photographs… of disgusting rooms of books,” beautifully decorated personal libraries perfectly matched to their owners tastes, “in some cases even entire houses filled with books,” these wonderful people actually designed their entire homes around their book collection. “These despicable people are devoted way too much time to their libraries,” but oh it must be wonderful to devote that much focus and passion to one’s collection.
“So, in closing let me say publically that this book should be banned,” I wonder how much I could make delivering this book secretly to the people in this room? “There is no way that you should even gaze at the cover,” because the photographs are simply mouth-watering, “for it will draw you in and suck you down to the very pit of destruction,” but oh, what a way to go, surrounded by the books you love. “So thank you for letting me share my story so that you will not fall prey to these evils like I did.” I think I can sneek away and post a review to LibraryThing.com while my sponsor is talking with those recovered addicts…
“This book is not recommended for anyone that loves books a little too much,” unless you enjoy pretending you have unlimited funds, or have recently won the lottery.
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meetings again.“I believed I was doing really well, I avoided bookstores, I did not buy anything over the Internet, in fact I had not even posted any reviews to LibraryThing for 59 days,” I droned on and on, but then my sponsor nudged me, hard, so I focused my confession, “but then I was walking past the Beaverton Public Library, and I thought it won’t hurt just to look around inside,” it was glorious, “but boy was I wrong, I just had to check out at least one book,” or maybe it was more like 12. “So I went upstairs and headed for the oversize books,” actually I think I ran, “and went to the shelf with the 027s”, nothing like the tale of another drunk bibliophile to get a quick fix, “and selected the oversize tome, At Home with Books.”
“I snuck home and began secretly reading it when no one was around,” and I imagined any one of these could be my library. “This book was a horrible influence on me,” except now I know what I really want, “it is series of these awful, shameful photographs… of disgusting rooms of books,” beautifully decorated personal libraries perfectly matched to their owners tastes, “in some cases even entire houses filled with books,” these wonderful people actually designed their entire homes around their book collection. “These despicable people are devoted way too much time to their libraries,” but oh it must be wonderful to devote that much focus and passion to one’s collection.
“So, in closing let me say publically that this book should be banned,” I wonder how much I could make delivering this book secretly to the people in this room? “There is no way that you should even gaze at the cover,” because the photographs are simply mouth-watering, “for it will draw you in and suck you down to the very pit of destruction,” but oh, what a way to go, surrounded by the books you love. “So thank you for letting me share my story so that you will not fall prey to these evils like I did.” I think I can sneek away and post a review to LibraryThing.com while my sponsor is talking with those recovered addicts…
“This book is not recommended for anyone that loves books a little too much,” unless you enjoy pretending you have unlimited funds, or have recently won the lottery.
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LibraryThing member hailelib
Really a coffeetable book with at least as many pages of photos as text. But the photos are of libraries. And books. And book lovers with their books. There were a few useful tips on caring for books but not as much as I had hoped. This large volume did hold my interest, however, and I loved
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browsing through those libraries and seeing what their owners had to say about them. Show Less
LibraryThing member Helcura
This collection of photographs and brief essays of the libraries of well-heeled bibliophiles makes for an enjoyable browse. Although I found a few libraries that inspired envy, I was most struck by the fact that, in spite of having the funds available, no one seemed to have a really well-designed
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and attractive library. Of course I coud just be extremely picky . . . Show Less
LibraryThing member abecedarian
Beautiful! Not practical for us average citizens, but fun to look at just the same.
LibraryThing member trav
A really neat book that everyone seems to enjoy flipping through. Gorgeous photos of every type of home library.
You get to spy on peoples private collections and see how they built their libraries on their passions. I was surprised at how many people around the world organize their libraries by
This book will have your mouth watering and saying "If only..."
You get to spy on peoples private collections and see how they built their libraries on their passions. I was surprised at how many people around the world organize their libraries by
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color! Don't know if I have the guts to try that. But it could be fun.This book will have your mouth watering and saying "If only..."
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LibraryThing member coloradoreader
What a beautiful book. I find myself coveting each and every library and wishing for one so lovely in my own home!
LibraryThing member realbigcat
Great book for all book lovers and collectors. Large coffee table book with tons of great pics give the reader ideas on storing and displaying books. Features celebrity libraries as well. I especially liked Rolling Stones Keith Richards library. Who would have guessed he loves boos so much.
LibraryThing member Africansky1
The subtitle of this generous sized coffee table book, is "How book lovers live with and care for their libraries" , but it's more of a lush, plush picture book of book collectors and their chance to show off their libraries . It really is a specialist interior design book for library enthusiasts.
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It largely, covers private libraries of clearly rich people , about 40 of them . Are any of them members of Library thing? I liked the idea of highlight chapters on Hay on Wye, organizing your library, starting a collection, library lighting, the art of the book shelf, book plates, library ladders and so on. The enemies of books chapter is particularly helpful on temperature control and what to do about mold, there lots of useful advice for ordinary book loving mortals too. There is a resource directory . The photographs are to drool over, and if you are not the envious type then concentrate on the types of shelves, the chairs, the furnishings and furniture for libraries and the choices available in arranging your books. Tastes even among this selected group of people vary... Some like the cluttered look, some are clinical in their approach to books, some want to hide their books and avoid the intrusion of books while others are true bibliophiles . I wondered why many of these book collectors agreed to participate in this project and why ... Perhaps the same reason as library thing members post their pics on the website. . It is heavily geared to North American and British collections . This is a book worth keeping and dipping in to from time to time just to savour those peeps into the lives and libearies of others. Though published in the mid 1990s, I do not think this book has dated or is obsolete in purpose. Are there any other books in this vein ? Show Less
LibraryThing member bkwurm
A wonderful book with varied and well-chosen libraries, handsome pictures, and compelling stories about the library owners. This book differentiates itself from other "books about books" by going beyond care and decorating tips (although the book includes plenty of both) and spotlighting the owners
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of the books: Why they love books, how they began and added to their collections, what they believe is so important about having books in the home. This book was an inspiration to me. I kept it out in easy reaching distance during the 3 month period that I was having my custom home library built. I ended up stealing a number of ideas from the book, all of which have made my own library a warm, cozy, useful, and oft-complimented part of my home and my life. Show Less
LibraryThing member mstrust
A big coffee table book from 1995, of all kinds of libraries. There are personal libraries, ones in big English manors and the Welsh book town of Hay-on-Wye. Many of the libraries belong to serious collectors, some to voracious readers, some who also collect art, and a couple who are most
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interested in the appearance of their library. Of course, it is filled with big glossy pages of book porn. Photos of old English bookcases filled with leather-bound books and stacks of two hundred year old books by classic authors are everywhere. Biggest surprise- Keith Richards has beautiful copies of both Jane Eyre and Grimm's Fairy Tales on the shelf, along with the WWII books. Show Less
LibraryThing member SESchend
A coffee-table book for any author, writer, reader, or general book lover. This is not a book talking about decorating with books; this is about living with books and how they shape your home. Well worth finding and purchasing.
Subjects
Language
Original publication date
1995-10-31
Physical description
256 p.; 12.14 inches
ISBN
9780517595008