Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
New York : Harry N. Abrams, 2003.
Description
Here, for the first time, architectural photographer Guillaume de Laubier takes the reader on a privileged tour of twenty-three of the world's most historic libraries, representing twelve countries and ranging from the great national monuments to scholarly, religious, and private libraries: the baroque splendor of the Institut de France in Paris; the Renaissance treasure-trove of the Riccardiana Library in Florence; the majestic Royal Monastery in El Escorial, Spain; the hallowed halls of Oxford's Bodleian Library; and the New York Public Library, a Beaux-Arts masterpiece. Also included are the smaller abbey and monastic libraries - often overlooked on tourist itineraries - each containing its own equally important collections of religious and philosophical writings, manuscripts, and church history. Through color photography one can marvel at the grandeur of the great public libraries while relishing the rare glimpses inside scholars-only private archives.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member shawnd
This coffee table book should amaze book lovers and give a physical reaction to library lovers. The pictures--and the paper of the pages--are very high quality technically. The book includes a number of foldouts where the picture spans three page size spaces. And the libraries are amazing. I have
The drawback to the book includes a) the libraries are all in the Western world (Russia is perhaps the only exception), which is perhaps not an issue except that the title is the Most Beautiful Libraries in the World. I have to imagine there are South American (all the beautiful wood in the continent can't have avoided going to bookshelves); Asian and other geographic libraries outside of Europe and the US; b) the libraries seem chosen for a mix of reasons, and one of which seems to be the statuary and art in the library itself. While the pictures are breathtaking, some library denizens might be interested in these factors playing less of a role; and c) the elegant text seems to meander into some 'interesting facts' about each library but most of the comments are historical or art-historical, without the interesting information about collection sizes, who uses the library today, what role does it play in the culture, etc.
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looked at this book over and over, and for a long time took up valuable 'real estate' on my desk having this book open to one or other libraries. Some of the pictures are jaw-dropping and make one feel like they were setting their feet in the room right then...or traveling back in time one or two hundred years to hear chairs scraping or footfalls.The drawback to the book includes a) the libraries are all in the Western world (Russia is perhaps the only exception), which is perhaps not an issue except that the title is the Most Beautiful Libraries in the World. I have to imagine there are South American (all the beautiful wood in the continent can't have avoided going to bookshelves); Asian and other geographic libraries outside of Europe and the US; b) the libraries seem chosen for a mix of reasons, and one of which seems to be the statuary and art in the library itself. While the pictures are breathtaking, some library denizens might be interested in these factors playing less of a role; and c) the elegant text seems to meander into some 'interesting facts' about each library but most of the comments are historical or art-historical, without the interesting information about collection sizes, who uses the library today, what role does it play in the culture, etc.
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LibraryThing member basiltherat
I don't actually own this book; I would love to, but it is quite expensive (RRP $159). I have browsed extensively at Dymocks and I think that the TAFE library should purchase it to inspire students of library studies and the staff! The photographs are outstanding
LibraryThing member jcbrunner
A photographic homage to the library as a monument to art and conspicuous consumption of bishops, gentlemen and kings. It remains unclear why and how the twenty-three libraries illustrated and celebrated as "the most beautiful" were selected. A number of neglected worthy candidates come to mind
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(e.g. the reading room of the British Museum/Library or the Royal Library in Copenhagen). Is beauty really a function of age? At least some modern libraries should have been included and the glaring absence of even a single Asian one is puzzling. The paucity of humans in the pictures reveals a common desire of librarians to protect these precious spaces from visitors. I find the New York Public Library reading room looks much better with actual readers at the desks. The rows of empty desks pictured look sad. Overall, a good present for bibliophiles. Show Less
LibraryThing member Zmrzlina
Amazing coffeetable book that will not leave my coffeetable. I've not been to many of these libraries because most are European, but of the three US ones, I've been to them all...Library of Congress, New York Public Library and Boston Athenaeum.
LibraryThing member sueo23
This is a magnificent book that I not so much read, but worked my way through in small pieces. The photographs in here are simply gorgeous and depict libraries that were created in a time when knowledge was important and books were revered. This has certainly given me a huge list of places to visit
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when I finally manage to travel overseas (still have not left Australian shores and I am almost 45!). The friend who gave this to me had given me the calendar the year before and I drooled even more when I unwrapped this! Highly recommended to bibliophiles everywhere! Show Less
LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26
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
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!
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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!
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LibraryThing member mstrust
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
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
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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.
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LibraryThing member Big_Bang_Gorilla
Being a coffee-table book illustrating a good selection of libraries, mostly European, with emphasis on interior photographs of the books and decoration. As such, it is a good book. I would like to have seen more contemporary libraries; too many people don't realize that they can be very beautiful
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as well. The worst omission, though, is the near-absence of exterior views; surely with so much supererogation going on indoors, a couple of more architectural pictures would have been worth the space and broadened the audience for this nice book. Show Less
LibraryThing member woodlong
the perfect book for the bibliophile. magnificent photos accompanied by learned texts of numerous great libraries that few people are likely to see all of which in a lifetime
LibraryThing member jon1lambert
There are some wonderful photos in this book that capture the joy of great libraries. Those of the John Rylands Library, Manchester are magnificent and capture the spirit and the essence of the place, John Rylands looking down the nave at his wife and widow Enriqueta Augustina.
LibraryThing member A2Zhunter
really enjoy the brief history given of each Library. Needed many more pictures
Subjects
Language
Original language
French
Original publication date
2003
Physical description
247 p.; 30 cm
ISBN
0810946343 / 9780810946347
Local notes
Cover faded in a band across the top.