James W. P. Campbell & Will Pryce - The Library: A World History

I'm starting my Christmas wishlist already with James W. P. Campbell and Will Pryce's The Library: A World History. (ISBN:  978-0500342886). The images in this book in look absolutely stunning, and are guaranteed to give you wanderlust.  

The Tripitaka Koreana at the Haeinsa Temple in South Korea. image taken from here. I used to live in South Korea- such a missed opportunity that I didn't visit!

 George Peabody Library, Baltimore

The book is a little bit pricey (£38.99 currently on Amzon) but would make a fabulous gift for a bibliophile. 

edit: just like to point out that the fabulous photographer Will Pryce took all of these stunning pictures. 

no one is so busy that they can't take time to make a decent cup of tea

“no one is so busy they can’t take time to make a decent cup of tea and if you are that busy you don’t deserve a decent cup of tea for what is it all about anyway? Are we put into this world to be busy or to chat over a nice cup of tea?”
- Frank McCort

Geraldine Brooks- People of the Book

I was at a loose end and didn't have anything to read, so I picked up my mum's copy of People of the Book. Mum usually goes for gossipy, family saga novels, so my expectations were pretty low, but it turned out People of the Book is rather an enjoyable read.

Plot: Hanna, an expect of rare books, has been tasked to conserve the priceless and unique Sarajevo Haggadah*. The previous owners of the book have left tiny traces of themselves between the pages, an insect wing, salt crystals, a wine stain and a white hair. It is through these artefacts Hanna is able to uncover the history of the book and the stories of the Jewish people.

* a Haggadah is a Jewish texts that is read at Passover and instructs people on the order of Passover Seder.

This is a fictionalised history of the Sarajevo Haggadah, though from what I've read the true history is equally fascinating. The manuscript was saved from the Nazis by a librarian who risked his life to smuggle it out of the country. It was then kept safe by a Muslim cleric.  

My thoughts and a review of the book after the cut (may contain spoilers):-

Wrest Park Library

Though most of the rooms at Wrest Park are currently out of bounds, luckily the library is accessible and  full of lots of lovely, musty books.

After visiting Wimpole I  really appreciate how much time and effort it takes to care for and maintain a library of this size. 

"Books are the windows through which the soul looks out"- Henry Ward Beecher

Wimpole- Library

The library and book room at Wimpole is pretty impressive. At lots of the National Trust properties the libraries are quite dark and musty- not that I mind that- but at Wimpole it is unexpectedly light and airy. I could imagine reading there without suffering from eye strain.

They are currently cleaning the Library and with over 10,000 books it's a massive task, it's going to take over two years! Each book is individually caressed with a brush made from pony hair to remove dust, it is done by volunteers with some guidance from experts. I was surprised to learn they handle the books with bare hands, but apparently cotton gloves are too rough and can scratch away miniature leather particles.

this house steward was kind enough to give a talk about the book cleaning process. 

Some of the books will take even longer to restore, as nearly 259 of them were damaged by a leaking roof. They will be methodically washed, dried and repaired by experts to remove the mould and tide marks. It's going to take over 2 years and £300,000, luckily the cost is covered by an insurance claim.

Very Beauty and the Beast

The Lady of the Hundred Dresses

Before I pack it away, I wanted to show the birthday card my mum got me:-

A card that looks like a library book- very cool in my opinion. Perfect for a fashionable reader, this card can be purchased at Waterstone's. Apparently, The Lady of the Hundred Dresses is an actual book, I might have to try and track down a copy.   

She is too fond of books and it has turned her brain

"She is too fond of books and it has turned her brain"

- Louisa M. Alcott 

Scotney Castle

The residents of Scotney Castle were obviously bibliophiles as there are lots of bookshelves and libraries in this stately home. The 14th Century castle is actually a ruin, but that just adds to the romance. Margaret Thatcher, the recently deceased British Prime Minister, used to have an apartment in the Victorian manor that is also located on the Scotney estate.  

Burj Khalifa Library

The library in the tallest building in the world 

My dad is currently working in Dubai, he sent me this picture of one of the libraries in the Burj Khalifa, it looks pretty swanky and I bet the view is amazing!

Pretty Book Covers

I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover and all that jazz. However, one of the advantages of still buying paperbacks and hardbacks, apposed to ebooks, is that they look pretty and make you appear smarter.

Plus it is a lot easier to pass judgement on someones reading tastes if you can see their bookshelf- I'm looking at you, owners of proudly displayed 50 Shades. Hide your shame.  

After the cut is a picture heavy post of some of my favourite book covers.

If you like these, or if you're interested in wasting a couple of hours staring at books, you should check out the book cover archive. They have a huge selection of well organised book covers for you to appreciate.

Book & a Cuppa- up and running!