Books; reading, collecting & the physical housing of them has brought the book-lover joy
- & stress
- for centuries. Fascinated writers have tried to capture the particular relationships we form with our library, & the desperate troubles we will undergo to preserve it. With Alex Johnson as your guide, immerse yourself in this eclectic anthology & hear from an iconic Prime Minister musing over the best way to store your books & an illustrious US President explaining the best works to read outdoors. Enjoy serious speculations on the psychological implications of reading from a 19th century philosopher, & less serious ones concerning the predicament of dispensing with unwanted volumes or the danger of letting children (the `enemies of books`) near your collection. The many facets of book-mania are pondered & celebrated with both sincerity & irreverence in this lively selection of essays, poems, lectures & commentaries ranging from the 16th to the 20th century.