Thursday 30 August 2007

The Libraries of Thought and Imagination

An anthology of books and bookshelves. Edited by Alec Finlay, who says this in his Introduction:It is the use we make of them, not only in reading but in the reassuring and inpsiring presence that they have, that books discover their full meaning.'
The topics covered in the short pieces which make up the content of this book are so eclectic that it would be impossible to make anything approaching a summary. They are a celebration and an exploration of everything books can mean and be, both as physical objects and as sources of information and inspiration.
It is a book to live with, to dip into, to ponder, to return to time and again, always finding something which strikes you anew. What's more, each article, poem or chapter ends with a Bibliography, thus pointing the reader to yet more possibilities. If you just followed up on a small percentage of the references, you'd be kept in reading matter for years.

Like all the books in the Pocketbook series, the book itself is compact, stylish and beautifully produced with a sturdy card cover - and illustrated throughout with atmospheric photographs.

Published by Pocketbooks, Morning Star Publications, Polygon. 2001Available fromhttp://www.splshop.org.uk/index.cfm?cfid=999017&cftoken=15790270

2 comments:

Olga Norris said...

This sounds like a 'must have' for me, and I have duly added it to my wish list. When I return from holiday I think it will zoom up there to my buy list.

Celia said...

Hello, Olga,

Yes, I'm sure you'd enjoy this book. I don't really do justice to all it has to offer in such a short review. It's the sort of book I keep at my bedside and re-visit regularly.

Hope you have a good holiday,