Customer Reviews

A Brief, Illustrated History of the Bookshelf: Letterpress Edition

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Marshall Brooks's Brief Illustrated History came out a year before Henry Petroski's The Book on the Bookshelf, but didn't generate nearly the amount of attention. That's a shame, because for those of us who are mildly curious as to how the storage of books has evolved, but who do not have a dozen uninterrupted hours of reading in which to satisfy that curiosity, this is a better book. Want to know how the Egyptians stored cuneiform tablets? Here's 100 words on the subject - just enough, not too much - and best of all, a charming drawing to go with it. Brooks has rendered and explained everything from Samuel Pepys custom glass-front cabinets that allowed him to store his books by height, to the library of Congress's self-ventilating shelves. This little book is a pleasure, and at only 80 pages or so won't cause your own bookshelves to collapse under its weight.

Marshall Brooks' unique and intriguing A BRIEF ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE BOOKSHELF follows the development of bookshelves worldwide, speculating on its fascinating correlation with the development of literacy and publishing. Shelves from the first millenium B.C. Mesopotamian to today's subterranean stacks in the New York Public Library are covered. His treatment of this esoteric sounding subject is actually loaded with interest and fancy. Pen and ink artwork by the author manages to stay historically accurate even as its style introduces a sweet note of whimsy. Detail in the illustrations takes the burden off text, leaving it a nugget of quick, fascinating and often quirky facts. This illustration/text balance is great for promoting reflection on the reader's part. Peppered with quotes from Jack Kerouac, Charles W. Eliot and Brooks' own father, A BRIEF HISTORY also includes enticing references to the likes of James Baldwin and Holly Golightly, as well as obscure anecdotes about figures including Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Pepys, Napoleon, and the French composer, Alkan. Brooks provides a diverse bibliography for those readers lured into further exploration. A BRIEF ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE BOOKSHELF is a significant book with a lightness of spirit.

This is a thoroughly delightful little gem of a book--witty, erudite and to the point. Let's face it--bookshelves are a fairly obscure and dry topic; Brooks' wonderful illustrations and text bring out the highlights (and a few low points) of three thousand years of the book storage conundrum. The letterpress paperback version is a bargain.

A nice novelity but, hardly worth the price tag. Birch Brook Press brings the only redeeming element to this book. I value it for the workmanship in the binding and print quality, nothing more.