The Care and Feeding of Books Old and New: A Simple Repair Manual for Book Lovers [Paperback]

Margot Rosenberg (Author), Bern Marcowitz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2004

Here at last is a short, simple, inexpensive guide to the tricks of the trade regarding how to take care of your beloved books. Written by a pair of booksellers, this little gem emphasizes household products and simple methods.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Rosenberg and Marcowitz, owners of Manhattan's Dog Lovers' Bookshop, gently introduce readers to the pleasures and intricacies of book TLC, along with not-so-random asides about canines. Carefully, they detail both friends of books (no direct sunlight, clean cloths, and sturdy level shelves) and foes (dust, insects, and the like) as well as simple cleaning and repairing. Nothing is complex--Elmer's Glue, for instance, rates as one of the best panaceas. And nothing is rushed--"dogs teach patience," the authors counsel. Everything here is absolutely dedicated to an enduring love of the printed page, accompanied by reflections on collecting, borrowing/lending, and enjoying the society around books. Head, tail, and spine above most nonfiction how-to's, this modest book deserves attention far beyond the universe of bibliomaniacs. Barbara Jacobs
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"A thorough and conversational manual by the founders of the Dog Lovers Bookshop (www.dogbooks.com)."--Time Out New York

"Everything here is absolutely dedicated to an enduring love of the printed page... Head, tail, and spine above most nonfiction how-to's, this modest book deserves attention far beyond the universe of bibliomaniacs."--Booklist

"Perfect for amateur bibliophiles."--Book Reporter

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (March 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312326033
• ISBN-13: 978-0312326036
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,271,038 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lighthearted Common Sense Guide to Book Ownership., February 22, 2004

By 

mirasreviews (McLean, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Care and Feeding of Books Old and New: A Simple Repair Manual for Book Lovers (Hardcover)

Margot Rosenberg and Bern Markowitz wrote "The Care and Feeding of Books Old and New" after repeatedly being queried by their customers on how to care for old books. The couple owned Dog Lovers Bookshop in Manhattan (now on the web), which specialized in the literature of dogs, including many old and esoteric volumes. Inspired by basic handbooks for new dog owners, they set out to write a common sense guide to book ownership that covered routine care and basic first aid. In that, they have largely succeeded. This book would be a useful and much appreciated addition to the collection of any reader who isn't an expert, but is interested in keeping his or her books in top shape through preventive measures and minor repairs. It's a fantastic help for anyone who frequently purchases secondhand books that would benefit from a little clean-up.

The book starts out with an explanation of the common household products, as well as some specialized products, that will be of use to you in maintaining and repairing books. Then the authors talk about conditions which pose a threat to books -mold, insects, water, dirt, etc.- and what you can do to remedy the damage. There is a chapter on cleaning books and a chapter on repairing them. Both chapters address all parts of the book, including dust jackets. Most of the advice is for hardback books, but some of it applies equally to paperbacks. The discussion of book repair includes a section on professional bookbinding in case your book's affliction is beyond the scope of an amateur. There is a lengthy and informative interview with John Landau, owner of Find Binding and expert bibliopegist. The authors go on to recommend the best ways to handle, store and protect books. And this guide to book ownership concludes with some fun ideas on how to promote the good care of books, followed by a glossary of terms, an amusing list of words pertaining to books whose root is "biblio", recommendations for further reading, a list of suppliers, organizations that offer classes in book arts, and, finally, a little travel guide for those who want to walk "a bibliomaniac's Manhattan mile".

I'm giving "The Care and Feeding of Books Old and New" five stars because it contains so much useful information, presented in a humorous tone at a jaunty pace. I have one reservation about the book, however: It would benefit tremendously from some illustrations. A diagram of a book's "anatomy" with parts labeled would make it so much easier to understand instructions, as would a few additional illustrations of the more complex repairs. The absence of any illustrations sometimes seems like a major oversight. But I'm sure that book lovers will find a lot to like and to use in this little guide. And it would make a thoughtful gift for any amateur bibliophile.

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The book I wanted to write!, October 1, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Care and Feeding of Books Old and New: A Simple Repair Manual for Book Lovers (Hardcover)

This is a wonderful reference book for all book lovers and collectors. It has great tips for maintaining, repairing and storing books. It included a lot of information I had to glean from dealers over the years, such as: creating a book press to flatten warped books, how to choose a public storage unit so as to best protect your books, how to repair books when the pages are coming out, dealing with humidity, removing odors from books, etc. I suspect that this book will be in print for decades. Its a very "real world" book and is written simply, not bogged down with antiquarian terms. It also has a great bibliography and list of online resources. The only negative things I can say about this book is that I got tired of hearing about the dogs (the authors run a bookstore devoted to all things canine) and that not enough information was given about the special considerations of vintage paperbacks. Overall, an indispensable book for the "everyman" book collector.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Repair Your Beloved Books, May 15, 2005

By 

H. Lam "Silverlotus" (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Care and Feeding of Books Old and New: A Simple Repair Manual for Book Lovers (Hardcover)

The Care and Feeding of Books Old and New is a lovely little volume that provides the novice book repairer with all the information they need to make minor repairs on damaged books. The authors do an excellent job of describing the tools needed and methods to be used, and are very clear about what sort of damage should be tackled only by an experienced book binder. The repair of loose pages and broken hinges are covered, as well as what to do about a stinky book.

I believe this is an excellent book for any bibliolater (defined by the authors to mean anyone with an extravagant devotion to books) to have on their book shelf. With the dust jacket in a protective cover, of course.