Customer Reviews

The Smithsonian Book of Books

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Gorgeously illustrated with pictures from library collections all over the world, "The Smithsonian Book of Books" is a bibliophile's paradise. As Michael Olmert shows us, books became one of the world's most powerful means of disseminating information and entertainment. Can anybody imagine life without books?

We learn how books developed from the papyrus and parchment rolls of the Egyptians and Greeks to the Roman codex, which transformed the book into the shape we know today, and how "people of the Book" -- Christians, Jews and Muslims, produced glorious volumes meant to teach the word of God. But these masterpieces were made by hand, every word and every stitch; they weren't for the the great unwashed masses. The Middle Ages, with their gloriously illuminated religious tomes sandwiched between jeweled covers that were worth a prince's ransom, turned out books that were museum pieces; some more famous examples of illumination were the "Tres Riches Heures of Jean Duc of Berry", and the Irish "Book of Kells". The spread of handwritten books for keeping accounts made possible the development and spread of commerce during the Renaissance. But the Gutenberg revolution, the development of movable type, brought books down from the rarefied atmosphere of prized possessions for the rich alone, and made books and the dissemination of knowledge and information available to everyone.

Olmert relates in detail how books were made, the development of different typefaces, and writes two fascinating chapters on the crafts of bookmaking and bookbinding. There are also chapters on the role of illustration in books by etching and engraving as well as drawing and painting, and how illustrations in texts were used to teach as well as embellish. There's a nice chapter on children's books and how picture books progressed from the woodcuts of the 17th century to "Where the Wild Things Are" in our own time. And a whole chapter is devoted to what Olmert considers the most important book ever written, and no, it's not the Bible -- it's the dictionary.

Olmert ends with the observation of the timeless of books. There is no "sell-by" date on any book, he tell us, because every book can tell future generations something about us. In a way, we are the sum of what we read.

Books are so much a part of life now that they are available to everyone everywhere, from rare book sellers to the online supermarket to the corner newspaper store, and at every price from zillions of dollars for museum masterpieces to a few dollars for throwaway paperbacks. Only one kind of book is missing from this excellent volume and that is the development of the e-book. Olmert may not have seen it coming, as his book was published in 1992, but it's hard to see how scrolling through e-books will ever replace the fun of turning pages. How, on a rainy day, does one curl up with an e-book?

The contemporary books we buy today fill many categories, and while they may be special for a variety of reasons, their mass production that condemns them to a comparatively brief life, also is the cause of how visually dismal they are.

There are some small private presses that still produce books as artisans, some even completely by hand, but the product is often well beyond the budgets of all but affluent collectors. Reading a work by Dickens is undeniably a thrill, but even Dickens believed his books were enhanced with imagery, so artists were part of his books, fellow craftsmen he chose to compliment his tales.

This book by Michael Olmert is for people who love books for not just what they contain, but the manner in which they were presented. Mr. Olmert also provides a very readable history of books from long before Guttenberg printed his Bible, from a time when a book was done by hand, every letter, every stitch.

This book presents some of the greatest rarities that have been preserved, so while you may covet a Book Of Hours, A Book Of Kells, or an illuminated page that rivals the art placed on canvas, your savings are safe. This is "The Smithsonian Book Of Books" so nobody can take any of these treasures home.

Mr. Olmert states, "The book is perhaps humankind's most powerful intellectual creation". A rather daring claim, but this book backs it well.

I had been assigned this book for a college course on (duh) the history of books. Before the semester had started, I had actually read the entire book, really geeky yes, but it was a wonderful book! It was engaging and full of images. It made me forget that I was actually learning something! I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

This book is indispensible for any book lover who not only enjoys the contents of books but also gets a charge from simply being in the company of books.

Though, at times, the author's opinion shines through and the topic matter can be somewhat dry (the history of fonts - yawn), it is generally an excellent, interesting and informative discussion of the life of the book.

The reader is led on a journey that begins in a time documented on material plucked from mother earth and ends with a discussion of the modern book business. Along the way the reader is treated to hundreds of tidbits about the materials, fonts, type, inks, presses, people, processes and works that were instrumental in the evolution of the book into it's modern form.

In addition, the real payoff is the inclusion of hundreds of beautiful and informative pictures and illustrations supporting the topic matter. The reader is richly rewarded with pictures of important books and people as well as many representations of covers, pages and detail from important books past and present.

Will the average book reader be interested in reading this book? Doubtful. Most will likely just thumb through the pages and look at the grapics. Will the average book LOVER be interested in reading this book? Absolutely - It's an excellent resource for anyone who loves books as much for what's inside as for what is outside.

This book was recommended reading for my conservation/preservation library class. It was chosen as it has succinct information that is written in a very accessible format with a ton of color pictures! It is very cool - and makes reading for school fun. Easily will transfer to the coffee table once I have finished it for class. Don't rent - or buy used - purchase new and affix your book plate inside pronto. All of my classmates who rented or bought used are now sad they didn't just buy it new to begin with as it is a treasure. This is required reading for any bibliophile or library advocate.

This coffee table-sized book is sure to please any fan of the history of the written word, bookbinding, illustration, and printing. It contains a surprisingly concise history of books, tracing their roots back to scrolls of ancient times right up through desktop publishing (although the computer technology presented in the book seems quite quaint by modern standards, being published in 1995). The thing that makes this book stand out most are its color plates. Because of the oversized nature of this book, the plates are able to be presented in either full size or enlarged to maximize detail. The Book of Kells, several illuminated manuscripts, an early Koran, they are all here, and are a feast for the eyes, as well as more modern iconic illustrations from Beatrix Potter's books and Alice in Wonderland. These plates, combined with plenty of insight and wit from the author make this a book not to be missed.

I bought this for a university course. It was quite pricy through the university bookstore, so I was happy to get it at Amazon at such a steal. Especially when it came in the mail. Absolutely gorgeous book with lots of good information. I would recommended it to any book lover, but especially anyone who is interested in books on a scholarly level.

I am a self-confessed bibliophile, and anything pertaining to books fascinates me. This book of books by the Smithsonian is a delight for the senses. I say this because it is not a purely visual experience; I could almost smell the old books portrayed within the pages of this book, imagining myself leafing through time-worn pages, dreaming of exploring the contents of some of the ancient libraries of the world.

But I digress...The Smithsonian Book of Books explores the world of books, taking readers on a fascinating journey through time, from the very beginnings to the present. The book is divided into the following:
Prologue
Scrolls and Scribes (The greatest Story Ever Told: From the Old Testament to the New)
People of the Book - takes a look at Muslim holy scripture and manuscripts; how despite long-term resistance to printing, Islamic books were eventually printed using movable type (from the 18th century on); the history of books in China, India, and other Asian countries(the Diamond Sutra is the world's oldest dated printed book)
Illuminating the Dark Ages (From the Edge of Beyond: Medieval Glories of the British Isles; Debits and Credits: The Keeping of Accounts)
The Gutenberg Revolution (Caxton and Aldus: Masters of the Press; A Brave New World: Printing in the Americas)
"Yes, We Have Now Bananas" (Morison, Zapf, and Gill: Modern Masters of Typography)
The Bookmaker's Craft (To Print or Not to Print? For Shakespeare, That Was the Question; By Its Cover: The Art of the Binder)
"The Infinite Library, Timeless and Incorruptible" (Heralds of Science: Books that Changed the World; The Best of the Past: A Medieval Revival in the Arts of the Book)
A Picture's Worth (Mother Goose and Company: Books for the Young - and the Young at Heart)
Every Word for Everyman (The Book Business: "Ah, You Publishing Scoundrel!"; Old Leaves, New Lives: Lost and Found Between the Covers)
Last Words

The style of writing is scholarly without being dense and averts too much jargon, which makes this an accessible read for a wider audience. The text is further complemented by over 350 photographs, many of which are in full color (and some are full length, occupying an entire page of what is an over sized book). This is a riveting read, and is especially recommended for bibliophiles, and those interested in the history and evolution of books.

I bought this book for school. So, I'm glad I purchased it. Unfortunately for the publishers, this book is full of false information. The best part it that it has great pictures that show the history of book making and old manuscripts beautifully. So, double check the information, but enjoy the pictures! :D