LONGLISTED FOR THE HISTORICAL WRITERS' ASSOCIATION NON-FICTION CROWN A SUNDAY TIMES NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 'Timely ... a long and engrossing survey of the library' FT 'A sweeping, absorbing history, deeply researched' Richard Ovenden, author of Burning the Books Famed across the known world, jealously guarded by private collectors, built up over centuries, destroyed in a single day, ornamented with gold leaf and frescoes or filled with bean bags and children's drawings - the history of the library is rich, varied and stuffed full of incident. In this, the first major history of its kind, Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen explore the contested and dramatic history of the library, from the famous collections of the ancient world to the embattled public resources we cherish today. Along the way, they introduce us to the antiquarians and philanthropists who shaped the world's great collections, trace the rise and fall of fashions and tastes, and reveal the high crimes and misdemeanours committed in pursuit of rare and valuable manuscripts.

"...a terrific read for lovers of great music and vinyl" -Ruth O'Connor, Irish Examiner "Peppered with more than 200 colour and black and white images, this book shows off how photogenic the world of vinyl is for photographers." -Amateur Photography "From a recording medium to a cult object - this book is for fans of music and vintage items." -New Design The good old record is still spinning! With its demise predicted over and over, the vinyl has shown itself to triumphant over technology trends, beloved by music professionals and fans, collectors and DJs alike. This richly illustrated photo book celebrates the history of the record with over 200 colour and black and white images, seasoned with essential vinyl knowledge on record magazines, consoles, shops and cafes. From the art legends who shaped the cover art to the LPs that became coveted collector's items, this is a must-have compendium for all vinyl fans and collectors. Text in English and German.

Forty beautiful women cavort on the beach for the 1950s most famous female photographer, Bunny Yeager. Pleasingly attired for the sun, they present a healthy balance of enthusiasm, exhibitionism, and a dash of decorum. Enjoy a bit of beach, a spark of sunshine, and a nostalgic romp with beauties of bygone days. Tear these cards out and mail them to friends, or frame them in any standard 5 x 7-inch frame. This little book is a bargain at only $14.95.

Every individual book has a history which can help us to understand what difference it may have made in the world. Within these pages you will find books damaged by bullets or graffiti, recovered from fire or water, or even disguised as completely different texts for protection in dangerous times. Marks of ownership - be it a rich treasure binding or a humble family inscription - shine a light on social history and literacy, while student doodles from the sixteenth century and a variety of pithy annotations give us a sense of readers through the ages. We increasingly recognise that the cultural and research value of books lies not just in their printed contents, but in the many other things they can tell us about the ways they have been used, read and regarded. Generously illustrated with examples from the early Middle Ages to the present day, Speaking Volumes presents a fascinating selection of books in both public and private collections whose individual histories tell surprising and illuminating stories, encouraging us to look at and appreciate books in new and non-traditional ways.

This new edition of The Dictionary of the Book adds more than 700 new entries and many new illustrations and brings the vocabulary and theory of bookselling and collecting into the modern commercial and academic world, which has been forced to adjust to a new reality. The definitive glossary of the book covers all the terms needed for a thorough understanding of how books are made, the materials they are made of, and how they are described in the bookselling, book collecting, and library worlds. Every key term-more than 2,000-that could be used in booksellers' catalogs, library records, and collectors' descriptions of their holdings is represented in this dictionary. This authoritative source covers all areas of book knowledge, including: The book as physical object Typeface terminology Paper terminology Printing Book collecting Cataloging Book design Bibliography as a discipline, bibliographies, and bibliographical description Physical Condition and how to describe it Calligraphy Language of manuscripts Writing implements Librarianship Legal issues Parts of a book Book condition terminology Pricing of books Buying and selling Auctions Items one will see an antiquarian book fairs Preservation and conservation issues, and the notion of restoration Key figures, presses / publishers, and libraries in the history of books Book collecting clubs and societies How to read and decipher new and old dealers' catalogs And much more The Dictionary also contains an extensive bibliography-more than 1,000 key readings in the book world and it gives current (and past) definitions of terms whose meaning has shifted over the centuries. More than 200 images accompany the entries, making the work even more valuable for understanding the terms described.

At the turn of the fifteenth century, private devotionals became a speciality of the renowned Ghent-Bruges illuminators. Wealthy patrons who commissioned work from these artists often spared no expense in the presentation of their personal prayer books, or 'books of hours', from detailed decoration to luxurious bindings and embroidery. This enchanting illuminated manuscript was painted by the Master of the David Scenes in the Grimani Breviary (known as the David Master), one of the renowned Flemish illuminators in the sixteenth century. Every page of the manuscript is exquisitely decorated. Fine architectural interiors, gorgeous landscapes and detailed city scenes, each one depicting a narrative, form the subjects of three full-size illuminations and forty-two full-page miniatures. There are floral borders on a gold ground or historiated borders in the Flemish and Italian style on every page. It is one of the finest examples of medieval illumination in a personal prayer book and the most copiously illustrated work of the David Master to survive. The manuscript owes its name to the French Queen, Marie de Medici, widow of King Henri IV. For a time she went into exile in Brussels, where she is thought to have acquired the manuscript before moving again to Cologne. An inscription in English states that she left the book of hours in this city, and it is here that an English manuscript collector, Francis Douce, may have acquired the book and eventually donated it to the Bodleian Library. Together with a scholarly introduction that gives an overview of Flemish illumination and examines each of the illustrations in detail, this full-colour facsimile limited edition, bound in linen with a leather quarter binding and beautifully presented in a slipcase, faithfully reproduces all 176 leaves of the original manuscript.

Editor's Choice, The Bookseller A mix of memoir and narrative non-fiction, White Spines is a book about Nicholas Royle's passion for Picador's fiction and non-fiction publishing from the 1970s to the end of the 1990s. It explores the bookshops and charity shops, the books themselves, and the way a unique collection grew and became a literary obsession. Above all a love song to books, writers and writing.

Contains: Conservatism and the Quarterly Review: A Critical Analysis The History of the Book: 1 Contributors to the Quarterly Review: A History, 1809-25 The History of the Book: 2 Wilkie Collins's American Tour, 1873-4 The History of the Book: 3 William Blake and the Art of Engraving The History of the Book: 4 Charles Lamb, Elia and the London Magazine: Metropolitan Muse The History of the Book: 5 Reading in History: New Methodologies from the Anglo-American Tradition The History of the Book: 6 Middle-Class Writing in Late Medieval London The History of the Book: 7 Readings on Audience and Textual Materiality The History of the Book: 8 Romantic Marginality: Nation and Empire on the Borders of the Page The History of the Book: 9 Wordsworth's Poetic Collections, Supplementary Writing and Parodic Reception The History of the Book: 10