Patience & Fortitude: Wherein a Colorful Cast of Determined Book Collectors, Dealers, and Librarians Go About the Quixotic Task of Preserving a Legacy
In his national bestseller, A Gentle Madness, Nicholas Basbanes explored the sweet obsession people feel to possess books. Now, Basbanes continues his adventures among the "gently mad" on an irresistible journey to the great libraries of the past — from Alexandria to Glastonbury — and to contemporary collections at the Vatican, Wolfenbüttel, and erudite universities. Along the way, he drops in on eccentric book dealers and regales us with stories about unforgettable collectors, such as the...
Search in google:
In his national bestseller, A Gentle Madness, Nicholas Basbanes explored the sweet obsession people feel to possess books. Now, Basbanes continues his adventures among the "gently mad" on an irresistible journey to the great libraries of the past — from Alexandria to Glastonbury — and to contemporary collections at the Vatican, Wolfenbüttel, and erudite universities. Along the way, he drops in on eccentric book dealers and regales us with stories about unforgettable collectors, such as the gentleman who bought a rare book in 1939 "by selling bottles of his own blood."Taking the book's grand title from the marble lions guarding the New York Public Library at 42nd Street, Basbanes both entertains and delights. And once again, as Scott Turow aptly noted, "Basbanes makes you love books, the collections he writes about, and the volume in your hand."
List of IllustrationsxvPrologue1Part 1Overture1.Eternal Life132.Godspeed71Part 2Book People3.Madness Redux1414.Splendid Anachronisms1805.Profiles in Bibliophagia2196.Hunters and Gatherers2627.Many Years326Part 3Book Places8.The People's Palace3519.Once and Future Library38610.In the Stacks42511.Deep Sleep47512.As in a Vial506Epilogue549Notes557Bibliography590Author's Interviews603Index605
