Bibliophily across borders: From Italy, Austria and England to Argentina: For the Love of Books (Part 3 of 3)

DA LUCCA A NEW YORK A LUGANO Edited by Edoardo Barbieri
Published by Casa Editrice Leo S. Olschki. (Italian language)

The history of Italian antiquarian books essentially lacks an organic history. The proceedings of the convention dedicated to Giuseppe Martini (1870–44) will help to fill this lacuna.
Martini was a collector and dealer of ancient manuscripts and antiquarian books in his birthplace of Lucca, as well as early twentieth-century New York and, lastly, Lugano, which welcomed Italians fleeing from Fascism. The outcome is a very vivid cross-section of the Italian and international book trade of this era.

The publishing house Leo S. Olschki, which celebrated its centenary in 1986, focusses on the Humanities, Literature and publishes regularly on the History of the Book. Most books are published in Italian language but sell to readers worldwide.

For more information about this publication and to see the full list of Leo S. Olschki Publishers in Italy, please visit the website.

Schatzkammer des Wissens: 650 Jahre Österreichische Nationalbibliothek
Published by Kremayr & Scheriau, 2018
(German language)

The Austrian National Library celebrated its 650th anniversary in 2018 which was an ideal opportunity to showcase some of its treasures to the public in a series of events held at the library in Vienna itself throughout the year but also gathered in an exhibition catalogue.

In 1368, the richly illustrated Gospel of John of Troppau, written in gold letters, was completed, which today is considered the founding code of the library. This magnificent manuscript from the possession of the Habsburg Duke Albrecht III. is the starting point of a journey through 650 years of cultural and media history that hardly any other library can tell.

It leads from the origins of the imperial collections and the Court Library to the establishment of the National Library in the First Republic, through the dark times of the Second World War to the question of the restitution of stolen collections.
And last but not least, the papyrus collection of Archduke Rainer, which was added to the library at the end of the 19th century, becomes a journey through media history, which began more than 3,000 years ago in the Egypt of the Pharaohs and ends with a look into the digital future of knowledge.

To purchase a copy of this catalogue, either visit the National Library of Austria or contact the publishing house here.

Books That Changed History
Published by Dorling Kindersley, 2017

Turn the pages of the most famous books of all time and marvel at the stories behind them! Over 75 of the world's most celebrated, rare, and seminal books are examined and explained in this stunning treasury.
Books That Changed History is a unique encyclopedia spanning the history of the written word, from 3000 BCE to the modern day. Chronological chapters show the evolution of human knowledge and the changing ways in which books are made. Discover incredible coverage of history's most influential books including the Mahabharata, Shakespeare's First Folio, The Diary of Anne Frank, and Penguin's first ever paperbacks. From Darwin's groundbreaking On the Origin of Species to Louis Braille's conception of the Braille system that we still use today, these are world famous books that have had the biggest impact on history. Every book is presented with breathtaking photography and fascinating biographies of those who created them. Books That Changed History gathers dictionaries, diaries, plays, poems, treaties, and religious texts into one stunning celebration of the undisputed power of books.

Dorling Kindersley in the United Kingdom has published an accessible work which is a very good starting point to learn about some of the most important books in history and possibly start a book collection.

To purchase a copy of the book, please visit the publisher's website.

Packing My Library
By Alberto Manguel
Published by Yale University Press, 2018

A best-selling author and world-renowned bibliophile meditates on his vast personal library and champions the vital role of all libraries.

Alberto Manguel is a writer, translator, editor, and critic, but would rather define himself as a reader and a lover of books. From 2015 to 2018 he was the director of the National Library of Argentina.

In June 2015 Alberto Manguel prepared to leave his centuries-old village home in France’s Loire Valley and reestablish himself in a one-bedroom apartment on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Packing up his enormous, 35,000-volume personal library, choosing which books to keep, store, or cast out, Manguel found himself in deep reverie on the nature of relationships between books and readers, books and collectors, order and disorder, memory and reading. In this poignant and personal reevaluation of his life as a reader, the author illuminates the highly personal art of reading and affirms the vital role of public libraries.

A must-read for every book collector and true bibliophile.