Book Description
All of the libraries in the world-whether small or large, public or private-serve the same purpose: to preserve, cherish, or show off the riches of human knowledge. Now, for the first time, an internationally renowned photographer takes the reader on a journey to more than 20 of the most historic of these magical places, all architectural treasures. From the dramatic, baroque Library of the Institut de France in Paris, to the splendid Vatican Library in Rome; from the majestic Royal Library in El Escorial, Spain, to the famed New York Public Library, a Beaux-Arts masterpiece-here are some of the most exquisite libraries of the Western world. Included are national, scholarly, and religious libraries from 12 countries, which have in common a distinguished heritage and an architectural setting that emphasizes art and culture. The accompanying text traces the history of libraries to the present day, and describes how they came to serve famous personalities and men of letters. Libraries must be counted among civilization's crowning achievements; this elegant book is a fitting tribute to that accomplishment.

About the Author
Guillaume de Laubier is one of France's foremost photographers of interior design. He has undertaken projects all over the world for magazines such as Elle Décoration, Architectural Digest, and Madame Figaro. Jacques Bosser, journalist and translator, has written for Architectural Digest and Connaissance des Arts as well as contributing to Le Dictionnaire international des arts appliqués et du design and Le Dictionnaire international du bijou. James H. Billington has been the Librarian of Congress for more than 15 years.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Housing the World's Collective Knowledge, within which reside the milestones of human intellectual achievement, libraries are perhaps the richest of all cultural institutions. Often architectural treasures in themselves, they were constructed in styles that befitted the riches they stored, from Neoclassical temples to Baroque palaces to Jeffersonian athaeneums. Both public in purpose and intensely private in feel, they have served the noble role of preserving and disseminating that key cultural artifact of mankind -- the book -- and in doing so, their role has been central to the nourishment and development of the world's great civilizations. To this day the great libraries of the world remain extraordinary environments for scholarship and enlightenment. Here, for the first time, renowned architectural photographer Guillaume de Laubier takes the reader on a privileged tour of twenty-three of the world's most historic libraries, representing twelve countries and ranging from the great national monuments to scholarly, religious, and private libraries: the baroque splendor of the Institut de France in Paris; the Renaissance treasure-trove of the Riccardiana Library in Florence; the majestic Royal Monastery in El Escorial, Spain; the hallowed halls of Oxford's Bodleian Library; and the New York Public Library, a Beaux-Arts masterpiece. Also included are the smaller abbey and monastic libraries -- often overlooked on tourist itineraries -- each containing its own equally important collections of religious and philosophical writings, manuscripts, and church history. Through gorgeous color photography one can marvel at the grandeur of the great public libraries while relishing the rare glimpses inside scholars-only private archives. The accompanying text by journalist and translator Jacques Bosser traces the history of libraries from the Renaissance to the present day, vividly describing how they came to serve the famous men of letters of centuries past and the genera

SYNOPSIS

Even the wonderful photographs of de Laubier couldn't completely capture the magnificence of these 23 libraries on a single 11x11" page; hence, there are a number of 11x33" foldouts. The libraries featured include the National Library of Austria, the Benedictine Abbey Library of Metten (Germany), the Vatican Library, the Mazarine Library in Paris, the Bodleian Library in Oxford, Trinity College Library in Dublin, the National Library in Prague, the National Palace Library in Mafra Portugal, the Library of Congress in Washington DC, and the National Library of Russia in St. Petersburg. The text describes each Library's history as well as it's current holdings and how it is used today. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

FROM THE CRITICS

The New York Times

The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World offers a stunning variety of beautiful, ornate monuments to reading. —Janet Maslin

Library Journal