AUTHOR: Leah Price (ed.)
STARTED: March 1, 2012
FINISHED: March 9, 2012
PAGES: 201
GENRE: Books about Books
FIRST SENTENCE: [From the Introduction] As a teenaged babysitter, I went straight for the books.
SUMMARY: [From BarnesandNoble.com] As words and stories are
increasingly disseminated through digital means, the significance of the
book as object—whether pristine collectible or battered relic—is
growing as well. Unpacking My Library: Writers and Their Books
spotlights the personal libraries of thirteen favorite novelists who
share their collections with readers. Stunning photographs provide full
views of the libraries and close-ups of individual volumes: first
editions, worn textbooks, pristine hardcovers, and childhood companions.
In her introduction, Leah Price
muses on the history and future of the bookshelf, asking what books can
tell us about their owners and what readers can tell us about their
collections. Supplementing the photographs are Price's interviews with
each author, which probe the relation of writing to reading, collecting,
and arranging books. Each writer provides a list of top ten favorite
titles, offering unique personal histories along with suggestions for
every bibliophile.
THOUGHTS: I’m a librarian. I like books. Yes, I fall into that stereotype.
Ergo, when a book appears on our shelves that is all about writers and their
personal book collections, I pounce. That said, I don’t think you have to be a
librarian to love this book. You just have to like reading.
Unpacking My Library
is composed of a series of interviews where authors discuss what is in their
library, and why they love those books. In many cases, the authors discuss the
impact the book had on their lives and writing. These interviews showcase how
our reading changes and grows with us as we move through life. These interviews
are accompanied by lovely, full-color photos of the author’s book collection.
While there is nothing revelatory about the authors and
their collections (or the writing of the book for that matter), the entire book
has a magical quality to it. Unpacking My Library is not the best
book I’ve read, nor the most thought-provoking. It is, however, a book about
discovery and shared passions. Books are a commodity to be shared and
discussed, when you see a book you’ve read discussed or pictured in one of the
photos, it’s hard not to be excited. More than once I found myself scouring the
images of author’s shelves for books I too have read. More than once I jumped
in excitement when I found common titles. In many ways, it felt as if my own
reading choices were being validated.
My only complaint about this book is that it is an awkward
shape and size. It’s far wider than your typical book, but is not the huge size
of a folio. That makes it awkward to hold while reading – particular if you’re
trying to do so on the metro.
This is a quick and easy read, but one where the charming
feeling will last with you long after you’ve closed the back cover.
RATING: 8/10 [Terrific]
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