Every Book Its Reader: The Power of the Printed Word to Stir the World by Nicholas A Basbanes (PDF)

Description

Inspired by a landmark exhibition mounted by the British Museum in 1963 to celebrate five eventful centuries of the printed word, Nicholas A. Basbanes offers a lively consideration of writings that have “made things happen” in the world, works that have both nudged the course of history and fired the imagination of countless influential people. In his fifth work to examine a specific aspect of book culture, Basbanes also asks what we can know about such figures as John Milton, Edward Gibbon, John Locke, Isaac Newton, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, John Adams, Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, Henry James, Thomas Edison, Helen Keller––even the notorious Marquis de Sade and Adolf Hitler––by knowing what they have read. He shows how books that many of these people have consulted, in some cases annotated with their marginal notes, can offer tantalizing clues to the evolution of their character and the development of their thought.

User’s Reviews

Editorial Reviews: Review “If Oprah would only join the ranks of Cervantes’s fans, he’d have a chance at today’s bestseller list.” — Brigitte Weeks, Washington Post Book World“Every Book Its Reader reminds us that books, in all their myriad forms, are necessary equipment for living.” — Los Angeles Times“These essays…occupy a corner of the grand salon of the history of ideas.” — Amanda Heller, Boston Globe“‘Affection, laughter, argument’–aptly characterize the work of this great contemporary celebrant of the common, and the uncommon reader, Basbanes.” — Michael Dirda, Weekly Standard“First-rate reporting….[EBIR] allows us to step away from our myopic fixation on writers and consider the reader.” — Karen Long, Cleveland Plain Dealer“No living person has thought more about the extraordinary power of books than Nicholas Basbanes.” — Ellis Henican, Newsday“[An] admirably wide excursion into literature, history and biography.” — Kathleen Burke, Smithsonian Magazine“Nicholas Basbanes is the Pied Piper of bibliophiles.” — John Harper, Orlando Sentinel About the Author Nicholas A. Basbanes has worked as an award-winning investigative reporter, a literary editor, and a nationally syndicated columnist. The author of five books, he also writes a regular column for Fine Books & Collections magazine and lectures widely on book-related issues. He and his wife, Constance, live in Massachusetts.

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐I bought and read this book because I much enjoyed Basbanes’ previous trilogy, especially PATIENCE AND FORTITUDE. But compared to his trilogy, this book looks too hurried and thrown together. There has been too little care with the organization and an occasional major gaff intrudes, such as his assertion that some of Goethe’s poetry was “set to music by Mozart and Bach” (p. 279). Starting with high expectations, I was disappointed.Even so, this is a book I will keep, and probably return to, because it still has much to offer. Like his previous books, this is addressed to bibliophiles and deals with topics dear to them. In particular, it deals with readers, many of whom are famous, but some of whom are convicts and some of whom are small children. The book finds a dozen ways to emphasize the value and influence of books. The chapter on physicians and their books should appeal to every doctor on the continent.Basbanes interviewed a good number of legendary American readers–Harold Bloom, Helen Vendler, Daniel Aaron, Robert Coles–collecting comments that will make this book of interest to common readers and fulltime scholars. Though Basbanes is too much of a gentleman to make much of it, some of these learned people come across as amusing fools, and some flatly contradict each other. Thus Basbanes provides expert testimony that books can be beloved by wildly different people because they read books differently, and because they love different books.The only author I can compare to Basbanes is the wonderful Holbrook Jackson (an author Basbanes admires, too), because both allow their passion for books to be motive enough: they do not let themselves be distracted (at least not for long) by peeves or pieties. The personalities that guide their readers along are congenial, even affectionate, glad to have your attention and trying to repay it with every page.

⭐I can never get my fill of Nicholas Basbanes. His love of books, libraries, and reading echo so many of my own traits, making his books treats that will bear innumberable rereadings and savorings.Every Book Its Reader continues Basbanes’ familiar theme of the continuing importance of the printed word in today’s society. It expands it by focussing on studies of the libraries of eminent booklovers of the past such as Edward Gibbon and through interviews with great living writers/readers like David McCullough and Harold Bloom. Basbanes branches into fascinating discussions on the art of translation, for example, that illuminate obscure but valuable corners of the world of books.In other words, there is a wealth of information about books and reading in Every Book Its Reader, but the most important reason to read it is its evocation of the joy of reading. Basbanes and his readers will undoubtedly echo the sentiment of May Lamberton Becker, one of his subjects in Every Book Its Reader, in saying that if we get to heaven, we will meet each other in the corner by the bookcases.

⭐Mr. Basbanes continues his stream of seemingly unending book lore in this splendacious volume of 12 essays and approximately 40 b&w photo illustrations. I cannot envision any way that one might go wrong in purchasing this book. The previous ten reviewers provided excellent accounts of the work, so my only purpose is to add two recommendations that may be of interest to some. One, if you enjoy Basbanes’ books, pick up any or all of the books about books written by Alberto Manguel. His viewpoints on books are recounted more from his personal reading experiences and provide a beautifully written counterpart to Basbanes’ fine works. Two, if you really cherish books, consider a subscription to the rather lavish Fine Books & Collections magazine which has resumed its printed publication after a two-year hiatus. (Mr. Basbanes is a regular contributor.)

⭐Basbanes has provided another well written,well researched book for serious readers,including some excellent interviews with the right people.From this one, I listed another six to read that he had referencedin the discussions. I always look forward to his next book.

⭐Chock full of anecdotes and stories this book is beautifully written, engrossing anyone with even the slightest interest in how reading effects us. Very entertaining and thought-provoking.

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