Getting away from numismatics for a moment to focus just on books, there's a new one sure to delight the bibliophile. Here's the description from Amazon. See the last
article in this issue for selected photos I found on the Colossal blog. -Editor
From the mighty halls of ancient Alexandria to a camel bookmobile on the Kenyan-Somali border, human beings have had a long, enraptured relationship with libraries. Like
no other concept and like no other space, the collection of knowledge, learning, and imagination offers a sense of infinite possibility. It's the unrivaled realm of discovery,
where every faded manuscript or mighty clothbound tome might reveal a provocative new idea, a far-flung fantasy, an ancient belief, a religious conviction, or a whole new way of
being in the world.
In this new photographic journey, Massimo Listri travels to some of the oldest and finest libraries to reveal their architectural, historical, and imaginative wonder. Through
great wooden doors, up spiraling staircases, and along exquisite, shelf-lined corridors, he leads us through outstanding private, public, educational, and monastic libraries,
dating as far back as 766. Between them, these medieval, classical, baroque, rococo, and 19th-century institutions hold some of the most precious records of human thought and
deed, inscribed and printed in manuscripts, volumes, papyrus scrolls, and incunabula. In each, Listri's poised images capture the library's unique atmosphere, as much as their
most prized holdings and design details.
Featured libraries include the papal collections of the Vatican Apostolic Library, Trinity College Library, home to the Book of Kells and Book of Durrow, and the
priceless holdings of the Laurentian Library in Florence, the private library of the powerful House of Medici, designed by Michelangelo. With meticulous descriptions accompanying
each featured library, we learn not only of the libraries' astonishing holdings – from which highlights are illustrated – but also of their often lively, turbulent, or
controversial pasts. Like Altenburg Abbey in Austria, an outpost of imperial Catholicism repeatedly destroyed during the European wars of religion. Or the Franciscan monastery in
Lima, Peru, with its horde of archival Inquisition documents.
For more information, or to order, see:
Massimo Listri: The World's Most Beautiful Libraries XXL (Multilingual Edition) (German, French and English
Edition) (German) Hardcover – July 4, 2018 (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/3836535246/ref=as_li_tl)
Temples of Knowledge: Exceptional access to
the world's illustrious libraries (https://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/photography/all
/05763/facts.massimo_listri_the_worlds_most_beautiful_libraries.htm)
Wayne Homren, Editor
The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization
promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org.
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