Architectural & Industrial Photography, Building Types - General & Miscellaneous Architecture, Libraries - General & Miscellaneous

Most Beautiful Libraries in the World

Name: Most Beautiful Libraries in the World
Author: Jacques Bosser
ISBN: 9780810946347

by Jacques Bosser, James H. Billington, Guillaume de Laubier (Photographer)

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Overview

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.

Author Bio: 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.

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

The New York Times

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

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Editorials

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

The profession's crown jewels are on display in this engaging pictorial tour of 23 libraries in Europe and the United States, yielding what could be the most beautiful photography book ever on libraries. Opulent Baroque and monastic libraries in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France, and Spain are followed by famous institutions such as Oxford's Bodleian Library; the Wren Library, Trinity College, Cambridge; the John Rylands Library in Manchester, England; and Dublin's Trinity College Library. Noteworthy additions to the expected pantheon are the national libraries of Russia, the Czech Republic, and Portugal. U.S. libraries honored by inclusion are the Library of Congress, the New York Public Library, and the Boston Athenaeum. Introductions to each library relate its history, collection treasures, art, and architectural aesthetics. This is a French production, written by journalist and critic Bosser and graced with a foreword by James Billington, Librarian of Congress. The 200 full-page and foldout color plates by Laubier, a prominent interior design photographer, not only capture in national and religious context each library's stunning, perfect beauty (never a book out of place, let alone a wayward user) but also convey the civilizing and educational power of manuscripts and printed books in historic settings. Recommended for larger libraries and for all librarians as a splendid counterpoint to our increasingly digital and virtual world; equally valuable for architectural collections.--Russell T. Clement, Northwestern Univ. Lib., Evanston, IL Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.