Secret Life of Books: Why They Mean More Than Words

The Secret Life of Books explores the transformative power of books, from their physical characteristics to their impact on individuals and society. It reveals how books have evolved, how they are used and abused, and why they continue to be important in the modern world.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 19 September 2019
Publisher: Elliott & Thompson Limited

Probably the most compulsive text ever penned about what it means to handle and possess a book, Christopher de Hamel, author of Meetings with Remarkable Manuscripts, has said. A real treasure trove for book lovers, Alexander McCall Smith has also praised it. We love books. We take them to bed with us. They weigh down our suitcases when we go on holiday. We display them on our bookshelves or store them in our attics. We give them as gifts. We write our names in them. We take them for granted. And all the time, our books are leading a double life.

The Secret Life of Books is about everything that isn't just the words. It's about how books transform us as individuals. It's about how books – and readers – have evolved over time. And it's about why, even with the arrival of other media, books still have the power to change our lives.

In this illuminating account, Tom Mole looks at everything from binding innovations to binding errors, to books defaced by lovers, to those imprisoning professors in their offices, to books in art, to burned books, to the books that create nations, to those we'll leave behind. It will change how you think about books.

Weight: 370g
Dimension: 142 x 224 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781783964581