“No one stepping for the first time into a room made of books can know instinctively how to behave, what is expected, what is promised, what is allowed. One may be overcome by horror--at the cluster or the vastness, the stillness, the mocking reminder of everything one doesn't know, the surveillance--and some of that overwhelming feeling may cling on, even after the rituals and conventions are learned, the geography mapped, and the natives found friendly.”
This work delves into the nature of libraries as places of refuge, memory, and human ingenuity. Through personal reflection and cultural history, the author examines how libraries have shaped human thought across civilizations, addressing their architectural forms, their role in preserving forbidden or endangered texts, and the intimate act of reading within their walls. The book traverses different cultures and eras, considering both ancient accumulations of clay tablets and modern digital archives, to presents libraries not merely as repositories of printed matter but as living institutions that reflect the values and aspirations of the societies that create them. more
Alberto Manguel, born in 1948, is a renowned writer from Argentina. His works span various literary forms, including novels, essays, and translations, and are known for their unique style and profound insights into human culture. more
“In the meantime, there is not an hour to lose. I am about to visit the public library.”
“There's nothing so heavy as books, sir--unless it's bricks.”
“Books have long been instruments of the divinatory arts.”
“....her life would be a giddy crossword, working down from some clues and across from others.”