A gentle madness
Subtitle: bibliophiles, bibliomanes, and the eternal passion for books
By: Nicholas A. Basbanes.
Edition: 1st ed.
Publisher: H. Holt and Co.
Published: 1995
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 638
Subjects: Book collecting; Bibliomania
Description: The passion to possess books has never been more widespread than it is today; indeed, obsessive book collecting remains the only hobby to have a disease named after it. A Gentle Madness is an adventure among the afflicted.

Author Nicholas Basbanes, a dedicated bibliophile himself, begins his book 2,200 years ago in Alexandria, when a commitment was made to gather all the world's knowledge beneath one roof. In a series of lively chapters, the continuum then passes through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance to the twentieth century with a special emphasis on book lore and book culture in Great Britain and North America.

In the second half of A Gentle Madness, Basbanes offers a gallery of revealing profiles of living collectors and presents exclusive examinations of the great contemporary stories. The book also includes the most comprehensive bibliography on book collecting compiled in more than a quarter century.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 575-612) and index.