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Title: The Library at Night
ISBN: 0300139144
Author:
Alberto Manguel
Publicate Date: 2008-04-29
Publish: 2008-04-29
List Price: $27.50
Average Customer Rating: 5.0
Format: Hardcover
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $16.70
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $16.33
Amazon Merchant Price: $18.15
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Michealangelo, Luther, Proust, Buddha, and your school librarian
This is an opus....and a grand one at that.
This is a book that whets ones appetite for even more. Whether it is to re-read a classic in a different light, or read a book mentioned for the first time.
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2: beautiful
This is an absolutely beautiful book for all lovers of books and reading. Highly recommended.
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3: A Unique Book For Those Who Love Books
The Library At Night is the first book I have read by Alberto Manguel. I can say now, after completing it earlier today, that I am looking forward to reading other selections that this author has written.
I was not quite sure what to expect from this book, from simply reading the title. I could only hope that it would not disappoint and it did not. The book is broken down into 15 chapters. Each of them begins with "The Library As...." You can fill in the blank with such words as "Power," "Myth," "Shadow," and "Chance" (among 11 others). The chapters begin with personal anecdotes from Manguel. We learn a lot about who he is as well as the extent of his personal library. Following the brief reflection, he delves into well-researched historical data that revolve around his chapter topics. The stories he tells flow nicely together and endnotes are provided in the back of the book for further reading. The chapters are quite strong, though I really was expecting more from the last two chapters.
The only negative aspects, and really they aren't negative to all, of this book are Manguel's erudite use of language. He excels at linguistics and I found myself needing a dictionary nearby to help me through the text. Manguel makes many comparisons throughout the text between books, many of which, I had not heard of before. While I was excited about these newly discovered books,at least to me, they are not commonplace. So, yes, this book is written on a somewhat high intellectual level and a portion of its charm is lost by the author speaking over the reader's head.
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4: The Romance of Reading
Alberto Manguel has produced a romantic history of libraries which incorporates their best feature: the ability to wander down hitherto unsuspected byways and make new discoveries, often winding up far from your original objective but still satisfied by what you have found instead. This is a discursive history of libraries through various categories: Myth, Order, etc. with fascinating essays for each. Those who love reading and libraries will learn much history and philosophy and will recognize in Manguel a kindred spirit and friend.
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5: Ideal Mix
The LIBRARY AT NIGHT is an ideal blend of contemplation and observation, of thought and history. With chapters that read like short stories it is accessible to the 'not enough time" as to the "google stupidized" reader. A great gift for any librarian, or reader of books. Books in history . . . back to the shelves. Leaves the reading feeling like he's just left a scene from The Ninth Gate.
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