Like many of the reviews I write on Goodreads, this one addresses the paucity of stars I've conferred on what may well be, objectively speaking, a perfectly fine book. I read a lot of books about books and libraries, so I am naturally favorably disposed to them, and should have been toward this one.. I found Mr. Battles' prose curiously leaden and abstract, and so I struggled to finish this relatively short book. I don't doubt for a minute that other people might find this book summoning and compelling. I didn't.

Not as dry as it sounds. Libraries have been built and destroyed throughout history. Libraries are centers of information and knowledge but concentrations of books seen as a threat to absolute power. Chinese Emperors to the Nazi burned books destroying great libraries because they were a threat. Thinking about it in abstract--paper and leather bindings and the words and ideas inside are viewed as such threats that they must be destroyed. Another riveting moment when during the siege of Sarajevo a professor was forced to burn his books to stay warm or cook food. What books would you burn first if you had to chose? He said some nights he went cold and hungry rather than burn a particular book.

Text does get a bit pedantic and cumbersome in parts. Good--not great.
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uneven historical survey with an emphasis on library destructions. thorough and clear discussion of the burning of Alexandria. Also strong on Panizzi's reign at the British Library. this copy has needless rec underlining at questionable interludes.

Good tidbits from history of libraries in the world. Stories of famous libraries and times and individuals involved with or affected by them, such as author Richard Wright (black) and Melville Dewey, et. al. Worthwhile. ( )

history; sort of, of libraries and library science, many sad tales of books lost