GEN: Christmas list suggestion

[Belinda Holbrook <holbrook@REVEALED.NET>]

If you're looking for something to put on your Christmas list, I'd heartily
suggest a new book, "The Book on the Bookshelf" by Henry Petroski. It is
basically the history of the bookshelf! Can you imagine a whole book on this
subject? Petroski tells fascinating facts about bookshelves, bookends, the
proper way to remove a book from the bookshelf, and how he prefers to have
books appear on his bookshelves. I have not read the whole book yet but I'm
dying to know about the time when books were shelved with their spines in
instead of out. He includes old illustrations and paintings that show books
and their shelving through the ages. Scrolls were so valuable that three
different people had keys for the three different locks on the book chest in
a monastery. He tells about the development of armoires (originally
bookcases with locked doors), book carrels, and lecterns which all were used
for the storage of books. I am currently on the chapter that tells about the
time when books were connected to chains that were hooked on rods to keep
them safe.

My favorite quote from the book so far is, "...so we may ask, Is an empty
bookshelf an oxymoron?"

If you can't convince someone else to buy this book for you, treat yourself
and get yourself a copy.

Petroski has written other equally fascinating books, including one on
bridges, "The Evolution of Useful Things," and a whole book on the pencil.

Another wonderful gift book for librarians or readers is "Ex Libris:
Confessions of a Common Reader" by Anne Fadiman. Anne is the daughter of
Clifton Fadiman. Our family especially knew Mr. Fadiman as the author of
"Wally the Wordworm". My older son (who discovered the bookshelf book for
me) listened to the tape of that over and over back in the early 80's. Anne
Fadiman talks about the love of books and words. My favorite quote from this
book discusses those of us who lay books down with their covers
spreadeagled. ' "They are ready in an instant to let me pick them up," he
explains. "To use an electronics analogy, closing a book on a bookmark is
like pressing the Stop button, whereas when you leave the book facedown,
you've only pressed Pause." '

Happy reading!

--
Belinda Holbrook
Media Specialist
Madison Elementary
Davenport, IA
holbrook@revealed.net

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
All postings to LM_NET are protected under copyright law.
To quit LM_NET (or set-reset NOMAIL or DIGEST), send email to:
listserv@listserv.syr.edu   In the message write EITHER:
1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST
4) SET LM_NET MAIL  * Please allow for confirmation from Listserv.
For LM_NET Help see: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
Archives: http://askeric.org/Virtual/Listserv_Archives/LM_NET.html
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=