The libraries presented here exude supreme reverence for the book and its contents as towering human achievements. One is hard-pressed to doubt the immortality of the texts contained within each binding. Despite the lofty craftsmanship of the art, architecture and the bindings themselves, they have served their highest purpose only if a reader has been invited, if not lured, to match their dignity. Invest the requisite exertion and time to read and contemplate the knowledge of great books, and you will find the lavishness of even these libraries lacking. Their material riches are first and foremost a catalyst for the enrichment of the soul through the act and art of reading. ( )

This coffee table book should amaze book lovers and give a physical reaction to library lovers. The pictures--and the paper of the pages--are very high quality technically. The book includes a number of foldouts where the picture spans three page size spaces. And the libraries are amazing. I have looked at this book over and over, and for a long time took up valuable 'real estate' on my desk having this book open to one or other libraries. Some of the pictures are jaw-dropping and make one feel like they were setting their feet in the room right then...or traveling back in time one or two hundred years to hear chairs scraping or footfalls.

The drawback to the book includes a) the libraries are all in the Western world (Russia is perhaps the only exception), which is perhaps not an issue except that the title is the Most Beautiful Libraries in the World. I have to imagine there are South American (all the beautiful wood in the continent can't have avoided going to bookshelves); Asian and other geographic libraries outside of Europe and the US; b) the libraries seem chosen for a mix of reasons, and one of which seems to be the statuary and art in the library itself. While the pictures are breathtaking, some library denizens might be interested in these factors playing less of a role; and c) the elegant text seems to meander into some 'interesting facts' about each library but most of the comments are historical or art-historical, without the interesting information about collection sizes, who uses the library today, what role does it play in the culture, etc. ( )

Amazing coffeetable book that will not leave my coffeetable. I've not been to many of these libraries because most are European, but of the three US ones, I've been to them all...Library of Congress, New York Public Library and Boston Athenaeum. ( )

A photographic homage to the library as a monument to art and conspicuous consumption of bishops, gentlemen and kings. It remains unclear why and how the twenty-three libraries illustrated and celebrated as "the most beautiful" were selected. A number of neglected worthy candidates come to mind (e.g. the reading room of the British Museum/Library or the Royal Library in Copenhagen). Is beauty really a function of age? At least some modern libraries should have been included and the glaring absence of even a single Asian one is puzzling. The paucity of humans in the pictures reveals a common desire of librarians to protect these precious spaces from visitors. I find the New York Public Library reading room looks much better with actual readers at the desks. The rows of empty desks pictured look sad. Overall, a good present for bibliophiles. ( )

I don't actually own this book; I would love to, but it is quite expensive (RRP $159). I have browsed extensively at Dymocks and I think that the TAFE library should purchase it to inspire students of library studies and the staff! The photographs are outstanding ( )