Nina Freudenberger

This is a gorgeous book, and I enjoyed paging through it, a few entries every day, and taking in the photography and stories of the book lovers whose collections are featured. In real life, I love to see how my friends organize and display their books in their homes, so it’s no surprise I was drawn to this book. A lot of these folks are artists and designers, and it shows, but I also discovered—and found comforting— that there are fancy people out there who are as chaotic and messy as show more I am. One woman, Jordana Munk Martin, has books all over her house, but no bookcases. They’re just stacked everywhere! To be fair, they’re stacked neatly and prettily, but still. No shelves! I was surprised too by the places books got stashed—a fireplace and a kitchen cabinet were two of my favorite spots.

Most entries are mini-bios of book lovers, accompanied by beautifully shot photos of their libraries or shops. Interspersed with the personal stories are short informational pieces that focus on unique bookshops, libraries, and book-related curiosities from around the world.

One of my favorite homes was toward the end of the book—it had a two-story private library owned by Pedro Reyes and Carla Fernandez in Mexico City. The library is made from poured concrete, and it is a sight to behold. I can’t imagine being able to visit it every day.

If you think at all about how your books at home are organized and displayed, even if you’re a complete mess, you’ll probably dig this book. show less

This book is less about how "we" live with books and far more about how a bunch of wealthy hoarders exist among books. The book is laid out nicely with a few pages dedicated to each profiled person and some mini sections about various bookstores and libraries.

The introduction claims that "this book is not about unattainable libraries" but about "the power of books to tell stories." However, I started to get annoyed when every person proudly announced they can never get rid of any books, have show more so many books they don't remember which ones and can't find anything, trip over the books covering every floor and surface, and in one instance spend $200-300 a month on books. O_O There's no power in your collection when it's that overwhelming. The pictures of thousands of books on shelves and lying around their houses made me anxious, not comforted like books usually make me.

I stopped reading at the person whose profile began "I don't want to sound pretentious, but I don't understand people who don't have books" and on the very next page admitted to buying books solely because the spine color fit the aesthetic of their home. Pretty sure my eyeballs dislocated, they rolled so hard. show less

How you respond to this book is going to depend on how ticked-off you're feeling about the 1% on any given day. Still, what does elevate this whole exercise is that most of these collections are working libraries for literary and creative types, so it's not just book porn. It's also a reminder that in my next set of living arrangements I need more book shelves! At the end of the day we all know why we look at exquisitely curated photo collections like this. To answer the question; what if?

The best of this sort of book I've encountered. Has a personal approach and a cozy, eclectic feel as it introduces the reader to bibliophiles, their shelves, and environs. Lovely.