The Library: A Fragile History

Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen uncover the tumultuous history of the world's greatest libraries, and the immense, sometimes obsessive, lengths to which antiquarians, philanthropists and eccentrics have gone to acquire and possess knowledge.

Libraries have taken every form imaginable, from humble wooden chests to vast marble palaces and the embattled public resources we cherish today. The story of a library is also the story of the people who created it, and The Library is a rich, fascinating guide to what libraries tell us about ourselves, and why we continue to collect and destroy books.