#bibliomanes

[hakonohanayome]

BIBLIOMANIA - Macchiro

[stochastique-blog]

sharing something like this...

Ok. I need some help from my fellow #booksellers #bookcollectors and #bibliophiles . I have relied thus far by just having a “good eye” for books, paper and other collectibles. However, I have quite a few books that I haven’t listed because I can’t seem to find enough information online. I have a few (including the one in the photos) that seem to be a variation on the usual binding. This book, is Lazy Bear Lane by #thornesmith it states that it is a first edition, and I can find a small handful listed online but with green boards. Apparently this book is scarce. This has red boards, with embellishments missing from the listings I’ve found. I’m looking for suggestions on resources whether online or print that will help me out. DM me or leave a comment if you would .Thanks. #bookworm #bookaneer #bookbinding #childrensbooks #bookstagram #lazybearlane #bibliomane #booklover #vintagebooks #vintagechildrensbooks (at Dodge Center, Minnesota) https://www.instagram.com/p/BorXkd_ABOx/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1nohpjpafahm5

[forthegothicheroine]

I was tagged a while ago by @venusinmyrrh to post nine books I hope to read this year!

Under the Pendulum Sun by Jeannette Ng: This gothic fairy tale has been sitting in the middle of my tbr for who knows how long, and I've got to get to work on that.

White as Snow by Tanith Lee: I've got to start working my way through the Tanith Lee at my library, and her fairy tale stories are some of her best stuff, so let's see how she does it at novel length.

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry: I want to try reading some classic westerns, and everyone seems to agree this is the best one.

Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones: ...and also I want to read a horror western from a very different perspective, with vampires.

Celtic Mythology by John Arnott MacCulloch: One of those texts that it's probably important for me to read if I'm going to keep yammering on about Arthuriana, if only as context.

Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials by Marion Gibson: I got this while traveling, and am determined not to let it sit on my shelf for too long! If it lives up to its potential, this could be something I'll never shut up about.

A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books by Nicholas A. Basbanes: I've been enjoying a lot of nonfiction about books as objects, which is one of the things that has pushed me towards library science, and this is apparently a classic of that mini genre.

Diavola by Jennifer Marie Thorne: Please, please let this modern gothic live up to its terrifying cover!

The Unidentified: Mythical Monsters, Alien Encounters, and Our Obsession with the Unexplained by Colin Dickey: I liked Ghostland by Colin Dickey, and the subcultures around cryptids etc have got to be sociologically fascinating. I sure hope so, anyway!

[victusinveritas]

Some of my own scattered thoughts on library-building, antilibrarying, and book-collecting. Take this advice from an old bookselling hand (16 years in the book-mines of various cities), harken to mine advice if you want to. Remember, though, that the internet is free and it costs nothing to not call someone an idiot.

An varying-depth guide to going into the bookstore and what to do with your books once you're trying to organize them.

Step 1. Going to the most dangerous place on Earth for bibliophiles and bibliomanes (if you have a bit of OCD and maybe a hoarding problem, you might be a bibliomane (so much nicer than bibliomaniac), there's a line, you know when you've crossed it and go to the point where book collecting is damaging to your mental health and relationships): the bookstore.

First thing's first: Can you actually afford to buy more books? Public libraries are a great resource and thanks to interlibrary loans and services like Libby, you can get a lot of stuff, pretty much anything if you have patience, from your friendly neighborhood library.

First thing's first second part: Do you have the space for more books? Book piles are fine if you live alone--sure, great, build a shelf full of books made out of other books or just build cinderblock and board shelves...but do you have the space? You do not want to drown yourself, or a partner, especially not a partner, in books. Trust me on this. I've done this. It's...not good. Just avoid it by not getting into that habit. It's a slippery slope once you are on it.

Second thing: You sure about that? If you are absolutely sure that buying a book will not Cause Chaos with anyone or within yourself, go ahead and go to the bookstore. Do not go to the bookstore just to look with the internal promise of not buying anything. You will probably break that promise. Try to go there with something in mind. Looking for book X or Y or any works by author Z, or on a certain subject is a great way to start.

DO NOT GO TO A BOOKSTORE TO BROWSE IDLY. You will end up with weird stuff that, while fun, you'll look at two hours later and wonder who the hell put it in your bag or other thing for hauling other things around in (hands included). Go the library idly, bask in its books, bounce around there all you like. But do not go to a place where you will need to exchange cash for books in order to take books home unless you have an idea of what you are after. It can be a rough idea, that's fine, but...give yourself a target, and then maybe one secondary target. Make sure that once you get there you can afford those target books.

Third thing: Got the ideal book you are looking for in mind, written it down somewhere so you aren't wandering around the shelves trying to remember the author, what's his name, the guy with the mustache (Vonnegut? Orwell? Nietzsche?)? Cool. Walk into the bookstore. Smell's good, right? That's the mix of glue and leather and paper--bibliosmia, vellichor (for older books), or biblichor. Some bookstores will cultivate this smell with candles, but those of us that have worked in places where it is naturally in every bit of air due to years and years of books breathing on shelves scorn such masking of more modern glues and paper (usually that's the reason for the candles anyway). Stroll leisurely if you have the time (try to stop into a bookstore only when you have the time), be a deer and not a shark.

Does the owner or bookseller greet you like an old friend even if it is your first time in the store? Nice. You've picked a good place. Does the owner or bookseller give you a grunt and perhaps a nod? Yeah, that checks out (and is fine), a lot of booksellers would rather be left alone with their books and maybe, maybe sell you one or two but only if you look like the sort who will treat them nicely. Black's Books features one such bookseller, and yeah, that's fine, but as the person behind the counter, at least try to smile and nod and be a bit cheerful. If you're looking for something and not familiar with the store layout...ask. You might just get a grunt and a grave gesture towards the cobwebbed back of the store where you are pretty sure you saw a skeleton and maybe an arrow trap, or maybe someone will happily bop along in front of you to just what you are looking for.

Advice to fellow booksellers: You're a wage slave getting paid maybe partially in books (dangerous, but a nice side benefit if you can get it, even if only until you fill your house with books), and not getting paid that much, but it's one of the jobs where not being a sullen dick (better than a pretentious dick, sell people what they want to read and smile about it, even if it schlock) gets people to come back. Regulars are great, no matter how eccentric, as long as they aren't pervs (get the broom or crowbar, that's what they are there for)--they'll sometimes be your only sales on days when nobody else would dare be out. You might even make a friend or two.

[Put in bit about browsing and the Zen methods of it later on tonight or Friday and I'll probably repost this just to annoy some of you.]

Got the book you're after, or maybe one that someone reliable recommended? Cool. Go home. Do not go to a second bookstore if you can't find what you're looking for at the fist one. Unless, unless, the first bookseller says 'yeah they should carry that there.' Well, then go. If you don't find it at the second bookstore, order it from them, or from the first store. Bookshop.org is also a great place to order from if neither place offers to order things for you.

Let's say you are moving into a new place, have a few books you picked up from the new local bookstore and maybe that box or two you brought with you from Saint Wherever in the Forgotten Zone. Where does your bookshelf go? Where you want it to. Do you want to display it in a central living space so you can kinda show it off...or is it something you want next to your bed so that you can huff the scent of your library whenever you need it for intellectual stability? Maybe you've got a room dedicated to a study or office. Sure, the books look great there, just remember that if it is a home office you'll want to make sure the books visible by the camera are things your company or worksite would be cool with seeing. Maybe put the Mapplethorpe photo-print somewhere other than over your left shoulder, or don't, I don't know how cool your workplace is. You just don't want to be the person shitcanned for showing something a bit too kinky in your weekly Zoom meeting, especially if you didn't think about where you placing said photo or faced book. You probably want to keep your shelves (and books) out of direct sunlight, as it can damage your books.

Once you are home, looking over your shelves, inhale again. (This was a bit in the 'Third thing' section). There is a problem in used bookstores (I've never encountered it in a new bookstore that I can remember): If a book, no matter how cool, smells like a wet suitcase left in your garage or that one corner of the basement where the light never quite reaches, put it down and do not buy it, and maybe wash your hands and dry them thoroughly before touching any other books--book mildew will spread and ruin your entire collection. You can section off books that are mildewed and you want to keep in ziploc bags with baking soda and some silica bags, but take them outside when reading them, and then put them back in the bag when you are still outside--this method of storage is not foolproof, so don't say you had no warning. It's just not worth risking the rest of your library, even if it is your only book at the time. You can make an objection (sealed in ziplocs etc) for books you have a sentimental attachment to, but, be careful there.

Where does the book go on your shelf? Good question. What's your organization style (if you have one)? Do you shelve by genre, by author, by genre and then author, by size, godforbid but it's your collection so that's your call, by color alone.? No order at all? Again, your call, just slap it on the shelf. Order of purchase so your oldest purchased/gifted books go on the farthest, safest shelf on new things just kinda go wherever it is they go. This is different from a totally haphazard system, obviously, because it incorporates time, and a collection organized by collection makes sense to you, and if you're the only one who has to look at it, cool. Do that. It brings you joy, neat. I don't have to look at it so your inherent chaos can just exist wherever you are in the world.

I'm going to cover moving and possible downsizing in a future soapbox rant.

Quote ganked directly from here (found via Google search):

"How to maintain an antilibrary. The antilibrary is a counterintuitive idea which goes against many of our deeply held beliefs. As such, it may be hard to know where to start. How many books should it contain? What proportion of read versus unread books? Won’t it create anxiety? As often, there is no clear-cut answer to these questions, but some strategies may be helpful.

Make notes of all relevant references. When an author mentions another book, check the exact reference and make a note of it. By doing so, you will have a list of all the relevant sources for a book when you are done reading it. Then, research this constellation of books. It is unlikely all the sources on the list will seem interesting to you. Sometimes, only a short passage of the source was relevant to the book you just read. But other times, you will discover a book that genuinely piques your curiosity. Add this book to your antilibrary. Ask fellow readers for recommendations. If you read a book that you particularly enjoyed and would like to learn more about the topic, simply ask people if they know of any similar books. If you don’t have many readers in your circles, you can use Goodreads or Amazon to find similar books. Read the reviews to decide whether they would be a good addition to your antilibrary. Allow for serendipity. I have read quite a few interesting books that I randomly bought in a bookstore because the cover looked nice and the title was intriguing. While looking for sources and similar books are both effective ways to build an antilibrary, make sure you leave space for chance discoveries. Do not expect the proportion of unread books to decrease. While there is no perfect proportion, the more you read, the more you will expand your perimeter of knowledge, and the more unread books will be added to your antilibrary. It is not a bad thing, it means you are progressively turning unknown unknowns into known unknowns. Improve your relationship with knowledge. At first, building an antilibrary can feel strange and even a bit anxiety-inducing. So many books—am I ever going to be able to read them all? Isn’t that a waste of money? Remember that knowledge is a process, not a possession. In addition, building an antilibrary is an investment in yourself which should stay within your means. Even if you only have 3-5 books you haven’t read on your shelf, this is already a great step in expanding your intellectual horizon. Whatever its size—from a couple of books to thousands of them—an antilibrary creates a humble relationship with knowledge. It reminds us that our knowledge is finite and imperfect. Far from being negative, this awareness can drive our curiosity and encourage us to question our assumptions. In a world where nuanced thinking is needed more than ever, an antilibrary is a much needed tool for thought."

[libriaco]

Un libro

«Cosa portiamo stasera come regalo?». «Non saprei proprio; però ci hanno invitato a cena e non possiamo presentarci a mani vuote». «E se andassi a comperare un libro?». «No, l’ultima volta che siamo andati da loro, ho visto che ne hanno già uno». «Allora no, pensiamo ad altro».

A. Castronuovo, Dizionario del bibliomane, Palermo, Sellerio, 2021

[take-me-to-valhalla]

I just bought it.

holy fuck this exists

[rabbitcruiser]

Bibliomania Day

Bibliomania Day, celebrated on March 20 every year, commemorates the anniversary of the great grand heist of 23,600 books executed by Stephen Blumberg. Many people confuse bibliophilia — the love of books, with bibliomania, the compulsive disorder of hoarding books. This obsession with collecting books can even go on to damage a person’s social relations or health. Let’s learn more about bibliomania, its symptoms, facts, and how to know if you are a bibliomaniac.

HISTORY OF BIBLIOMANIA DAY

The story behind Bibliomania Day started in the 1950s, then later made popular by Stephen Blumberg, also known as the ‘Book Bandit,’ from Iowa who hoarded thousands of books. He amassed over 23,600 books from 327 libraries and museums across 45 states, two provinces in Canada, and the District of Columbia. The combined worth of the books was estimated to be $5,3 million. On March 20, 1990, Blumberg was caught when his friend turned him over to the F.B.I.

The term stems from two Greek words ‘biblio-’ meaning ‘book’ and ‘mania’ meaning madness.’ In essence ‘bibliomania’ translates to book madness. The term was initially used in 1734 by book collector Thomas Hearne. He wrote in his diary, “I should have been tempted to have laid out a pretty deal of money without thinking myself at all touched with bibliomania.” But, it was in 1809 when the term became widely known to people as Thomas Dibdin published a book titled “BIBLIOMANIA or Book of Madness.” He mentioned in his book that bibliomania is a medical condition called “the book disease.”

Symptoms of bibliomania include habits of acquiring large quantities of books, an excessive possessiveness over the collection, and also feeling distressed. There are no reasons why a person might become a bibliomaniac. In most cases, bibliomaniacs often become addicted to book collecting when they are very young. They do this as a way of coping with a difficult hardship. So, keep a check on your love for books!

BIBLIOMANIA DAY TIMELINE

1734

The First Use of the Word

Thomas Hearne uses the word ‘bibliomania’ in his diary

1750

A Letter to a Son

Lord Chesterfield writes a letter to his son where he mentions “Beware of the bibliomanie.”

1809

Book Madness is Published

Reverend Thomas Dibdin publishes a book titled “BIBLIOMANIA or Book madness.”

1990

The Book Bandit is Caught

Stephen Blumberg is caught and handed over to the F.B.I. for stealing books.

BIBLIOMANIA DAY FAQS

What are the other words for Bibliomania?

The love for books can be expressed in many terms including bibliomaniac, bibliophile, bookworm, book-lover, and book reviewer.

Who popularized the term Bibliomania?

John Ferriar, a physician at the Manchester Royal Infirmary, coined the term bibliomania. He dedicated it to his bibliomaniac friend.

Can you become obsessed with a book?

Yes, it is possible to become obsessed with books or even a particular book. However, most of the time, the book obsession will be under control.

BIBLIOMANIA DAY ACTIVITIES

Buy books: The best way to celebrate Bibliomania Day is by buying or getting as many books as possible. It would be much better if you were to buy them and probably not heist them!

Read books on bibliomania: Celebrate this day by reading books that give insight into bibliomania. Examples are books such as “A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books.”

Gift a book to someone: What’s better than buying books or reading them on Bibliomania Day to celebrate it? Yes, you guessed it! Gifting them! You can give books to your friends, family, or colleagues.

5 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT BIBLIOMANIA

Not a recognized disorder: The American Psychiatric Association refused to recognize bibliomania as a disorder.

It has a Japanese name too: In Japanese, bibliomania is called ‘tsundoku,’ and is good behavior.

They can be seduced by books: Bibliomaniacs can be aroused by the presence of books.

The vello-mania: There is also a condition called vello-mania whereby the person accumulates documents.

It may indicate abuse: Some experts suggest bibliomania may develop due to trauma or repeated abuse.

WHY WE LOVE BIBLIOMANIA DAY

Books are awesome: Books are not just some papers to read. They have been proven to promote brain growth, spark creativity and change us to be smart people. Well, what more can we ask for?

It fosters healthy relationships: Reading books and sharing the love for books on Bibliomania Day with your friends, family, or strangers fosters a healthy relationship. Books can get people to bond.

It teaches us life: Books are a gateway to another world where everything is possible and doable. Whatever book you may read, it can teach you something new.

Source

[eyranbelanore]

Bookworm

Bookworm, Bibliophile, Bibliomane, Bibliolater, Bibliomaniac. Each term describes the same thing. The Book Lover. Someone who revels in ornate leather spines, Who buries their noses in piles of pages, Who sees more than inked words when they open a novel, Who has no trouble putting aside their smartphone, In exchange for a thick leather bound tome. Who’s place of happiness and sanctuary comes in the from of a library, With shelves stacked high in order of alphabet, genre and colour. It is someone who can read the words on the page, and create a world in their head. Who can hear and speak with the characters formed in another’s mind within their own. Who’s biggest pain is in seeing dog eared corners marring perfect paper. Who’s fantasies and dreams can become near reality, as they put pen to paper later. And carve a magnum opus, their own world, their own heroes, from the inspiring voices of many beloved authors before them. As only those who read make the best writers.

[scrappyreadinglog]

Works Cited

Amory, Hugh.“‘A Bible and Other Books’: Enumerating the Copies in Seventeenth-Century Essex County,” Bibliography and the Book Trades: Studies in the Print Culture of Early New England. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013. pp. 58 - 79

Ayoade, Richard. The Book That No One Wanted To Read. Walker Books, 2023.

Basbanes, Nicholas A. A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books. New York: Henry Holt, 1995; revised preface, 1999. 

Basbanes, Nicholas A. Patience and Fortitude. New York: Harper Collins, 2001. 

Benjamin, Walter.“Unpacking My Library,” Illuminations: Essays and Reflections. Edited by Hannah Arendt, translated by Henry Zohn. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcout, 1968. pp. 52 - 60 http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ubc/detail.action?docID=6129158

Borges, Jorges Luis. The Library of Babel.

Cardinal, Roger and Elsner, John. The Cultures of Collecting. Reaktion Books, 1997

Dean, Gabrielle. ““Every Man His Own Publisher”: Extra-Illustration and the Dream of the Universal Library,” Textual Cultures , Vol. 8, No. 1. Indiana University Press; Society for Textual Scholarship, 2013. Pp. 57-71

Helton, Laura. “Thinking Black, Collecting Black: Schomburg’s Desiderata and the Radical World of Black Bibliophiles,” Scattered and Fugitive Things. New York: Columbia University Press, 2024. https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.7312/helt21276-004/html

Geraghty, Lincoln. Cult Collectors. Routledge, 2014.

Kim, Eunsong. The Politics of Collecting: Race and the Aestheticization of Property. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2024.

Knight, Jeffrey Todd. Bound to Read: Compilations, Collections, and the Making of Renaissance Literature. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013.

Pearce, Susan. Collecting in Contemporary Practice. Altamira Press, 1998.

Manguel, Alberto. The Library at Night. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2008.

McKitterick, David. The Invention of Rare Books: Private Interest and Public Memory, 1600 -1840. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2018.

Sherman, William. Used Books: Marking Readers in Renaissance England. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2010.

Summit, Jennifer. Memory’s Library: Medieval Books in Early Modern England. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2008.

Sontag, Susan. On Photography. Picador, 1977.

[pier-carlo-universe]

Recensione di I fantasmi delle biblioteche di Jacques Bonnet

I fantasmi delle biblioteche è un’opera di Jacques Bonnet, autore e appassionato bibliomane, pubblicata da Sellerio Editore di Palermo.

I fantasmi delle biblioteche è un’opera di Jacques Bonnet, autore e appassionato bibliomane, pubblicata da Sellerio Editore di Palermo. Il libro, che sembra esplorare il mondo dei libri, delle biblioteche e forse il fascino misterioso che li circonda, si presenta con una copertina elegante e suggestiva, che richiama l’immaginario di un amante della letteratura. Destinato a lettori curiosi del…

[paoloferrario]

Pontiggia Giuseppe, a cura di Daniela Marcheschi, "Un libro che divorerei": pareri di lettura, Palingenie editore, Venezia, 2024

scheda dell’editore: Un libro che divorerei – Giuseppe Pontiggia Un Pontiggia inedito e ‘privato’, nella veste di impareggiabile consulente editoriale. Lettore appassionato, vorace e onnivoro, pertinace bibliomane, Giuseppe Pontiggia era come fatalmente predestinato a quell’invisibile ruolo di consulente editoriale che, per decenni, affiancò alla pubblica attività di scrittore. Ma anche il…

[incorrigiblequixote]

An autistic bibliomane wandering in and out of academia, in and out of disciplines, in and out of odd jobs, dabbling in all the hobbies. Who am I? Perhaps we'll discover that together.

My current hyperfixations (as of August 2024) include: The Locked Tomb series, Agatha Christie's ghost stories, watching all of the Alien movies in a week, sewing cargo shorts, and building 32-square micro homes in The Sims 4 for my vampire equestrians.

[kathylsaltwrites]

First post on my blog since 2022 ✌️✌️

You can find it here:

[persa-tra-i-miei-pensieri]

«Non indugiare nell’acquistare i libri che ti interessano. Ogni bibliomane sa che proprio quei libri ti vengono sottratti, mentre guardi altrove, da mani occulte e rapaci, che l’edizione nel frattempo si è esaurita e sarà difficile trovarne una copia anche in antiquariato»

Cit. "Il lettore sul lettino. Tic, manie e stravaganze di chi ama i libri"

Si mi è successo più volte ma un episodio in particolare mi rimarrà per sempre impresso, la ricerca disperata del sequel di "Archie Greene e il segreto del mago"; ero convinta di aver visto quel libro per poi scoprire non essere mai stato tradotto in italiano tranne la sinossi (li ho trovati solo in francese e chissà quando e se li leggerò)

[bibliomanesbooks]

Second chance will not always be given. Second is not always the same with the first. It’s either you became happier or the worst. You’ll feel the pain.

aril_daine, Sadist Lover

[libriaco]

Bibliofobia

La forma più nota e forse diffusa di bibliofobia è quella che molti professori provocano nei loro allievi mediante la frequente incapacità di comunicare la bellezza di certe opere, semplicemente insistendo sul rilievo storico e letterario delle stesse. L’esempio classico della nostra Italia pedagogica sono I promessi sposi, grande romanzo che gli studenti, alla fine dei corsi liceali, di norma detestano perché educati a detestarlo. La patologia si supera per caso: in età matura, qualcuno si trova un giorno tra le mani quel romanzo, ne apre una pagina e resta avvinto. Bastano alcuni capitoli per ottenere una guarigione certa e solida. Purtroppo, sono pochi coloro che casualmente si salvano: i più continuano a disprezzare I promessi sposi per la vita intera.

A. Castronuovo, Dizionario del bibliomane, Palermo, Sellerio, 2021

Immagine: Don Abbondio, Renzo e Lucia dalla copertina del "Corriere dei Piccoli", 8 Gen. 1967

Vedi anche la mia nota QUI.