The Book about Books

It has been said that when man needs company, a book is his best friend; when in doubt, a book is his adviser; when in damp spirits, a book is his comforter; and when bored, a book is his best recreation. Books are the lifeblood of humankind. With this in mind some 85 years ago, Holbrook Jackson, a highly respected man of letters, published in a limited edition a book called The Anatomy of Bibliomania. The current edition, now titled The Book About Books, was welcomed by book collectors and book lovers everywhere because the original was long out of print. The Book About Books is written in the style of the seventeenth-century prose master, Robert Burton, whose prototype The Anatomy of Melancholy served as the spark for this project. This monumental work shows an erudition in its field comparable to Burton, as well as the same racy and witty style of the earlier work. However, Jackson, in his love for and knowledge of books, emerges a distinct personality as he writes of every conceivable topic in the world of bibliomania, from the most learned to the most frivolous. This is the most ambitious and important work of Holbrook Jackson's many books - a sterling reference and literature book.