PHANTOMS ON THE BOOKSHELVES

TITLE: PHANTOMS ON THE BOOKSHELVES

AUTHOR: JACQUES BONNET

Pages: 133

Date: 17/06/2011

Grade: 5

Details: Non-fiction

            Reviewed for NewBooks

Own

This is a book about books, written by a man in the middle of a life-long love affair with books, who has accumulated approximately 40.000 copies in his house.

This is a book about having such a personal library, acquiring the books and the need to keep them, the intricacies involved in organising the shelves and the frustrations associated with not being able to find a certain copy of a certain title. This is a book for those who love books. For people, like me, who can’t walk past a bookshop without going in and leaving, a good while later, with at least a few new acquisitions.

I found so many statements and quotes that spoke to me, sentiments I recognized and feelings I shared that my copy is now littered with little notes so that I may find and experience them again.

However, I feel I should also mention that I was unfamiliar with most of the books and authors mentioned by Bonnet, and although this didn't in any way interfere with my enjoyment it may well alienate other readers to some extend.

For me this book is a little treasure that I will proudly add to my personal library (in the non-fiction section, alphabetically under author’s name to be precise).

Because this is a book about personal libraries, I couldn't resist including a picture of (part of) my personal library here. Phantoms on shelves, custom made for me by Dermot.