“Book Talk” discusses book collecting in depth

In Book Talk: Essays on Books, Booksellers, Collecting, and Special Editions, edited by Robert H. Jackson and Carol Z. Rothkopf, 18 perceptive and thought-provoking essays by noted collectors and sellers of books are presented. The result is a kaleidoscope comprised of the many textures, flavors, tones, and hues found in the book field. The authors of said essays are opinionated, knowledgeable, and articulate. Each essay is well-reasoned, lucid, and passionate—an absolute delight to read. In my opinion, the book is of sufficient depth and breath to present as a gift to a serious reader or equally serious collector, inasmuch as such readers and collectors tend to be one and the same entity.

In his preface, Robert H. Jackson describes this book in the following manner:

… [Book Talk] addresses the sharing of information, and takes the reader on a tour of some major ideas and controversies now current in the rare book world such as the future of the book in a printed format and special collections, the book trade and the Internet, and collecting trends. While all kinds of sources of information for collectors are available, this volume provides a unique compilation of the field today by prominent writers. The contributors have an active personal involvement in their topics, which range from fifteenth-century Italian methods of textual illustration to book dealers’ strategies to scholarship to how book dealers stoke the passion for collecting.

In one such essay, Bruce Whiteman opens with the oft-asked and sometimes wearing question, “Just what exactly is a rare book?” He proceeds to provide a thoughtful response, starting with an historical exposition that carefully explains the difficulties in researching volumes without today’s modern technology. Moving to the present, he highlights the ease with which, through the use of modern tools, books can now be located anywhere in the world. As he sagely makes the point, books once considered to be rare are revealed—with improved search capabilities—to be much more common. It is a warning, I think, not to use the word rare lightly when describing a book, but to spend some time in research determining whether the book truly deserves that sobriquet.

Another essay discusses the excitement of gradually building a collection over a period of many years, based on specialist interests. As Arthur L. Schwarz explains, “I love reading history, but in truth, if it happened after 1688 I really do not care. Unless it is royal. Or London. Or just plain interesting.” Fine books and an all-consuming interest in history eventually cascaded in multiple ways across his life. He soon found himself writing about rare books, going so far as to provide instruction while simultaneously teaching courses in British history using unusual books as additional resources. It is clear from the reading of this commentary that he obviously enjoys his books and the discovery of history. His joy is contagious. Books are not static: They breathe, they have lives of their own, and they draw the collector into their lives.

If you’ve ever wondered about books as books, then reading this particular text will provide an intelligent overview of a marvelously fascinating, endlessly enticing world—one that is passionately pursued by many people for many reasons. I recommend Book Talk for the perspective, depth, and insight contained within its covers. It is a panorama.