Double Post- 'AT HOME WITH BOOKS'- 1

Why I do it is a bit difficult to explain but I cannot resist anything, especially books, on writing, reading, fountain pens and on books. After I spot something like that I’m restless until I make the book my own. Ordinarily it is quite rare to find a book on or about books. My last book on books was Pradeep Sebastian’s ‘The Groaning Shelf’ that I bought two copies of a couple of months ago. I’ve found another book on books and this was on my second visit to the Best Book sale. I wonder how I missed spotting this book because it was no ordinary book. In size, content and the pictures it was unlike any other book on books I had ever come across. ‘At Home With Books’ was the wonderful book I immediately lapped up paying three hundred and fifty rupees for it. It is a book that I couldn’t just miss buying.

Nothing can be luckier for someone who loves books to find a book on books. Pradeep Sebastian’s ‘The Groaning Shelf’ is another invaluable book about books, reading and book collecting. However, TGS is a small sized book without any pictures or illustrations. On the other hand AHWB is a super-sized book with colorful pictures on every page. It has every thing a book collector needs to know- other book collectors and their magnificent collections, articles on care of books, articles on starting a book collection, and so on. It is just what I felt I lacked in my book collecting life. Now I feel a large gap in my book shelf (and my knowledge of books) has been filled.


Just as finding and reading ‘The Groaning Shelf’ convinced me that I was not the only one mad about books, ‘At Home With Books’ too convinced me that I was not the only one crazy to buy several copies of the same title. There are several book collectors featured in AHWB who own several thousands of books and have collections I cannot even dream of putting up in my life time. Apart from featuring designers, millionaire collectors, genuine book lovers who talk about their love of books the book also has stunning photographs of the books, the bookshelves and the rooms that house the collections. It is not only a feast to the mind it is also a feast to the eyes. I am unable to decide which is the best part of the books- the profiles of the collectors or the pictures of their collections? Whatever it is, I am glad I found this book that has me seriously thinking of my own motley collection.

The hardcover copy of ‘At Home With Books’(Eds- Estelle Ellis, Caroline Seebohm and Christopher Simon Sykes) that I found last week is in immaculate condition with a transparent plastic jacket over the covers. One look at the pictures alongside and one will know how beautiful the book is. Running into almost three hundred and fifty pages, the book has beautiful color photographs on almost every page which makes it a visual delight. It is one reason why I asked my friend Uma Shankar to take a few pictures because he is a far better photographer than I am and also has a better camera than the one I have. (Thanks, Uma for the beautiful pictures.)

There are names in AHWB I haven’t come across anywhere before except that of Paul Getty, Roger Rosenblatt, and Keith Richards (of Rolling Stones). Until I read the book I had no idea who Seymour Durst, Victor Niedehoffer, Laurie Mallett, Richard Minsky, Bill Blass, Nicolas Barker, Niall Smith, Peter Canell, Kitty D’Aleessio, Richard Howard, John Richardson and many others were. But now I know what wonderful book collections they have and how much they love books. They are exactly the sort of people I would love to know.

There’s more in the next post- ‘At Home With Books’- 2 with some more wonderful pictures. I’m putting both posts at the same time.