The Book on the BookshelfFrom the author of the highly praised The Pencil and The Evolution of Useful Things comes another captivating history of the seemingly mundane: the book and its storage. Most of us take for granted that our books are vertical on our shelves with the spines facing out, but Henry Petroski, inveterately curious engineer, didn't. As a result, readers are guided along the astonishing evolution from papyrus scrolls boxed at Alexandria to upright books shelved at the Library of Congress. Unimpeachably researched, enviably written, and charmed with anecdotes from Seneca to Samuel Pepys to a nineteenth-century bibliophile who had to climb over his books to get into bed, The Book on the Bookshelf is indispensable for anyone who loves books. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
according aisle allowed appears arranged became become beginning binding boards bookcases bookshelves bookstacks bottom bound British building called carrels century chest closed collection common construction course cover desk developed Dewey door early easily edge engineering facing fact feet fitted floor fore-edge front give hand height hold horizontal ibid inches installed iron keep kind known late later least lectern less librarian light located look Middle moved Museum natural noted once original perhaps position practice present presses printed problem reach readers removed scholar scrolls seems seen shelf shelves side sometimes space spine stacks stand storage stored structure tend things turn University vertical volumes wall wanted wide writing