Release date is 1999-11-01

To the Viscountess Wolseley -- Preface -- Elzevirs -- Ballade of the Real and Ideal -- Curiosities of Parish Registers -- The Rowfant Books -- To F. L. -- Some Japanese Bogie-books -- Ghosts in the Library -- Literary Forgeries -- Bibliomania in France -- Old French Title-pages -- A Bookman's Purgatory -- Ballade of the Unattainable -- Lady Book-lovers.

Transcribed from the 1887 Longmans, Green, and Co. edition by David Price

"Books and Bookmen" by Andrew Lang is a collection of essays written in the late 19th century. This engaging work delves into the world of books, bibliophiles, and the eccentricities that accompany book collecting. Lang reflects on various topics, including the history and allure of certain book editions, such as the coveted Elzevirs, and shares musings on literary quirks, all while maintaining a whimsical and humorous tone. At the start of "Books and Bookmen," Andrew Lang establishes an intimate, poetic discourse about the joys and tribulations of a book collector. He introduces readers to his dedication to antiquarian books, pondering whether women might appreciate the dusty dealings of bibliophiles. The preface outlines that these essays, originally published in American editions, have been restructured for this collection. In the opening essay on Elzevirs, Lang reveals the fervor surrounding these small, elegant books and discusses the mania for collecting them, while also imploring readers to recognize their relative worth in the collector’s realm. Through a blend of historical anecdotes and playful critiques, Lang sets the stage for a deeper exploration of literary treasures and the communities surrounding them. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Original publication data not identified