History & Criticism
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The Library at Night
A celebration of reading, of libraries, and of the mysterious human desire to give order to the universe
Inspired by the process of creating a library for his fifteenth-century home near the Loire, in France, Alberto Manguel, the acclaimed writer on books and reading, has taken up the subject of libraries. "Libraries," he says, "have always seemed to me pleasantly mad places, and for as long as I can remember I've been seduced by their labyrinthine logic." In this personal, deliberately unsystematic, and wide-ranging book, he offers a captivating meditation on the meaning of libraries.
Manguel, a guide of irrepressible enthusiasm, conducts a unique library tour that extends from his childhood bookshelves to the "complete" libraries of the Internet, from Ancient Egypt and Greece to the Arab world, from China and Rome to Google. He ponders the doomed library of Alexandria as well as the personal libraries of Charles Dickens, Jorge Luis Borges, and others. He recounts stories of people who have struggled against tyranny to preserve freedom of thought-the Polish librarian who smuggled books to safety as the Nazis began their destruction of Jewish libraries; the Afghani bookseller who kept his store open through decades of unrest. Oral "memory libraries" kept alive by prisoners, libraries of banned books, the imaginary library of Count Dracula, the library of books never written-Manguel illuminates the mysteries of libraries as no other writer could. With scores of wonderful images throughout, The Library at Night is a fascinating voyage through Manguel's mind, memory, and vast knowledge of books and civilizations.
Inspired by the process of creating a library for his fifteenth-century home near the Loire, in France, Alberto Manguel, the acclaimed writer on books and reading, has taken up the subject of libraries. "Libraries," he says, "have always seemed to me pleasantly mad places, and for as long as I can remember I've been seduced by their labyrinthine logic." In this personal, deliberately unsystematic, and wide-ranging book, he offers a captivating meditation on the meaning of libraries.
Manguel, a guide of irrepressible enthusiasm, conducts a unique library tour that extends from his childhood bookshelves to the "complete" libraries of the Internet, from Ancient Egypt and Greece to the Arab world, from China and Rome to Google. He ponders the doomed library of Alexandria as well as the personal libraries of Charles Dickens, Jorge Luis Borges, and others. He recounts stories of people who have struggled against tyranny to preserve freedom of thought-the Polish librarian who smuggled books to safety as the Nazis began their destruction of Jewish libraries; the Afghani bookseller who kept his store open through decades of unrest. Oral "memory libraries" kept alive by prisoners, libraries of banned books, the imaginary library of Count Dracula, the library of books never written-Manguel illuminates the mysteries of libraries as no other writer could. With scores of wonderful images throughout, The Library at Night is a fascinating voyage through Manguel's mind, memory, and vast knowledge of books and civilizations.
Editorial Reviews
"The book contains fifteen essays that posit the library 'as myth,' 'as shape,' 'as island,' and the like. Manguel has assembled thumbnail biographies, entertaining anecdotes, close readings, and photographic documentation into a kind of commonplace book stitched together by his amiable prose. . . . The Library at Night . . . communicates the joy and the solace of being yourself a reader."-Brian Sholis, BookForum
"The Library at Night―a series of essays on what one might call the Platonic idea of a library―reveals some of its author's intellectual range and magpie learning. . . [It] is an elegant volume, in both its design and its text. . . . Alberto Manguel has brought out a richly enjoyable book, absolutely enthralling for anyone who loves to read and an inspiration for anybody who has ever dreamed of building a library of his or her own."―Michael Dirda, Washington Post Book World
"Alberto Manguel . . . the Argentine-born author and bibliophile celebrates books as brothers, as crucial companions for a lifetime."―Julia Keller, Chicago Tribune
"Manguel has assembled thumbnail biographies, entertaining anecdotes, close readings, and photographic documentation into a kind of commonplace book stitched together by his amiable prose. . . . The Library at Night . . . communicates the joy and the solace of being yourself a reader."―Brian Sholis, BookForum
"Alberto Manguel has brought out a richly enjoyable book, absolutely enthralling for anyone who loves to read and an inspiration for anybody who has ever dreamed of building a library of his or her own."―Michael Dirda, Washington Post Book World
"An eloquent and surprisingly moving tribute not only to libraries, private and public, but to our enduring need for them and for the order they try so hard to impose on a chaotic world. . . . Manguel does all facets of his subject proud in The Library at Night, celebrating a treasure we so often take for granted. With this wise and tender book, he also creates a treasure of his own."-The Gazette (Montreal)
"In a good book, certain passages stand out because they are well written. In a great book, nothing stands out because nothing can. The Library at Night is one of those great books."-Globe and Mail
"In The Library at Night, Alberto Manguel, the well-known historian of books and reading, lovingly explores the nooks and crannies of this enchanted domain. To call Mr. Manguel a 'bookman' would be the grossest of understatements. He lives and breathes books. . . . Though he's ...
"The Library at Night―a series of essays on what one might call the Platonic idea of a library―reveals some of its author's intellectual range and magpie learning. . . [It] is an elegant volume, in both its design and its text. . . . Alberto Manguel has brought out a richly enjoyable book, absolutely enthralling for anyone who loves to read and an inspiration for anybody who has ever dreamed of building a library of his or her own."―Michael Dirda, Washington Post Book World
"Alberto Manguel . . . the Argentine-born author and bibliophile celebrates books as brothers, as crucial companions for a lifetime."―Julia Keller, Chicago Tribune
"Manguel has assembled thumbnail biographies, entertaining anecdotes, close readings, and photographic documentation into a kind of commonplace book stitched together by his amiable prose. . . . The Library at Night . . . communicates the joy and the solace of being yourself a reader."―Brian Sholis, BookForum
"Alberto Manguel has brought out a richly enjoyable book, absolutely enthralling for anyone who loves to read and an inspiration for anybody who has ever dreamed of building a library of his or her own."―Michael Dirda, Washington Post Book World
"An eloquent and surprisingly moving tribute not only to libraries, private and public, but to our enduring need for them and for the order they try so hard to impose on a chaotic world. . . . Manguel does all facets of his subject proud in The Library at Night, celebrating a treasure we so often take for granted. With this wise and tender book, he also creates a treasure of his own."-The Gazette (Montreal)
"In a good book, certain passages stand out because they are well written. In a great book, nothing stands out because nothing can. The Library at Night is one of those great books."-Globe and Mail
"In The Library at Night, Alberto Manguel, the well-known historian of books and reading, lovingly explores the nooks and crannies of this enchanted domain. To call Mr. Manguel a 'bookman' would be the grossest of understatements. He lives and breathes books. . . . Though he's ...
Readers Top Reviews
Sue CagleyCUSTOMER X
While not a history or philosophy text, the reader will find plenty of both in this collection of essays about libraries. The author begins with his own library, its building and organization, then expands to include musings on a variety of topics related to libraries and book collections. The author's grasp of multiple languages reflects his own cosmopolitan leanings, which he advocates for all.
Joanna Fenn
A beautiful book for book lovers. For me the perfect book for reading in bed before falling asleep. I learn some things, I am immersed in interesting thought and ideas, but without any tension. Just right for the time before sleep.
cooperkat10
I loved this book. The author captures the essence and passion of all of us who love books. I am not talking just of people who read, but of those of us who have books all over the house and are reluctant to part with any of them. Please,if you walk into a library and cannot decide where to start; if you go into a bookstore to buy A book and come out several hours later with a bag full; if you are late to work because you picked up a book and lost track of time then I encourage you to read this book.
Sergio
I must preface this review by saying that, 1) I am an avid book collector and reader, and 2) I tend to prowl around the house (and my library in particular) late at night after the family are all asleep. I can't imagine anyone who has grown, or dreams of growing, a personal library not loving this book. It's like sitting and chatting with a wise, engaging friend about a mutual love of books and libraries. Manguel writes the words, I speak them in my head, but they feel like they came right out of my own heart. I won't try to describe these essays in any detail. I know I will read them again and again and they will never grow stale. Suffice it to say that, when it comes to books about books, it may not be possible to beat "The Library at Night".
Richard WeemsKindle
Sad to say, but this book turned out to be one of diminishing returns. Manguel is a clear lover of books and libraries, and he researched intriguing stories about various libraries, their development, their architecture, their necessity, their maps of the human mind. But just like another book I read a few years back that tried to address the joys and magic of reading and books, I found Manguel's ideas interesting but not world-shifting. This book certainly deserves its praise, for his efforts are clearly heartfelt and thorough, but I must admit that I find the overall tone a little one-note. Thus, the trend of categories through which he studies the concept of the library (as memory, as shadow, as shape, as oblivion) less and less surprising and thus less and less engaging. Perhaps some left-turns and even more self-doubt or -criticism might have taken this into more compelling directions.
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