The Library

`With The Library, Stuart Kells has written a deft and involving book that manages to balance the erudite with the accessible...There is, in any given chapter, a dozen odd details or compelling stories a reader can only hope to memorise, with an eye towards future use (perfectly timed and skilfully deployed, naturally).' * Monthly * `Rich with gossipy tales of the inspired, crazy, brilliant and terrible people who have founded or encountered libraries through history...Kells's reflections are wonderfully romantic, wryly funny...There's no doubt we can all learn a lot from the magnificently obsessive and eloquent Kells.' * Australian * `The Library is a treasure trove and reaching the last page simply prompts an impassioned cry for more of the same.' * Otago Daily Times * `The Library charts the transition between formats such as papyrus scrolls, parchment codices, moveable type and ebooks. There are many whimsical detours along the way, and Kells even devotes a chapter to fantasy libraries...Kells translates his stunning depth of research into breezy digestibility.' * Big Issue * `Almost like poetry, a rich ode to all things books and everything we love about them. The enjoyment and engagement is so palpable you can almost taste it and Kells proves to be the perfect guide through the subject matter and history.' * AU Review * `If you think you know what a library is, this marvellously idiosyncratic book will make you think again. After visiting hundreds of libraries around the world and in the realm of imagination, bibliophile and rare-book collector Stuart Kells has compiled an enchanting compendium of well-told tales and musings both on the physical and metaphysical dimensions of these multi-storied places.' * Age *