A Gentle Madness
by Nicholas A. Basbanes · first published 1995
4mentions
2recommended by
3HN commenters
2015–2025first – last mentioned
67% recommend33% neutral
The passion to possess books has never been more widespread than it is today; indeed, obsessive book collecting remains the only hobby to have a disease named after it. A Gentle Madness is an adventure among the afflicted. Author Nicholas Basbanes, a dedicated bibliophile himself, begins his book 2,200 years ago in Alexandria, when a commitment was made to gather all the world's knowledge beneath one roof. In a series of lively chapters, the continuum then passes through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance to the twentieth century with a special emphasis on book lore and book culture in Gre
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Nicholas Basbanes' A Gentle Madness (https://www.amazon.com/Gentle-Madness-Bibliophiles-Biblioman...) is a wonderful book on bibliophiles if anyone is inclined to read more on the subject.
on “Bibliomania: the strange history of compulsive book buying” ↗'A Gentle Madness', on the history and culture of rare book collectors https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Gentle_Madness
on “Ask HN: Book Recommendations for 2025?” ↗http://www.amazon.com/Gentle-Madness-Bibliophiles-Bibliomane... A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books
on “Ask HN: What are you reading?” ↗"A Gentle Madness" is a 584pp comprehensive history of book collectors and bibliomania. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Gentle_Madness
on “Melbourne man discovers extensive model train network underneath house” ↗