This gorgeous second volume in the popularĀ Unpacking My LibraryĀ series explores the bookshelves of favorite novelists
As words and stories are increasingly disseminated through digital means, the significance of the book as objectāwhether pristine collectible or battered relicāis growing as well. Unpacking My Library: Writers and Their BooksĀ spotlights the personal libraries of thirteen favorite novelists who share their collections with readers. Stunning photographs provide full views of the libraries and close-ups of individual volumes: first editions, worn textbooks, pristine hardcovers, and childhood companions.
In her introduction, Leah Price muses on the history and future of the bookshelf, asking what books can tell us about their owners and what readers can tell us about their collections. Supplementing the photographs are Price's interviews with each author, which probe the relation of writing to reading, collecting, and arranging books. Each writer provides a list of top ten favorite titles, offering unique personal histories along with suggestions for every bibliophile.
Unpacking My Library: Writers and Their BooksĀ features the personalĀ libraries of Alison Bechdel, Stephen Carter, Junot DĆaz, Rebecca GoldsteinĀ and Steven Pinker, Lev GrossmanĀ and Sophie Gee, Jonathan Lethem, Claire MessudĀ and James Wood, Philip Pullman, Gary Shteyngart, and Edmund White.