Steve's Reviews > Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader
Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader
by
by
Like many a Goodreader, no doubt, I have a thing for books about books. In this particular case, there’s a chapter in the book about books about books. (It might be tempting someday to write a book about such books about books about books, but let’s not get silly, or meta-silly for that matter.) Anyway, Fadiman’s essays are as elegant and well-written as my introduction is awkward and inane. She’s the kind of bookworm friend we’d all ‘like’ to the stratosphere here on this site.
Fadiman is the daughter of renowned literary critic, Clifton Fadiman, and former author and WWII correspondent for Time Magazine, Annalee Jacoby Fadiman. She had a very bibliocentric upbringing, as you might imagine. As a kid she was allowed to build a playhouse out of her dad’s 22-volume set of Trollope books. You might say she was to the omnibus manor born. She grew to love sesquipedalians (a great self-descriptive word meaning ‘long words’) like everyone else in her family, and shared an obsession for editing grammatical flubs with her “captious, carping, pettifogging” relations.
Her essays cover a variety of topics that are bound to interest booklovers. She begins with a personal story of how she and her husband, after five years of marriage and a child, “were ready for the more profound intimacy of library consolidation.” The challenge was how to decide between her “French-garden” approach (ordered and well-tended) and his “English-garden” style (abundant but more haphazard). In other essays we learn her thoughts on:
* Classifications of book people into those who keep their volumes as pristine as possible out of respect (“courtly lovers”) and those who might dog-ear pages and delight in marginalia (“carnal lovers”)
* The joys of reading out loud
* The art of the inscription (with great examples among literary giants)
* The pleasure of buying 19 pounds worth of used books (as opposed to fungible new copies from big box stores)
* How, to the reading obsessed, even a roommate’s 1974 Toyota Corolla Owner’s Manual will do
This is a small appetizer of a book, but one full of literary flavor. While it’s not what I’d call LOL funny, it is amusing in a clever and scholarly way. Fadiman writes very well, too –- never a word wrong, never a cacophonous beat. I’m tempted to buy a bookplate that says “Ex Libris Steve” to print inside its cover. Oh wait, an ex libris of ex libris books is too much like the twaddle in my intro. I can’t be seen as a one-shtick pony even though I am.
Fadiman is the daughter of renowned literary critic, Clifton Fadiman, and former author and WWII correspondent for Time Magazine, Annalee Jacoby Fadiman. She had a very bibliocentric upbringing, as you might imagine. As a kid she was allowed to build a playhouse out of her dad’s 22-volume set of Trollope books. You might say she was to the omnibus manor born. She grew to love sesquipedalians (a great self-descriptive word meaning ‘long words’) like everyone else in her family, and shared an obsession for editing grammatical flubs with her “captious, carping, pettifogging” relations.
Her essays cover a variety of topics that are bound to interest booklovers. She begins with a personal story of how she and her husband, after five years of marriage and a child, “were ready for the more profound intimacy of library consolidation.” The challenge was how to decide between her “French-garden” approach (ordered and well-tended) and his “English-garden” style (abundant but more haphazard). In other essays we learn her thoughts on:
* Classifications of book people into those who keep their volumes as pristine as possible out of respect (“courtly lovers”) and those who might dog-ear pages and delight in marginalia (“carnal lovers”)
* The joys of reading out loud
* The art of the inscription (with great examples among literary giants)
* The pleasure of buying 19 pounds worth of used books (as opposed to fungible new copies from big box stores)
* How, to the reading obsessed, even a roommate’s 1974 Toyota Corolla Owner’s Manual will do
This is a small appetizer of a book, but one full of literary flavor. While it’s not what I’d call LOL funny, it is amusing in a clever and scholarly way. Fadiman writes very well, too –- never a word wrong, never a cacophonous beat. I’m tempted to buy a bookplate that says “Ex Libris Steve” to print inside its cover. Oh wait, an ex libris of ex libris books is too much like the twaddle in my intro. I can’t be seen as a one-shtick pony even though I am.
Sign into Goodreads to see if any of your friends have read
Ex Libris.
Sign In »
Reading Progress
Finished Reading
May 10, 2013
– Shelved
Comments Showing 1-50 of 55 (55 new)
message 1:
by
Garima
(new)
May 10, 2013 11:10AM
Seems like a book I'd love to read coz I love books about books about books and lo! more about books. Your opening para made me LOL and I love this review for it's literary flavor. Sorry, sometimes I can't help being utterly unoriginal :)
reply
|
flag
I fully embrace the descent into meta-silliness!
Books about both books and loving books sound like little slices of heaven. And now I'll be dreaming about building a me-sized playhouse from my own library.
I love this review, I love how your enthusiasm comes shining through in it and I really love that you've now introduced me to a book that I absolutely have to get my greedy little paws on right quick. Thank you for that. :)
she and her husband, after five years of marriage and a child, “were ready for the more profound intimacy of library consolidation.” The challenge was how to decide between her “French-garden” approach (ordered and well-tended) and his “English-garden” style (abundant but more haphazard).
Yeeeeep. I really need to own this. I knew hubs and I were in it for the long haul once our book collections stopped being divided between his-and-hers shelving units and allowed to fraternize as one big, happy (obsessively, lovingly categorized and alphabetized) combined library.
Books about both books and loving books sound like little slices of heaven. And now I'll be dreaming about building a me-sized playhouse from my own library.
I love this review, I love how your enthusiasm comes shining through in it and I really love that you've now introduced me to a book that I absolutely have to get my greedy little paws on right quick. Thank you for that. :)
she and her husband, after five years of marriage and a child, “were ready for the more profound intimacy of library consolidation.” The challenge was how to decide between her “French-garden” approach (ordered and well-tended) and his “English-garden” style (abundant but more haphazard).
Yeeeeep. I really need to own this. I knew hubs and I were in it for the long haul once our book collections stopped being divided between his-and-hers shelving units and allowed to fraternize as one big, happy (obsessively, lovingly categorized and alphabetized) combined library.
Saying you're unoriginal is unoriginal, Garima, and in your case very wrong. ;-)
I think you'd like this one a lot, actually. Consider it a snack between the full meals you get in your usual diet of books.
I think you'd like this one a lot, actually. Consider it a snack between the full meals you get in your usual diet of books.
Madeleine wrote: "I knew hubs and I were in it for the long haul once our book collections stopped being divided between his-and-hers shelving units and allowed to fraternize as one big, happy (obsessively, lovingly categorized and alphabetized) combined library."
Ah, now that's a sign of true love! I'm tearing up a little here, Madeleine.
And I like the thought of what you might build from your book/blocks. I hope you post a picture!
Ah, now that's a sign of true love! I'm tearing up a little here, Madeleine.
And I like the thought of what you might build from your book/blocks. I hope you post a picture!
HA! That is so very cool! Now we know where the bar is set, Madeleine. Do you have enough for a Cinderella castle like Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, or maybe the Taj Mahal?
Yes, please! I want a book house too. With book-shaped furniture, and book-shaped fixtures, and little chocolate books in the pantry for when reading makes me hungry.
I'm now tempted to write a comment about comments about comments, or maybe a (view spoiler) , but I figured I'd just say this sounds fantastic, and so is this review. (Maybe I'll write a review about this review so you can review that?)
Suzanne wrote: "Yes, please! I want a book house too. With book-shaped furniture, and book-shaped fixtures, and little chocolate books in the pantry for when reading makes me hungry."
Haha, I love this idea, Suzanne. The only problem I can foresee is making a bookcase out of books. That might get confusing.
Haha, I love this idea, Suzanne. The only problem I can foresee is making a bookcase out of books. That might get confusing.
s.penkevich wrote: "I'm now tempted to write a comment about comments about comments, or maybe a [spoilers removed], but I figured I'd just say this sounds fantastic, and so is this review. (Maybe I'll write a review ..."
Spenky, you're the King of Meta-cool. Seems like we share a taste for that sort of thing. I know Borges is a common influence, but I think this affectation pre-dates our knowledge of him. At least I think that's what I think.
Spenky, you're the King of Meta-cool. Seems like we share a taste for that sort of thing. I know Borges is a common influence, but I think this affectation pre-dates our knowledge of him. At least I think that's what I think.
I always blame The Monster at the End of this Book. That's like the gateway to metafiction for kids haha.
Meta-high five!
Meta-high five!
Steve wrote: "The only problem I can foresee is making a bookcase out of books. That might get confusing."
Or appropriately meta. :D
Or appropriately meta. :D
s.penkevich wrote: "I always blame The Monster at the End of this Book. That's like the gateway to metafiction for kids haha.
Meta-high five!"
You had a great review of that one, too. Of course, you had an excellent picture of an appreciative little reader that undoubtedly help sell it!
Meta-high five!"
You had a great review of that one, too. Of course, you had an excellent picture of an appreciative little reader that undoubtedly help sell it!
Sam wrote: "...there’s a chapter in the book about books about books. (It might be tempting someday to write a book about such books about books about books...
I kid :D Awesome review!"
Some day you're going to realize how sensitive I am to what you label as "kidding", Sam, but that I strongly suspect is a dig. Of course, I meta-kid. :-)
I kid :D Awesome review!"
Some day you're going to realize how sensitive I am to what you label as "kidding", Sam, but that I strongly suspect is a dig. Of course, I meta-kid. :-)
Madeleine wrote: "Steve wrote: "The only problem I can foresee is making a bookcase out of books. That might get confusing."
Or appropriately meta. :D"
Have we got a theme going here? You're so right, Madeleine.
Or appropriately meta. :D"
Have we got a theme going here? You're so right, Madeleine.
Your introduction is neither awkward nor inane. In fact, the whole review is infused with smart (view spoiler) remarks and aw shucks modesty. (This HTML stuff is addictive.)
Your review is entertaining and whets the appetite. I feel embarrassed that I've been seduced by e books because they are easier to carry and store. While I taught, I collected multiple copies of books which were written in and sticky noted tagged. Since my retirement and reading only for pleasure, my book shelves are no longer sagging. I underline and occasionally note on my devices, but it's not the same.
After reading a great book, I feel like buying the paper tome. I feel the guilt, again. In any case, I'd like to have a look at Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader.
After reading a great book, I feel like buying the paper tome. I feel the guilt, again. In any case, I'd like to have a look at Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader.
Gary wrote: "Your introduction is neither awkward nor inane. In fact, the whole review is infused with smart [spoilers removed] remarks and aw shucks modesty. (This HTML stuff is addictive.)"
Golly gee, Gary, I don't know what to say. "Aw shucks" sounds just about right, but that would be copying you.
Golly gee, Gary, I don't know what to say. "Aw shucks" sounds just about right, but that would be copying you.
Suzanne wrote: "Your review is entertaining and whets the appetite. I feel embarrassed that I've been seduced by e books because they are easier to carry and store. While I taught, I collected multiple copies of ..."
I think you'd like this one a lot, Suzanne. A former teacher of literature would certainly relate. Sounds like you were in her camp, too, when it comes to marginalia.
I think you'd like this one a lot, Suzanne. A former teacher of literature would certainly relate. Sounds like you were in her camp, too, when it comes to marginalia.
This was such a delightful book! It may be about Fadiman's passion for reading and books, but it's just as much about ours too. We see ourselves in the book. It's like seeing yourself on tv: "OMG that's me!"
Mark wrote: "I'm partial to the Datsun 720's manual myself, but this here's some damned fine readin!"
Thanks, Mark. I just put the Datsun 720 Manual on my list. I assume that the version you read covers both standard and automatic transmissions.
Thanks, Mark. I just put the Datsun 720 Manual on my list. I assume that the version you read covers both standard and automatic transmissions.
Cheryl wrote: "This was such a delightful book! It may be about Fadiman's passion for reading and books, but it's just as much about ours too. We see ourselves in the book. It's like seeing yourself on tv: "OMG t..."
Haha, yes, there were quite a few moments of self-recognition. It's good to see our tribe represented, isn't it?
Haha, yes, there were quite a few moments of self-recognition. It's good to see our tribe represented, isn't it?
Scribble wrote: "I can see Fadiman compiling a house from your reviews, Steve, while reading this one inside it :)"
Now there's an interesting twist. It's not quite "meta" is it -- maybe more something out of Godel, Escher, Bach. Thanks, Scribble! :-)
Now there's an interesting twist. It's not quite "meta" is it -- maybe more something out of Godel, Escher, Bach. Thanks, Scribble! :-)
Oh you know...pomo, meta...so uni-directional! Give me a little bit of non-linear aperiodic chaos anytime :)
Scribble wrote: "Oh you know...pomo, meta...so uni-directional! Give me a little bit of non-linear aperiodic chaos anytime :)"
:~)
(My non-linear nose is a tribute to your comment.)
:~)
(My non-linear nose is a tribute to your comment.)
Wow. Now, thanks to this review of this book about books on this site about reviews of books, I can say without shame: I am a carnal lover.
I love to underline, highlight, dog-ear, break spines, write in margins, etc. If that makes a book lover carnal, then a carnal lover am I.
I love to underline, highlight, dog-ear, break spines, write in margins, etc. If that makes a book lover carnal, then a carnal lover am I.
Sarah wrote: "Wow. Now, thanks to this review of this book about books on this site about reviews of books, I can say without shame: I am a carnal lover.
I love to underline, highlight, dog-ear, break spines, w..."
I don't want to presume too much, Sarah, but I'm guessing the books you pick up in the store tremble a little in anticipation of the excitement. :-)
I love to underline, highlight, dog-ear, break spines, w..."
I don't want to presume too much, Sarah, but I'm guessing the books you pick up in the store tremble a little in anticipation of the excitement. :-)
Some suggestions about books about books for anyone interested:
Reading In Bed(personal essay on the glories of reading) SteveGibraltar
Bookworms(great writers and readers celebrate reading) Laura Furman, Elinore Standard
Where The Book Falls Open (a reader's anthology of wit and passion) Bascove
Ruined By Reading-Lynne Sharon Scwartz
Leave Me Alone I'm Reading (finding and losing myself in books) Maureen Corrigan
So Many Books, So Little Time(a year of passionate reading)Sara Nelson
Rereadings (seventeen writers revisit books they love) Anne Fadiman
Afterwords (novelists on their novels) Thomas McCormack
Plus, look up Alberto Manguel books-he loves to write about reading
I hope these are fun and helpful
Reading In Bed(personal essay on the glories of reading) SteveGibraltar
Bookworms(great writers and readers celebrate reading) Laura Furman, Elinore Standard
Where The Book Falls Open (a reader's anthology of wit and passion) Bascove
Ruined By Reading-Lynne Sharon Scwartz
Leave Me Alone I'm Reading (finding and losing myself in books) Maureen Corrigan
So Many Books, So Little Time(a year of passionate reading)Sara Nelson
Rereadings (seventeen writers revisit books they love) Anne Fadiman
Afterwords (novelists on their novels) Thomas McCormack
Plus, look up Alberto Manguel books-he loves to write about reading
I hope these are fun and helpful
That's quite an impressive list, Stephen! Thanks for including it here. You must be a big bibliophilephile, too.
It's interesting to see Anne Fadiman's name show up again. Seeing her celebration of books in Ex Libris makes me especially curious about Rereadings.
Others I know about that might a separate category of "Books about lists of books" include:
The Top Ten: Writers Pick Their Favorite Books edited by J. Peder Zane
Books by Larry McMurtry
The Polysyllabic Spree and others in the same series by Nick Hornby
So do you have a favorite among the ones you listed, Stephen? They all look great.
It's interesting to see Anne Fadiman's name show up again. Seeing her celebration of books in Ex Libris makes me especially curious about Rereadings.
Others I know about that might a separate category of "Books about lists of books" include:
The Top Ten: Writers Pick Their Favorite Books edited by J. Peder Zane
Books by Larry McMurtry
The Polysyllabic Spree and others in the same series by Nick Hornby
So do you have a favorite among the ones you listed, Stephen? They all look great.
Thanks, Steve and Stephen! These are some promising lists that are making my bibliophilia squeal with joy.
Madeleine wrote: "Thanks, Steve and Stephen! These are some promising lists that are making my bibliophilia squeal with joy."
I plan on some added enjoyment from this myself, Madeleine.
BTW, how's the construction project going? Are you the general contractor?
I plan on some added enjoyment from this myself, Madeleine.
BTW, how's the construction project going? Are you the general contractor?
Steve wrote: "That's quite an impressive list, Stephen! Thanks for including it here. You must be a big bibliophilephile, too.
It's interesting to see Anne Fadiman's name show up again. Seeing her celebratio..."
Thanks for your list Steve. Yeah, I guess you could call it a bibliophile. Shelves in the living room, turned the back bedroom into floor to ceiling shelves. I pass or sit around books every day. When I'm almost done with a book the next one insists from the shelves they are read or reread next.
From my list Reading In Bed is my sentimental choice just because I read it a while ago and it opened me up to a new and different world. You can't go wrong with any of the anthologies, Steve. The breadth of contributing writers is astonishing. Enjoy, and Happy reading.
It's interesting to see Anne Fadiman's name show up again. Seeing her celebratio..."
Thanks for your list Steve. Yeah, I guess you could call it a bibliophile. Shelves in the living room, turned the back bedroom into floor to ceiling shelves. I pass or sit around books every day. When I'm almost done with a book the next one insists from the shelves they are read or reread next.
From my list Reading In Bed is my sentimental choice just because I read it a while ago and it opened me up to a new and different world. You can't go wrong with any of the anthologies, Steve. The breadth of contributing writers is astonishing. Enjoy, and Happy reading.
Madeleine wrote: "Thanks, Steve and Stephen! These are some promising lists that are making my bibliophilia squeal with joy."
I love the word, bibliophilia. Any one of these books I think will bring you great joy. Happy reading.
I love the word, bibliophilia. Any one of these books I think will bring you great joy. Happy reading.
Stephen wrote: "From my list Reading In Bed is my sentimental choice just because I read it a while ago and it opened me up to a new and different world. You can't go wrong with any of the anthologies, Steve. The breadth of contributing writers is astonishing. Enjoy, and Happy reading."
Thanks again, Stephen. The Steve Gibraltar selection looks very good.
May your bibliophilia be its own reward!
Thanks again, Stephen. The Steve Gibraltar selection looks very good.
May your bibliophilia be its own reward!
Steve wrote: "BTW, how's the construction project going? Are you the general contractor?"
Alas, my ambition is handicapped by my laziness. Also, my birthday drinking got a little ahead of me. But it'll happen. And there'll be photos when it happens.
Oh, there will be photos.
Alas, my ambition is handicapped by my laziness. Also, my birthday drinking got a little ahead of me. But it'll happen. And there'll be photos when it happens.
Oh, there will be photos.
Tee-hee. You metaman, you!
I could quite relate to:
"* The pleasure of buying 19 pounds worth of used books (as opposed to fungible new copies from big box stores)"
Absolutely; the best forays out to used stores are when you take your wheelbarrow along.
Furthermore, once there, it's so anxiety-causing to leave behind a potential bargain bc you either can't carry it all, or are not sure whether it might turn out to be a dud. Luckily most bookstore owners are prepared to put things aside for you so that you have time to look up on the internet whether they are duds or not.
I can't agree with her car-manual thingy though. Snob as I am, I want quality on my shelves! :P
I could quite relate to:
"* The pleasure of buying 19 pounds worth of used books (as opposed to fungible new copies from big box stores)"
Absolutely; the best forays out to used stores are when you take your wheelbarrow along.
Furthermore, once there, it's so anxiety-causing to leave behind a potential bargain bc you either can't carry it all, or are not sure whether it might turn out to be a dud. Luckily most bookstore owners are prepared to put things aside for you so that you have time to look up on the internet whether they are duds or not.
I can't agree with her car-manual thingy though. Snob as I am, I want quality on my shelves! :P
@Madeleine -- I can hardly wait to see the pictures. Oh, and happy belated birthday [glass-clink]!
@Traveller -- Bibliophilephilia is to be celebrated as you well know. My favorite wheelbarrow experience (not literally, but it was two armloads) was a charity book sale last year -- hardbacks $2, quality paperbacks $1. And not a single one of them was an owners' manual. :-)
@Kalliope -- Thank you! You're another booklover who would appreciate this one, I'm sure.
@Traveller -- Bibliophilephilia is to be celebrated as you well know. My favorite wheelbarrow experience (not literally, but it was two armloads) was a charity book sale last year -- hardbacks $2, quality paperbacks $1. And not a single one of them was an owners' manual. :-)
@Kalliope -- Thank you! You're another booklover who would appreciate this one, I'm sure.
Thanks Steve. I must have read this over a decade ago, and have not seen many people agree with my assessment of it since. Even on GR. <boo! />
I admit to being made uncomfortable at the mere thought that people can love books carnally. It challenged our relationship when I first caught my wife deliberately breaking the spine of a book, but we've grown beyond this (now, I just absent myself when I know she's spending time with a brand new book - fortunately she's always been a library-user rather than a book-buyer).
I admit to being made uncomfortable at the mere thought that people can love books carnally. It challenged our relationship when I first caught my wife deliberately breaking the spine of a book, but we've grown beyond this (now, I just absent myself when I know she's spending time with a brand new book - fortunately she's always been a library-user rather than a book-buyer).
Derek wrote: "Thanks Steve. I must have read this over a decade ago, and have not seen many people agree with my assessment of it since. Even on GR.
I admit to being made uncomfortable at the mere thought tha..."
I'm right there with you, Derek, both on the Fadiman book and spine breaking. It's good that you've found a way to get past your wife's habit.
I've taken to underlining and note-making, but nothing more. So what's that? First base maybe?
I admit to being made uncomfortable at the mere thought tha..."
I'm right there with you, Derek, both on the Fadiman book and spine breaking. It's good that you've found a way to get past your wife's habit.
I've taken to underlining and note-making, but nothing more. So what's that? First base maybe?
Sounds fun. I don't encounter the word "fungible" enough. Somebody in our Tax Office started using it recently. I prefer this context.
Haha, I'm glad to have at least beat the Tax Office in your preferences, Ian. My next goal will be the Motor Vehicle Registry (or your bureaucratic equivalent).