Non-fiction - Books about books - Christchurch City LibrariesLike this list

14 items

• The Bookseller at the End of the World

  Shaw, Ruth, (Bookseller)

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  Way down in Fiordland, in the remote village of Manapōuri, you probably wouldn’t expect to find two bookshops, and you certainly wouldn’t expect the owner to have her own stories to tell. Days after an interview with Kim Hill, Ruth Shaw…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Bad-ass Librarians of Timbuktu

  and Their Race to Save the World's Most Precious Manuscripts

  Hammer, Joshua, 1957-

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  'The Bad-ass Librarians of Timbuktu' is the story of Abdel Kader Haidara, an archivist determined to save precious Arab texts from deterioration in the bags of local shepherds, and more imminently, from the destruction of Al Qaeda. A…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Diary of a Bookseller

  Bythell, Shaun

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  Shaun Bythell's hilarious diary charts a year in the life of the largest second-hand bookshop in Scotland. It is one of the ultimate books about books, packed with stories of eccentric book buyers, sound book recommendations, and accounts…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Index, a History of the

  a Bookish Adventure

  Duncan, Dennis (Dennis J. B.)

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  In this perfectly titled book, Dennis Duncan shines a spotlight on the humble map that helps us navigate nonfiction books – the index. You would be forgiven for thinking that an academic history of the index would be a dull topic but this…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Bookseller's Tale

  Latham, Martin

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  Martin Latham’s passion for books is palpable and it’s hard not to get swept up with his excitement as he shares anecdotes and attempts to understand our obsession with books. Latham is also very interested in shining a light on the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• 84 Charing Cross Road

  Hanff, Helene, 1916-1997

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  These enchanting letters between outgoing ‘poor writer’ Helen Hanff and reclusive antiquarian book-seller Frank Doyle chart the platonic love affair between these two very different individuals and of course, their mutual love for books.…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Library Book

  Orlean, Susan, 1955-

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  In 1986, a fire devastated the Los Angeles public library, destroying over 400,000 books. Susan Orlean’s explores the mystery as to whether the fire was accidental or purposely started. Along the way, she lovingly unpacks the fascinating…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Library

  a Catalogue of Wonders

  Kells, Stuart

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  In this exquisite and highly entertaining ode to libraries, Stuart Kells celebrates renowned collections from the Alexandria library to the invented library of Middle Earth. There are the personal libraries of icons such as Alexander…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Bookshops

  Carrión, Jorge, 1976-

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  Travel the world through its bookshops - from Strand Book Store in New York to Shakespeare & co in Paris. Jorge Carrion unfolds an exquisite narrative of literary anecdotes, and book shop history, while exploring the power of book stores…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Shakespeare Saved My Life

  Ten Years in Solitary With the Bard

  Bates, Laura

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  The true story of how Larry Newton - convicted murderer with a record for multiple attempts at escape - and Laura Bates - prison volunteer offering a programme to teach Shakespeare - had their lives transformed by the Bard. This powerful…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• When Books Went to War

  the Stories That Helped Us Win World War II

  Manning, Molly Guptill, 1980-

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  The Nazi regime burned over 100 million books during World War II, and American publishers, librarians and the War Department responded by forming the Council on Books in Wartime. Molly Guptill Manning’s account tells the story of the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Dark Archives

  a Librarian's Investigation Into the Science and History of Books Bound in Human Skin

  Rosenbloom, Megan, 1981-

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  For the morbid and macabre bibliophiles out there, Dark Archives is an inquiry into anthropomorphic bibliopegy – books bound in human skin. Megan Rosenbloom is an active figure in the death-positivity movement, along with being a librarian…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Toni Morrison Book Club

  Bennett, Juda, 1955-

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  In this deeply moving and personal memoir, four professors from different walks of life come together to read the works of Toni Morrison. Along the way their own unique stories of coming out, tackling everyday racism, and more are mirrored…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Catalogue of Shipwrecked Books

  Young Columbus and the Quest for a Universal Library

  Wilson-Lee, Edward

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  Wilson-Lee unpacks the tale of Hernando, son of Christopher Columbus, who sought to surpass his father’s achievements by creating a universal library of over 15,000 titles. From voyages with his father as a 13-year-old boy, to his almost…Read moreRead more of this annotation