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The Lost Gutenberg

The Astounding Story of One Book's Five-Hundred-Year Odyssey

By (author) Margaret Leslie Davis
Format: Hardback
Publisher: Atlantic Books, London, United Kingdom
Published: 6th Jun 2019
Dimensions: w 165mm h 240mm d 30mm
Weight: 625g
ISBN-10: 1786497638
ISBN-13: 9781786497635
Barcode No: 9781786497635
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Synopsis
'An entertaining and insightful human story of obsession about books.' Daily Telegraph 'A lively tale of historical innovation, the thrill of the bibliophile's hunt, greed and betrayal.' New York Times The never-before-told story of one extremely rare copy of the Gutenberg Bible, and its impact on the lives of the fanatical few who were lucky enough to own it. For rare book collectors, an original copy of the Gutenberg Bible - there are only forty-six in existence - is the undisputed gem of any collection. The Lost Gutenberg recounts five centuries in the life of one particular copy of the Bible from its very creation by Johannes Gutenberg in Mainz, Germany, to its ultimate resting place, in a steel vault under the protection of the Japanese government. Margaret Leslie Davis draws readers into this incredible saga, inviting them into the colourful lives of each of its fanatic collectors along the way. Exploring books as objects of desire across centuries, Davis will leave readers not only with a broader understanding of the culture of rare book collectors, but with a deeper awareness of the importance of books in our world.

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Newspapers & Magazines
A thrilling page turner * Daily Mail * An entertaining and insightful human story of obsession about books, and a telling examination of what inspires those who catch the collecting bug. -- Peter Stanford * Daily Telegraph * A lively tale of historical innovation, the thrill of the bibliophile's hunt, greed and betrayal. * New York Times * Davis makes bibliographic history utterly page-turning and absorbing... Brilliantly told * Booklist (starred review) * The remarkable tale of "Number 45", one of the finest copies of the Gutenberg Bible in existence... Davis does a fine job telling a fascinating story that touches on the origin of books, the passion of collectors, the unseen world of rare-book dealers, and the lives of the super-rich, past and present. * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) * A gripping, well-researched account of the importance of books as cultural artifacts and of one particular work that transformed the world, as well as the lives of those who owned a copy. * Library Journal * A fascinating exploration of the shifting value we place on rare books, and the shifting wealth and power of those who hunt them. -- Michael Blanding, bestselling author of The Map Thief Bibliophiles love books, and none more than the book collector's dream of dreams, a Gutenberg Bible. Davis writes not just with skill but also with sympathy and even love. A richly informative and deeply moving story. -- Jack Miles, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of God: A Biography A spellbinding read, and Margaret Leslie Davis is a damn good storyteller. -- Noel Riley Fitch, author of Sylvia Beach Davis records the history of this book with enthusiasm and attention to detail. * History Today * Fascinating... An engaging analysis of bibliomania which also throws light on commercial and investment history in Britain and America. * Church Times *