Abstract:
Biblioholism, the habitual longing to purchase, read, store, admire, and consume books in excess, creeps in like a fog. It starts by reading for enjoyment and satisfaction. Sparked by astute epigrams and stories about book collectors, Paul A. Hays become a bibliophile, with the long-range possibility of becoming a bibliomanic. This book tells about his quest to learn more about books: selecting, fondling, buying, reading, collecting, writing, lending, stealing, publishing, storing, and their future. The subjects range over 13 centuries in Europe and the United States.