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hcq's review
3.0
This is an old, and old-fashioned book, which is not a bad thing. The style suits the subject—an essentially crazed English book-collector of the 19th century.
I bought it because I’m interested in books and book collecting, but it quickly became clear that Sir Thomas was more of what would today be considered a hoarder. I’ve read a lot about the disorder, and so many of the elements are scarily recognizable. I felt awful for his poor, long-suffering family, as he begrudged his wife and daughters money for clothes and even food, while simultaneously cramming their (very large) house with books.
Visitors’ descriptions of the house will be completely familiar to anyone who’s read any of the hoarding literature; entire rooms rendered unusable because they’re packed so full of boxes, threaded with pathways, etc. Shudder.
The book discussions were very interesting. I didn't know much about collecting in the 19th century (other than having heard of the really famous dealers, like Quaritch). To take one example, I’d never considered the effects the French Revolution and the attacks on the nobility would have had on the book market, but of course they were enormous.
Admittedly, I buy books to read, while Sir Thomas was mainly interested in ancient manuscripts and historical papers (he was particularly interested in local history, deeds, etc.). This did improve my vocabulary; he was particularly interested in cartularies, which I’d never heard of before.
But, fundamentally, Sir Thomas came off as a complete jerk. He was selfish, rude, mean, horrible to his family and absolutely terrible to do business with, the kind of guy who demanded credit but wouldn’t extend it, etc. He also seems to have had an almost total lack of self-awareness; he’d insult someone horribly, and then be surprised when they wouldn’t give him something he wanted. It’s a bit odd, because in my experience book people tend to be pretty nice, and books about books often convey that sense of geniality and generosity of spirit, but this guy was clearly an exception.
In the epilogue the author tries to say, “Well, he couldn’t have been as bad in real life as he comes off in print,” but I’m not so sure. In the end he throws up his hands and concludes that Sir Thomas was, perhaps, “not utterly unlovable?”
What a terrible way to be remembered.
I bought it because I’m interested in books and book collecting, but it quickly became clear that Sir Thomas was more of what would today be considered a hoarder. I’ve read a lot about the disorder, and so many of the elements are scarily recognizable. I felt awful for his poor, long-suffering family, as he begrudged his wife and daughters money for clothes and even food, while simultaneously cramming their (very large) house with books.
Visitors’ descriptions of the house will be completely familiar to anyone who’s read any of the hoarding literature; entire rooms rendered unusable because they’re packed so full of boxes, threaded with pathways, etc. Shudder.
The book discussions were very interesting. I didn't know much about collecting in the 19th century (other than having heard of the really famous dealers, like Quaritch). To take one example, I’d never considered the effects the French Revolution and the attacks on the nobility would have had on the book market, but of course they were enormous.
Admittedly, I buy books to read, while Sir Thomas was mainly interested in ancient manuscripts and historical papers (he was particularly interested in local history, deeds, etc.). This did improve my vocabulary; he was particularly interested in cartularies, which I’d never heard of before.
But, fundamentally, Sir Thomas came off as a complete jerk. He was selfish, rude, mean, horrible to his family and absolutely terrible to do business with, the kind of guy who demanded credit but wouldn’t extend it, etc. He also seems to have had an almost total lack of self-awareness; he’d insult someone horribly, and then be surprised when they wouldn’t give him something he wanted. It’s a bit odd, because in my experience book people tend to be pretty nice, and books about books often convey that sense of geniality and generosity of spirit, but this guy was clearly an exception.
In the epilogue the author tries to say, “Well, he couldn’t have been as bad in real life as he comes off in print,” but I’m not so sure. In the end he throws up his hands and concludes that Sir Thomas was, perhaps, “not utterly unlovable?”
What a terrible way to be remembered.
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