The Book-Hunter at Home

A collection of affectionate, anecdotal essays by a bibliophile that blends practical advice, humorous recollection, and reflection on the pleasures of collecting. The author recounts bargain hunts and lost opportunities, discusses the formation and arrangement of a domestic library, and gives detailed guidance on the care, handling, and conservation of books. He advocates specialist collecting, examines the romantic and chivalrous impulses that drive collectors, and punctuates sober counsel with wry observations about dealers, auctions, and bookish personalities. Chapters mix memoir, practical instruction, and bibliographic notes, offering fellow enthusiasts both consolation for common vexations and concrete strategies for assembling and preserving a private collection.