The Library: A Fragile History

A history of libraries and the people who built them, from the ancient world to the digital age

“Engaging [and] ambitious” (The Washington Post)

The history of the library is rich, varied, and stuffed full of incident. In The Library, historians Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen introduce us to the antiquarians and philanthropists who shaped the world’s great collections, trace the rise and fall of literary tastes, and reveal the high crimes and misdemeanors committed in pursuit of r...