I have a bookcase, which is what many much better men have not.
There are no books inside, for books, I am afraid might spoil its looks

-Henry Cuyler Bunner

It was suggested I read Henry Petroski’s The Book on the Bookshelf, Ó 1999, Alfred A. Knopf. It was at first glance, a meticulous academic study written by a Duke University Engineering Professor about the history and development of bookshelves. One would think the author had too much time on his hands or was the recepitant a federal grant.

On a more detailed reading, one finds that the evolution of this humble piece of furniture is inseparably linked, not only to books, but also to learning and to civilization. In a matter-of-fact style, the author explores how society has treated its books. In doing so, he strengthens our understanding of the development of printing and the early hand-copied manuscripts.

Take for example, why the side of a book opposite the spine became know as the “fore-edge” or “face.” In contemporary bookshelves the spine of the book faces out, complete with identification. On ancient library shelves the spine was inserted first!

The primary reason had to do with the chains that attached the books to the shelves. Books were expensive. Library books were permanently on reserve, for in-house use only. The chain that was affixed to the spine could be pulled through the shelf and the book examined on a slopping stand below the shelf called a “lectern.” These lecterns more closely resembled church pews than shelves. Slanted racks held the books at an angle suitable for reading before a bench-like seat provided for the “comfort” of the reader.

The analogy is made that this is much like the slope of the laptop computer’s screen today. Early libraries had books widely separated to allow for the chains or the books were storied on their sides on the lectern. This arraignment was better for decorated bindings and jewel-covered bindings.

Book stacking through the ages occupies the author’s attention for several pages. A seemly exhaustive examination of ancient engravings and woodcuts shows complete disorder in the personal libraries of historical personalities. The engravings showed horizontal stacking and shelves that looked like an accumulation of V’s N’s, W’s and M’s

When valuable private libraries were not used they were usually locked away in trunk-like cases called “armaria” or “armoires.” These protective storage units could be stacked on their sides and the doors could be opened and shut like a wardrobe. Glass-doored armoires gave book lovers a chance to show off their wealth of books, or presumed knowledge, and still maintain the security.

The open, unchained bookshelf took years to evolve. A hint is made of a conspiracy between a home designer of the 1950’s and book publishers. Someone thought that if homes had built in bookshelves people would be persuaded to buy books to fill the shelves. Was television, the alleged archenemy of reading and culture in on the plot as well? The author doesn’t say, but calls our attention to how often producers use bookcase filled libraries as backdrops for interviews and talk shows.

There is an abundance of bibliomaniacal trivia that accumulates between the covers of this book.

• There are three pages devoted to everything you never thought about dealing with bookends.
  
  
• Martha Stewart gives instructions for removing a book from the shelf. There have been numerous modern and ancient devices invented to remove the book from the shelf for you.
  
  
• Charles Goodyear’s completely rubber book is introduced when the discussion gets to shelf lining.
  
  
• The doored bookshelf was originally called a “press” not to be confused with the printing kind.
  
  
• Dust jackets when removed from books allow for 2.5% more books to be placed on shelves.
  
  
• Every possible scheme for book cataloging and arrangement is discussed in detail.
  

These trivial details in Petroski’s work are like the books on bookshelves themselves. They don’t stand alone very well, but when standing on end and packed together in vertical file they fill the space nicely.