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But I Want To Hold It In My Hand! Print Resources
Fadiman, Anne. Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1998. ISBN 0-374-14860-0. $16.00. Purchase from Amazon.com.
This slim volume, a simple compilation of essays from Anne Fadiman's "Common Reader" column in Civilization magazine, comes complete with its own, blank, built-in bookplate just waiting for the imprint of its new owner. Fortunately, there is little "common" about Fadiman's writing, as her own love of books, words and writing shines through on nearly every page. Topics range from the wry "Marrying Libraries," dealing with the decision to combine her own with her husband's book collections, to "Insert a Caret," a description of her family's compulsive proofreading habit. True bibliophiles will set down this volume with a sense of regret at its brevity, balanced with a deep sense of contentment at encountering a kindred spirit. Take some time out to remember one of the reasons you got into the library profession, and meet a fellow lover of the written word.