Review by mirasreviews for The Care and Feeding of Books Old and New: A Simple Repair Manual for Book Lovers
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Margot Rosenberg and Bern Markowitz wrote “The Care and Feeding of Books Old and New” after repeatedly being queried by their customers on how to care for old books. The couple owned Dog Lovers Bookshop in Manhattan (now on the web), which specialized in the literature of dogs, including many old and esoteric volumes. Inspired by basic handbooks for new dog owners, they set out to write a common sense guide to book ownership that covered routine care and basic first aid. In that, they have largely succeeded. This book would be a useful and much appreciated addition to the collection of any reader who isn’t an expert, but is interested in keeping his or her books in top shape through preventive measures and minor repairs. It’s a fantastic help for anyone who frequently purchases secondhand books that would benefit from a little clean-up. The book starts out with an explanation of the common household products, as well as some specialized products, that will be of use to you in maintaining and repairing books. Then the authors talk about conditions which pose a threat to books -mold, insects, water, dirt, etc.- and what you can do to remedy the damage. There is a chapter on cleaning books and a chapter on repairing them. Both chapters address all parts of the book, including dust jackets. Most of the advice is for hardback books, but some of it applies equally to paperbacks. The discussion of book repair includes a section on professional bookbinding in case your book’s affliction is beyond the scope of an amateur. There is a lengthy and informative interview with John Landau, owner of Find Binding and expert bibliopegist. The authors go on to recommend the best ways to handle, store and protect books. And this guide to book ownership concludes with some fun ideas on how to promote the good care of books, followed by a glossary of terms, an amusing list of words pertaining to books whose root is “biblio”, recommendations for further reading, a list of suppliers, organizations that offer classes in book arts, and, finally, a little travel guide for those who want to walk “a bibliomaniac’s Manhattan mile”. I’m giving “The Care and Feeding of Books Old and New” five stars because it contains so much useful information, presented in a humorous tone at a jaunty pace. I have one reservation about the book, however: It would benefit tremendously from some illustrations. A diagram of a book’s “anatomy” with parts labeled would make it so much easier to understand instructions, as would a few additional illustrations of the more complex repairs. The absence of any illustrations sometimes seems like a major oversight. But I’m sure that book lovers will find a lot to like and to use in this little guide. And it would make a thoughtful gift for any amateur bibliophile.

Review by for The Care and Feeding of Books Old and New: A Simple Repair Manual for Book Lovers
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This is a wonderful reference book for all book lovers and collectors. It has great tips for maintaining, repairing and storing books. It included a lot of information I had to glean from dealers over the years, such as: creating a book press to flatten warped books, how to choose a public storage unit so as to best protect your books, how to repair books when the pages are coming out, dealing with humidity, removing odors from books, etc. I suspect that this book will be in print for decades. Its a very “real world” book and is written simply, not bogged down with antiquarian terms. It also has a great bibliography and list of online resources. The only negative things I can say about this book is that I got tired of hearing about the dogs (the authors run a bookstore devoted to all things canine) and that not enough information was given about the special considerations of vintage paperbacks. Overall, an indispensable book for the “everyman” book collector.

Review by J. Guild for The Care and Feeding of Books Old and New: A Simple Repair Manual for Book Lovers
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This book got my attention when I saw it in a bookstore.As I have done some minor book repairing,I bought it without looking at it too closely;thinking one can always learn something new.This book is extremely elementary and a relaxing read; if you don’t let the “dog talk” annoy you too much.

Some of the few books I’ve seen on basic care and repair of books;are the books by Jane Greenfield,referenced on page 152.I feel they still are the books that cover the subject best.The rest of the material in this book is okay for someone who is just beginning to look into “books on books”;but again it is extremely superficial.

I am also surprised that “A Passion For Books”,by Rabinowitz and Kaplan was not mentioned;one of the best I’ve read.

Like I said,a very elementary book on books.It might serve the purpose for a collector just starting or for a Librocubicularist.*

*Reads in bed