The Library Audiobook By Andrew Pettegree, Arthur der Weduwen cover art

The Library

A Fragile History

Preview

Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Library

By: Andrew Pettegree, Arthur der Weduwen
Narrated by: Sean Barrett
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $24.95

Buy for $24.95

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

Perfect for book lovers, this is a fascinating exploration of the history of libraries and the people who built them, from the ancient world to the digital age.

Famed across the known world, jealously guarded by private collectors, built up over centuries, destroyed in a single day, ornamented with gold leaf and frescoes, or filled with bean bags and children’s drawings - 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 rare manuscripts. In doing so, they reveal that while collections themselves are fragile, often falling into ruin within a few decades, the idea of the library has been remarkably resilient as each generation makes - and remakes - the institution anew.

Beautifully written and deeply researched, The Library is essential for booklovers, collectors, and anyone who has ever gotten blissfully lost in the stacks.

©2021 Andrew Pettegree, Arthur der Weduwen (P)2021 Basic Books
Civilization Home & Garden Library & Museum Studies Words, Language & Grammar Ancient History Library History
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Critic reviews

"What is a ‘library’? Is it a mute display of personal wealth and power, or of a humble devotion to God? A routine community resource, or a waste of taxpayers’ money? In The Library, we are led nimbly through the centuries, seeing how it has been all of these things and more, as the authors place on the shelf a cornucopia of bookish history." (Judith Flanders, author of A Place for Everything)

"A sweeping, absorbing history, deeply researched, of that extraordinary and enduring phenomenon: the library." (Richard Ovenden, University of Oxford)

What listeners say about The Library

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    38
  • 4 Stars
    12
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    35
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    7
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    34
  • 4 Stars
    9
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Woodworking inspiring

It is very informative and great listen as I build a Victorian Library for a client.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Stays on point

A well written history book. It was really interesting and informative but it's best feature was that it kept on point. Some history books can go off on tangents for too long, like biographies that get mired in all the details of WWII, but this book stayed focused on it's topic of books and libraries. Very good.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Interesting History

Great breakdown of the history and cultural significance of libraries throughout the course of history.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

All-Encompassing View of Libraries in Society

The authors compiled a thorough representation of exactly how libraries have been used throughout the centuries. This history makes clear that they fall into disrepair and disorder at every venture. Pettegree and Der Weduwen nobly document the rise and fall, rebirth and restructure of book culture to the modern day.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Terrible Narration

The story is fascinating and intriguing but the narrator sounds drunk! They slur words together making it difficult to understand. I’ve tried changing the speed to try to better understand what is being said but it’s too difficult to understand this narrator. Too bad because this is an important book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!