"A book that seems long overdue. As the former longtime libraries curator for the National Trust, Purcell is singularly qualified to discuss these troves."--Adrian Higgins, Washington Post "Full of rich, lavish photos of both ornate and simple libraries in Irish and English country houses. Purcell's expertise is vast . Anyone interested in libraries and books will treasure this elegant book."-- Kirkus Reviews ("The 2017 Kirkus Gift Book Guide") "A beautiful volume, sumptuously illustrated . If you combined Downton Abbey with books about books, this would be the delightful result."--Rebecca Rego Barry, Fine Books and Collections "[A] thoughtful and lavishly illustrated examination"--Art Lichtenstein, Booklist "Purcell meticulously portrays dozens of libraries .

each sentence has been deliberated at length and is packed with meaning . [A] gorgeous volume."--Henrietta Verma, Library Journal "A fine introduction to an important part of book history"--John Edwards, SHARP News.