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Living with Books
A varied and wonderful source of inspiration for all book lovers and collectors. Bookcases, bookshelves, entire more than simple storage spaces for books, these are unique decorative elements that reveal the personality and lifestyle of their owners. Home libraries are always personal and often evolving, whether they are specially created in a separate room or found in nooks and crannies all over the house, whether modern or traditional, whether clearly organized or a surreal mess.
In this book, Dominique Dupuich and Roland Beaufre lead a guided tour of the libraries of some passionate readers, organized by the type of book decorator (clean lines, structured); fashion designer (chic, glamorous); writer (cluttered, charming). . . .The book concludes with an invaluable catalogue of shelves, lighting, and accessories that will suit any kind of home library.
The Artist’s Library • The Decorator’s Library • The Designer’s Library • The Fashion Designer’s Library • The Writer’s Library • The Collector’s Library • The Journalist’s Library • and The Boss’s Library. 200 color photographs and illustrations
In this book, Dominique Dupuich and Roland Beaufre lead a guided tour of the libraries of some passionate readers, organized by the type of book decorator (clean lines, structured); fashion designer (chic, glamorous); writer (cluttered, charming). . . .The book concludes with an invaluable catalogue of shelves, lighting, and accessories that will suit any kind of home library.
The Artist’s Library • The Decorator’s Library • The Designer’s Library • The Fashion Designer’s Library • The Writer’s Library • The Collector’s Library • The Journalist’s Library • and The Boss’s Library. 200 color photographs and illustrations
192 pages, Hardcover
First published October 31, 2010
2 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 18, 2017
While there are a few wonderful libraries in here, about 80% of them could comfortably give a new title:
Living with Lamps,
Living with Boxes
Living with Chairs,
Living with Crap Everywhere,
Where's the Books,
Books in Bad Condition,
Some Designers ARE Dirty AND Lazy,
Crap Rooms,
Living in Squaler,
Treat Your Collection Like Shit!,
What's A Book.
Photographic Blowups So People Think You Own Books,
Some photos do not even have bookshelves.
Living with Lamps,
Living with Boxes
Living with Chairs,
Living with Crap Everywhere,
Where's the Books,
Books in Bad Condition,
Some Designers ARE Dirty AND Lazy,
Crap Rooms,
Living in Squaler,
Treat Your Collection Like Shit!,
What's A Book.
Photographic Blowups So People Think You Own Books,
Some photos do not even have bookshelves.
May 26, 2012
This book is terrible. I would not live with this book. I'd make it sleep in a box in the yard. Why do I feel this strongly? Well, the book is mostly a collection of other people's bookshelves, organized more or less by occupation, such as designers, authors, artists, fashion, etc. This should be excellent! Instead you're left with the idea that all of these people largely just make giant messy stacks of books on the floor, dining table, stairs, and any available surface. Sure, I'm sure lots of them do, but are these the individuals you want to focus on? There are virtually zero interesting ideas, and I kid you not, you'll be overwhelmed by the sheer number of piles of books just stacked on the floor, or placed on the nastiest, cheapest shelving, such as you'd find in your grandfathers basement. These citizens of the world, paragons of taste (if not virtue) enclose themselves in a pile of dirty books that makes you think you're reading the coffee table book for the cable show "Hoarders" (hello, A&E? Are you listening? People would buy that too)
February 17, 2013
Lots of glossy photos of other people's libraries, studies, reading rooms, etc. not as much diversity as I expected, but still enjoyable and inspirational to flip through.
November 20, 2024
Two point something stars rounded up to three stars.
I understand why this book gets its low ratings - as you look through nice photographs of shelves stuffed with books, you look at the actual books and they are unintetresting.
The collections were so banal.
Towards the end of the book, I read the text imagining it narrated by Robin Leech.
I understand why this book gets its low ratings - as you look through nice photographs of shelves stuffed with books, you look at the actual books and they are unintetresting.
The collections were so banal.
Towards the end of the book, I read the text imagining it narrated by Robin Leech.
November 9, 2018
Disappointed with the photos. 85-90% of them are haphazard messes that made me cringe. Books piling over on the floors going in all directions, books upon books on the shelves, (heavy books laid on lighter books). I understand these are real peoples' libraries but I just couldn't handle all that messiness with knick knacks and odd curiosities on the shelves with the books and papers mixed in between everything.
January 29, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up…I didn’t read this as much as browse through the photos. If you are a bibliophile who just likes looking at books, bookshelves and rooms of books, you might enjoy leafing through this. I don’t think it really is a decorating book because a lot of the collections were kind of haphazard and looked disorganized. I am happy to say I didn’t buy this book, but borrowed it from the library. I enjoyed looking at it, but I don’t regret not adding it to my own bookshelves.
March 30, 2024
A so-so coffee table style book with tons of photos of people's book collections. Some pictures are really interesting and others kind of having you scratching your head as to why exactly they were included. Something this book reminded me of is how much more common it used to be to see interior shots of homes that are messy, cluttered, and appear lived-in. Many of the shots in this book are like that and I loved it - it made the spaces seem authentic and there was so much to look at! It seems much more the style today to show off interior shots of homes that appear empty and unused (e.g., only one bowl of lemons on your kitchen counters? really?), and are really minimalist. Most of these people's spaces are eclectic and full of interesting and unique stuff. Fun book for a quick flip through if you like seeing how people store and live with their books. Definitely glad I picked it up from the library - not worth a purchase, in my opinion.
August 1, 2017
书室好、图片好、文字好！看得让我想自己的
January 9, 2022
I’m so grateful I borrowed this book from the library and didn’t buy it. There is very little here to please the eye or to inspire one. It fails even as a “cocktail table book”.
June 14, 2015
The book is divided into categories: Collectors, designers, interior designers, journalists... on and on. But some of the categorizations are suspect - one labeled a collector is more notable (and discussed) as an interior designer. An interior designer's space is notable more for his collecting hobby.
The prose is labored and lifeless. but I suppose stunning words aren't what we came for.
The interviews are interesting- some are just the right questions. E.g. "Where do you keep your books?" "How do you arrange them?" Some are a bit dull: "What would be your perfect library? Mine, but ten times bigger."
The photography is almost uniformly strong, and some (though not enough) design ideas are to be found (like opposing the bookshelf with a large mirror, so that those entering the room can see the books at two angles). It would have been more interesting if the design elements and rationale had been discussed more thoroughly. Saying that an artist's bookcase has "an air of affectation and mystery" (p 156) is all fine and good, but tell us what gives it that air, whether it was deliberate, and how the effect was achieved.
It would have been nice to see the collections of common people- not just the design/art-minded. Pure function would have been an interesting aspect to cover.
There are surprisingly frequent typos/errors in the text (188: "...you will find a bookcases there.").
Aha! I wrote this review as I read the book, and when I finished, I found an explanation for much of the problem: "Translated from the French..."
The translator was to blame.
Anyways, recommended for a 20-minute sifting-through at the library or bookstore, with a notepad for jotting down ideas.
The prose is labored and lifeless. but I suppose stunning words aren't what we came for.
The interviews are interesting- some are just the right questions. E.g. "Where do you keep your books?" "How do you arrange them?" Some are a bit dull: "What would be your perfect library? Mine, but ten times bigger."
The photography is almost uniformly strong, and some (though not enough) design ideas are to be found (like opposing the bookshelf with a large mirror, so that those entering the room can see the books at two angles). It would have been more interesting if the design elements and rationale had been discussed more thoroughly. Saying that an artist's bookcase has "an air of affectation and mystery" (p 156) is all fine and good, but tell us what gives it that air, whether it was deliberate, and how the effect was achieved.
It would have been nice to see the collections of common people- not just the design/art-minded. Pure function would have been an interesting aspect to cover.
There are surprisingly frequent typos/errors in the text (188: "...you will find a bookcases there.").
Aha! I wrote this review as I read the book, and when I finished, I found an explanation for much of the problem: "Translated from the French..."
The translator was to blame.
Anyways, recommended for a 20-minute sifting-through at the library or bookstore, with a notepad for jotting down ideas.
September 7, 2014
So so, topics are too focused on decoration.
November 23, 2014
Not very impressed with this. The photography is lovely, but the ideas are not new. Disappointed.
December 25, 2014
Disappointed with this book. No new ideas.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews