In this blog post, I’ll discuss the history of books, the passion of book lovers, and provide commentary on the three stories featured in this book.
The History of Books and the Art of Printing
The history of books goes back a very long way. Even before the art of metal-type printing became widely known in the West, the “Papyrus of Ebers”—recognized as the world’s first medical text—was written on papyrus in ancient Egypt around 3500 BCE. This book is an artifact discovered in Egypt in 1873 by Professor Georg Ebers of Germany.
In the East as well, medical texts such as the ‘Sushruta Samhita’, written by Sushruta in ancient India, exist and convey records dating back approximately 2,600 years. While the Western invention of movable-type printing by Gutenberg (1397–1468) and his “42-line Bible” (1450–1455) are commonly regarded as the origins of printing, the history of printing and movable type actually developed independently in various regions.
In Korea, for example, printing technology had already advanced significantly during the Goryeo and Joseon periods. The metal typefaces used in the early Joseon period—including the Gye-mi type (1403), Gyeong-ja type (1420), Cho-ju Gap-in type (1434), Byeong-jin type (1436), Gyeong-o type (1450), Eul-hae type (1455), and Eul-yu type (1465)—were used to publish a wide variety of books. In particular, the ‘Jikji’ (直指), published in 1377, has attracted worldwide attention due to its excellence and is housed in the National Library of France in Paris.
Beautiful Books
Books are classified in various ways based on their form and production methods, including first editions, deluxe editions, limited editions, old prints, historical manuscripts, rare books, illustrated books, oversized editions, and miniature editions (rice-grain-sized books). These classifications are related to the physical characteristics of the book (paper quality, binding, typeface, etc.), its rarity, and its artistic excellence.
The three most frequently cited examples of beautiful books in the West are as follows. First, ‘The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer’, published by William Morris in 1896. Second, ‘The English Bible’, jointly published by Golden Sanderson and Emery Walker from 1903 to 1905. Third, ‘Tutte le Opere Di Dante Alighieri’, published by Hornby of the United Kingdom in 1909. These books have been recognized for their artistic excellence in design, printing, and binding.
Among Korea’s traditional beautifully printed books, three works stand out in particular. The first is ‘Oryun Haengsil-do’, published in 1797 by royal decree of King Jeongjo, featuring illustrations by Danwon Kim Hong-do and printed in both Hangul and Chinese characters using metal movable type (Jeongri-ja). Second is the ‘Buddha’s Teaching on the Great Gratitude of Parents’ (‘Bulseol Daebobomu Eunjunggyeong’), published in 1795 at Yongju Temple in Hwasa, Gyeonggi Province; this is a Hangul woodblock print featuring illustrations by Danwon Kim Hong-do. Third is the edition of John Bunyan’s ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’, translated by the missionary couple Mr. and Mrs. Gale and illustrated by Kim Jun-geun, published in 1895 by the Wonsan Mission Society.
Stories of Book Lovers and Commentary on the Three Works
We refer to people who love and collect books as book lovers, avid readers, book collectors, or bibliophiles. When their passion is particularly intense, we use expressions such as “bookworm,” “book-mad,” or “book-crazy.” These individuals derive great pleasure from the very act of collecting books and will travel great distances to acquire rare volumes.
The three essays included in this book all explore the world of “book fanatics.” Each story portrays, in its own way, the obsession and affection for books and collecting, as well as the tragedies and moving moments that result from them.
The first piece, “The Legacy of Sigismund,” is a representative short story from the collection ‘Contes pour les Bibliophiles’ (1895) by the French author Octave Uzanne (1852–1931). This work follows in the tradition of Charles Nodier, a pioneer of Romanticism, and is notably accompanied by illustrations by the French painter Albert Robida.
At the heart of the story are the bibliophile Raoul Guimard and the late bibliophile Jules Sigismond. The gold-leaf calfskin-bound volumes, exquisite Moroccan-leather-bound editions, rare books, first editions, and unique copies that Sigismond had collected during his lifetime become the subject of competition among Guimard and others. However, Sigismond left a will stating, “The sale of the book collection is prohibited under any circumstances,” and designated his cousin, Miss Eleanor Stephanie Pulseri Sigismond, as his sole heir.
Gyumar strives to get his hands on those books by any means necessary but fails to achieve his goal. Ultimately, he proposes to a young woman nine years his senior and of unattractive appearance, hoping to acquire the collection through marriage. After the marriage contract is finalized and the wedding takes place, he receives the key to the library from his bride—only to discover, in an ironic twist, that all the books have already been devoured by bookworms.
This work satirically depicts the madness and obsession of a collector, as well as the futility born of materialized desires. The sentence in the conclusion—“The bibliophile collapsed onto a pile of hollow book covers, lost consciousness, and bid farewell to this world while still clinging to some book”—concise reveals one aspect of bibliophiles.
The second piece, “The Story of a Book Lover,” was written by Gustave Flaubert (1821–1880) when he was fifteen years old. It tells the story of Giacomo (or Joaquino), the owner of a used bookstore in Barcelona, who loves books not as mere objects but as objects of sensory pleasure and affection.
Whenever Giacomo picks up a book, he savors everything—the feel of the paper, the cover, the typeface, the ink, and even the colophon—and even after placing it on the bookshelf, he gazes at its title and form for a long time. He treats the book’s scent, shape, and title itself as objects of love, and when he looks at a book, he stares at it with such intensity that it seems as if he might devour it. His obsession is described with a poignancy comparable to the love of a lover or the greed for wealth.
One day, Giacomo sells a manuscript copy of ‘The Turkish Chronicle’ for 600 pistoles and, upon hearing news of a legendary artifact called ‘The Vision of Saint Michael’, sets out to purchase it. He is repeatedly outbid by competitors at the auction, but finally wins the bid for the only existing copy of a book printed in Spain; however, a series of tragic events ensues, including being falsely accused of arson. The work depicts an obsession with a unique manuscript and the catastrophe that results from it.
There is a similar true story. Records show that in 1836 in Spain, a priest named Don Vicente, unable to acquire a rare book he desired at a book auction, flew into a rage and murdered ten people present at the scene. At his trial, it was revealed that he had a prior record of arson committed over a book, and he was reportedly sentenced to death. Such cases clearly demonstrate how dangerous an obsession with unique or rare books can be.
The third essay, “The Invisible Collection,” is a work by the Austrian Jewish author Stefan Zweig (1881–1942). It recounts the moving experience of the owner of a large antiquarian bookstore in Berlin who visited a blind collector. Zweig concludes by reflecting on the old adage, “Collectors are happy people.”
These three works depict bibliophilia in distinct tones. The stories, which blend madness, tragedy, and human warmth, consistently show how “the love of books” shapes life and destiny.
A person with bibliophilia is also called a bibliomaniac (Bibliomanie). For a long time, there has been a saying that “if you are mad about books, you would even trade your beloved concubine for them,” and legends and proverbs warning against or satirizing an excessive obsession with books have been passed down across various cultures.
For example, the anecdote about Zhu Daoshao from the Ming Dynasty in China is an extreme example. It is said that he offered up his own concubine in order to obtain a woodblock-printed edition. One day, after seeing a woodblock-printed copy of the ‘Book of the Later Han’ at someone else’s home and coveting it, Zhu Daoshao found that the owner would not sell it no matter how much he raised the price. Finally, he said, “Then I will give you my concubine,” and the owner accepted the offer, resulting in an exchange of the book for the concubine. The concubine, who was to leave, left a poem expressing her affection on the wall before departing, and it is said that Zhu Daoshao, overcome with deep grief, passed away not long after.
In France, there is a proverb that says, “Women, books, and horses are not to be lent,” and in the East, a custom known as the “Three Fools” (三癡) has been passed down among readers, warning against borrowing or lending books. The “Three Fools” means that “it is foolish to ask someone to lend you a book, it is foolish to lend a book to someone else, and it is foolish to return a borrowed book.”
Because of these customs and proverbs, a man named Wu Zhanzheng in ancient China built a loft in the middle of his family’s pond to store tens of thousands of books. He installed a single-plank bridge so that only he could enter and exit, and at night, he would retract the bridge to keep guests out. It is said that he posted a sign on the door of his attic that read, “No guests are allowed in the attic, and books are not lent to others (樓不延客 書不借人).”
Such an obsession with books manifests in various forms, regardless of culture or era. These three stories and numerous anecdotes vividly illustrate the beauty, danger, and sometimes even the sorrow that arise from a love of and obsession with books.
