
On the Burning of Books
How Flames Fail to Destroy the Written Word
Kenneth Baker(Author)
Unicorn Press Ltd
Will be published approx. on 26. May 2016
Book
Hardback
272 pages
978-1-910787-11-3 (ISBN)
Description
In this revealingly illustrated book, the political sage Kenneth Baker records the many times throughout history when books have been burnt for political, religious, or personal reasons.
Reviews / Votes
"The torching of paper and boards may turn manuscripts and books into ashes, but as Baker shows, the words, thoughts, ideas, and feelings that censors hoped to destroy often live on, even gaining power. An illuminating and thought-provoking book about the role books have played in social turmoil." Booklist;"Kenneth baker's account of books burnt down the ages for political, religious or personal reasons is frighteningly pertinent and apposite...directly and devastatingly written" The Daily Mail Book of the Week;"This is a book which, as one eyes its lavish illustrations and dips into its elegant prose, looks as if it ought to come with an option to buy a cut-price John Lewis coffee table.On the Burning of Books is, in fact, much more than that. It wears its scholarship lightly. Bakers compendium of punchy, textual-pictorial examples covers the ground from Caliph Omar, destroyer of the Library of Alexandria, Goebbels s bibliocaust , Bomber Harris s fiery raids on Leipsig and Dresden, and the Bradford protestors who tied a copy of The Satanic Verses to a stake and tried to incinerate it. It charred, but did not burn. A symbol, some might say." The Spectator; "I so admire Kenneth, a truly go-ahead former education secretary; and to have produced (at 81) this inspiring history, testament to the brave and raspberry to intolerance, is magnificent." Matthew Parris -The Times;"On the Burning of Books: How Flames Fail to Destroy the Written Word is an informative book on a hot topic...In essence, Bakers is a superior sort of coffee-table book" New Statesman;"Why have Harry Potter, Superman and Animal Farm all been put to the flame? Former Home Secretary Kenneth Baker illuminates the strange history of book-burning..." Mail on Sunday; "Richly illustrated and printed on high quality art paper, this book is a delectable treat for lovers of literature, history and many other disciplines besides." Journal of the Commonwealth Lawyers' AssociationMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Unicorn Publishing Group
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
Illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 246 mm
Width: 168 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
975 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-910787-11-3 (9781910787113)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
05/2016
Unicorn
€7.19
Available for download
Person
Kenneth Baker, Baron Baker of Dorking, CH, PC is a British politician and a former Conservative MP, having served in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Education and as Home Secretary. He has previously written two books: George III: A Life in Caricature and George IV: A Life in Caricature.