"Viscerally delightful: get it for yourself, give it as a gift, keep it close by as a dopamine-boosting alternative to scrolling through your phone."
–Vanity Fair
This fascinating and bizarre collection compiles the most unusual, obscure books from the far reaches of the human imagination throughout history.
From the author of the critically acclaimed bestsellers The Phantom Atlas and The Sky Atlas comes a unique and beautifully illustrated journey through the history of literature. The Madman's Library delves into its darkest territories to hunt down the oddest books and manuscripts ever written, uncovering the intriguing stories behind their creation.
Books written in blood and books that kill, books of the insane and books that hoaxed the globe, books invisible to the naked eye and books so long they could destroy the Universe, books worn into battle and books of code and cypher whose secrets remain undiscovered. Spell books, alchemist scrolls, wearable books, edible books, books to summon demons, books written by ghosts, and more all come together in the most curiously strange library imaginable. From the Qur'an written in the blood of Saddam Hussein, to the gorgeously decorated fifteenth-century lawsuit filed by the Devil against Jesus, to the most enormous book ever created, The Madman's Library features many long-forgotten, eccentric, and extraordinary volumes gathered from around the world and features hundreds of remarkable images and entertaining facts and stories to discover.
- A CABINET OF LITERARY CURIOSITIES: From books written in blood and coded manuscripts to spell books, miniature volumes, hoaxes, and other bizarre creations, this richly illustrated collection gathers some of the strangest objects ever to take book form.
- OBSCURE HISTORY AT ITS MOST ENTERTAINING: Each extraordinary item comes with the story behind its creation, revealing the eccentric people, unusual beliefs, and historical circumstances that produced it.
- PACKED WITH REMARKABLE IMAGES: Hundreds of photographs and illustrations turn the book into a visual tour of rare manuscripts, unusual artifacts, and extraordinary volumes from around the world.
- FROM A SPECIALIST IN THE STRANGE: Rare-book collector and bestselling author Edward Brooke-Hitching brings the same eye for forgotten history and visual oddity found in The Phantom Atlas and The Sky Atlas.
- A PERFECT GIFT FOR CURIOUS BOOK PEOPLE: Made for bibliophiles, literature lovers, collectors, and readers fascinated by obscure history, the macabre, and beautifully weird things.
"Bursts with life—from its eye-catching dust jacket to its gorgeous endpapers to its vibrant illustrations throughout—and it delivers exactly what it promises: cryptic books, literary hoaxes, and all manner of bookish oddities. The Madman’s Library is nothing short of spectacular."
—Fine Books Magazine
"In this lavishly illustrated volume, book lover and collector Brooke-Hitching takes readers on a magical tour of eccentric, beautiful books, both the well-known and the unfamiliar. . . . a feast"
—Library Journal
"Viscerally delightful: get it for yourself, give it as a gift, keep it close by as a dopamine-boosting alternative to scrolling through your phone."
–Vanity Fair