The Inaugural Books About Books Book Awards

I love a good end-of-the-year book awards list or “best of” feature. They’re great, but they often have many of the same titles on them. It’s rare to find a site or list that has a truly unique take on books, which is a shame. There are sooooo many books published each year that we need more niche lists. Maybe they’re out there, and I’m bad at finding them. But one thing I feel pretty confident about is that there are no “best of” lists solely dedicated to the world of books about books. Well, folks… it’s time to change that… so welcome to the inaugural Books About Books Book Awards. It’s a totally subjective list of books that I hope will pique your interest in the titles enough that you will seek them out.

Here are the ground rules I set for myself for this 2023 book awards list:

• I have to have read the book.
• The book must have been published in 2023.

That’s it. Pretty simple. So let’s get started.

Best Book About Book Culture and Industry

The Art of Libromancy: On Selling Books and Reading Books in the Twenty-first Century
by Josh Cook
Published by Biblioasis
Cover design by Michel Vrana
I ran across this book on Instagram and, after reading the first ten pages, realized that all of the online chatter was worthwhile. Cook is a bookseller and has thought about every aspect of bookselling. He’s looked at the profession and book industry from every angle and considered every implication of the ideas he puts forward. That’s something refreshing with Cook’s writing; he has a clearly articulated opinion. There are plenty of bookseller memoir-type books out there. Most of them are funny and sentimental. The Art of Libromancy is earnest and solid. Even if you disagree with the conclusions and ideas in this book, they are so refreshing, clear-eyed, and heartfelt that you will be glad you spent some time listening to Josh Cook.

Best Book About Book History

The Book at War: How Reading Shaped Conflict and Conflict Shaped Reading
by Andrew Pettegree
Published by Basic Books
Cover design by Chin-Yee Lai
I wound up liking this one much more than I thought I would. Pettegree does a fair job of keeping things from getting too academic (dry) and too showy with the research (offputting). What this book does really well is give context to the books that were read, the books that were shipped around and how the book world was rocked by WWII. This book is much more about reading and ideas than it is about the physical book. I really appreciated the photos and color inserts as well. Plus, it has nice big type. It covers everything from history, war, art, politics, and culture. The Book at War is a welcome addition to my shelves, and I bet you or someone you know would enjoy reading it.

Best Bookish Profile

The Curse of the Marquis de Sade: A Notorious Scoundrel, a Mythical Manuscript, and the Biggest Scandal in Literary History
by Joel Warner
Published by Crown
Book design by Simon M. Sullivan
Warner’s book was released early in 2023 but seemed to gain more and more attention as the year went on. At first, I thought I was going to pass on this one as I was sure all of the attention was simply due to the horrific nature of the story and the salacious facts surrounding the Marquis de Sade.
While Warner does briefly point to the wretched content that was written on the scroll, Warner’s book is more about understanding how the book came about, who supported it, and how these writings are still around today (the curse angle surrounding the actual scroll is a fun thread as well).

Best Gift Book

Stories of Books and Libraries
Edited by Jane Holloway
Published by Everyman’s Pocket Classic
Cover design by Carol Devine and Janet Hansen
This is a lovely book that is just the right size and scratches all of the itches that any book lover might have. The book is a great collection of long and short, sappy and practical, fanciful, and real-world book stories. There are monks, librarians, armies, and readers from all over the world. I bet that (as a reader of this blog) you’ll know half of the authors. And the other half will be welcome additions to your reading. It’s a great book to leave by the bedside or in a guest room. This would make a great gift to any book lover you know.

What did I miss for this first list of Books About Books Book Awards?
I think I need to pay better attention in 2024 as I would like to add:
Best Book About Book Collecting
Best Book About Book Design
Is there a category that should be added? Was there a book that I should have read and considered?

And then the coveted Books About Books Book of the Year (hey, a blogger can dream, right?) Anyway, that’s a post for tomorrow!

So cheers! Happy New Year!
I hope your 2023 was full of great reads and that your 2024 TBR list is shaping up to be just as fun.