Indeed, the book comprises exactly what it says on the cover – tales for bibliophiles. And a delightful collection of tales at that, which a wide selection of readers is likely to find very interesting. The world of antiquarian book collectors – people who collect rare, very old, often very expensive books – is a rarefied space, not easily accessible to many. An Inky Parade is Pradeep’s (whose current focus, by his own admission, is on collecting Persian and Mughal manuscript miniatures) collection of personal, real-life stories about that world and he writes with an easy-going simplicity that invites you to be a part of his world of rare, valuable books – even if all you ever buy is the newest paperback bestsellers.
‘I could have hardly dreamt that those manic visits to private circulating
libraries and second-hand bookshops in Bangalore that I used to eagerly bicycle
to as a fierce reader in the 1970s would make me a bibliophile-writer and then
turn me into a book collector, immersing me into the rare book world,’ says
Pradeep in the preface to the book. He adds that antiquarian bookshops are
still hard to find in India and bemoans the lack of book auction houses,
‘serious’ book collectors and an adequately functioning rare book trade. An
Inky Parade, he tells us, comprises a collection of some of his own
previously published pieces and several new essays that have especially been
written for this book. And so here we have stories of the few antiquarian
bookshops that exist in India, notable collectors who have both the deep
pockets and the sheer knowledge that’s required to collect rare, very valuable,
very old books, reviews of books that are about books, book-related spoofs,
hoaxes and crimes, and the author’s own adventures in collecting books.
Over more than 300 pages, Pradeep writes about every element of bibliomania –
and the love for collecting books – that you could possibly imagine. And so,
you have stories of wily old book dealers, passionate collectors who are
keeping their love for rare, old books alive in the face of overwhelming odds,
the thrill of chasing a particularly desirable book that one wants to add to a
collection, and the things that can sometimes go wrong even for knowledgeable
collectors. There are also stories on the more technical aspects of valuable
books – things like colour, illuminating, handmade paper, calligraphy,
typography, printing techniques – interspersed with mini history lessons in
book printing and publishing, which book enthusiasts will lap up eagerly.
In addition to the antiquarian books themselves – which, of course, are the
stars of this show – the book is also liberally populated with very interesting
characters; booksellers, traders, collectors, craftsmen, scholars and other
bibliophiles. Each of these people have their own set of idiosyncrasies, their
own unique obsessions with buying, selling, preserving, restoring and
collecting books and their stories add to, and become one with, the author’s
own tales, adding a medley of flavours to the smorgasbord that is An Inky
Parade. In the appendix provided at the end, the author has also provided
an extensive list of suggested reading for those who may want to read more
antiquarian books and the art of buying and selling these treasures. It’s a
painstakingly compiled list of around 150 books and while most readers will
probably never get around to reading everything that’s on that list, it’s good
to at least have it as a ready reckoner.
Overall, An Inky Parade is a rich, diverse, very well-written and very
interesting selection of stories that bibliophiles – not just serious
collectors but also anyone who simply loves books – will definitely enjoy.
Highly recommended.
An Inky Parade: Tales for Bibliophiles is available on Amazon
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