Library: An Unquiet History Summary

The book, Library: An Unquiet History, by Mathew Battles, discusses the history of libraries and books and how they have shaped the way, we as people have advanced throughout history. The destruction of books throughout history has been pretty common. The dozens of political brawls and genocides in history of mankind have proved that books are a sign of freedom that isn't seen highly by war mongering generals and power hungry dictators. Yet, Battles repeatedly explains that although history hasn't been the kindest to libraries and the people they serve, somehow, the creation and organization that libraries have created, persistently escapes mortality, to help create a new era of peace among the people.
The book opens by using a quote of a …show more content…
For example, the Library of Alexandria has been one of the most important information keepers in history. All visitors had their books and scrolls and documents confiscated to be copied and even kept to expand the library's database. The library suffered multiple fires and destruction in its lifetime. The library saw civil wars and conquerors and survived all of them, and although the library's final fate is debated among historians, the Library of Alexandria saw extinction including its entirety of human knowledge. However, even if the library wasn't in modern history and only played a part in a short span of humanity's history, the library's legacy has continued today. Another example, the Nazi book burnings which were during WWII in response to the Jews as a way to control them, meant a lot of books were destroyed. The burnings were not ordered by Joseph Goebbals, but rather a pro-Nazi student group behind the bonfires (even though Goebbals' encouraged the book burnings. The Nazis had lists of forbidden books that was deemed dangerous to Hitler's …show more content…
Even though the book does has trouble to not stray from its story line, and in history where libraries haven't done the best of job to advance society into a forward movement. Rather humanity staying at a slow pace for a long time. Mathew Battles argument that libraries have been important to humanity has been proven. Battles has thoroughly explained that mankind's response to libraries hasn't always been one that has been kind but has been met with fire and hatred to the idea of shared knowledge amongst all. In the end, libraries and the books in them have proved to people that no matter what happens in the end, somehow, people will continue to protect them and keep them for years to