The Book-Hunter A New Edition, with a Memoir of the Author

About this book

The Book‑Hunter is a scholarly treatise on the art and habit of collecting books, presented in a single volume that combines a systematic exploration of the bibliophile’s nature, functions, and clubs with a biographical memoir of its author, John Hill Burton. The work opens with a publisher’s note explaining that the edition has been prepared from Burton’s own copy, incorporating minor emendations and a new memoir contributed by his widow. A detailed contents list follows, outlining four parts that move from the “Vision of Mighty Book‑Hunters” through the roles of collectors, scholars, and librarians, to the structure of book clubs and a catalogue of club literature. The memoir then begins with an extensive account of Burton’s early life in Aberdeen, his family background, and the formative experiences that shaped his later historical and literary pursuits.

Written in a formal, Victorian prose style, the text reflects the erudition of a 19th‑century scholar who blends personal anecdote with exhaustive classification. Its tone is both didactic and conversational, offering occasional witty asides while maintaining a measured, scholarly voice. Readers with a keen interest in the history of bibliography, the culture of literary societies, or the personal story of a Scottish historian will find the book rewarding; it especially appeals to collectors, librarians, and anyone fascinated by the social dimensions of book‑loving in the nineteenth century.