If you are planning a trip to Colonial Williamsburg, this is the book to have! It includes detailed drawings of each building, shop, tavern, and official hotels in the historic area. This book tells about each point of interest and ticket options. If you want to read up about the historic area before or after your trip, buy this book you won't regret it

The contemporary books we buy today fill many categories, and while they may be special for a variety of reasons, their mass production that condemns them to a comparatively brief life, also is the cause of how visually dismal they are.

There are some small private presses that still produce books as artisans, some even completely by hand, but the product is often well beyond the budgets of all but affluent collectors. Reading a work by Dickens is undeniably a thrill, but even Dickens believed his books were enhanced with imagery, so artists were part of his books, fellow craftsmen he chose to compliment his tales.

This book by Michael Olmert is for people who love books for not just what they contain, but the manner in which they were presented. Mr. Olmert also provides a very readable history of books from long before Guttenberg printed his Bible, from a time when a book was done by hand, every letter, every stitch.

This book presents some of the greatest rarities that have been preserved, so while you may covet a Book Of Hours, A Book Of Kells, or an illuminated page that rivals the art placed on canvas, your savings are safe. This is "The Smithsonian Book Of Books" so nobody can take any of these treasures home.

Mr. Olmert states, "The book is perhaps humankind's most powerful intellectual creation". A rather daring claim, but this book backs it well.

Olmert's choppy writing style and tangents make this book completely undesirable. The text always seems to stray away from what the reader would expect and WANT. For instance, being a major baseball fan, I went straight to that section upon opening the book. However, all that is there is an explanation of the term "texas leaguer" (not something even die-hard baseball fans really care about - I mean c'mon, don't be TOO specific).

If you are interested in one particular subject, then this book is a good starting place for scholars that can use the bibliographical references. Olmert's style of writing is easy to understand and he offers the reader a wealth of interesting tidbits. For those who love trivia, this book is for you.

Michael Olmert provides an entertaining and educational glimpse into the history of everyday events and items. As a student of his I found his writing unique and inspiring, this book is a must have.