Softcover

ISBN 10: 014312420X ISBN 13: 9780143124207

Publisher: Penguin Books, 2013

An absolute must-read for anyone who loves books

In Closing Time, Joe Queenan shared how he became a voracious reader to escape a joyless childhood. Now, like many bibliophiles, he fears for the books that once saved him. In One for the Books, Queenan examines the entire culture of reading and what books really mean in people’s lives today. What does it suggest if a person has no books displayed in his living room? Can an obsession with reading prove detrimental to one’s well being? How useful are covers in selling books? Queenan’s many fans—as well as anyone who loves books and reading—will want to join him on his unforgettably funny and moving journey.

About the Author:

Joe Queenan is the author of nine books and writes the “Moving Targets” column for the Wall Street Journal. He lives in Tarrytown, New York.

Review:

"[Queenan's] passion for reading is infectious ... It’s so rare to hear such a heartfelt defense of books — it’s one of the most original works we read this year."
~New York Daily News (Best books of 2012)
 
"A celebration of literature, reading and the call of books from a stylish humorist who has a soft spot for Georges Simenon and a hard time with trendiness and 'astonishing' reviews."
~Kansas City Star (Top 100 books of 2012)
 
"A passionate, at times hilarious, account of a life spent reading and rereading."
~Minneapolis Star Tribune
  
"Queenan's goal isn't just to declare his love for books and to list particular books that he loves, but to suss out the customs of book lovers: to analyze what books mean to his friends and acquaintances (not to mention a few enemies), and how books forge or destroy friendships."
~Leah Price, San Francisco Chronicle