A History of Bibliographies of Bibliographies

"A History of Bibliographies of Bibliographies" by Archer Taylor is a journey through the world of books about books, specifically focusing on bibliographies. The story unfolds as a historical exploration, mainly from the mid-20th century, that highlights the importance and creation of lists that catalog other lists—bibliographies of bibliographies. Key figures, like St. Jerome, Conrad Gesner, and Philip Labbé, are discussed, and the book discusses these people’s contributions, showcasing not just what they did but also how they did it, and places their work in a historical context. The author puts a highlight on how the organization and classification are vital to showing the importance of bibliographies as a scholarly field. It is a tale of how cataloging catalogs became a valuable intellectual pursuit.