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For some years I have been interested in the literature of book-collecting, especially in the form of the bookish short story which originated in France more than a century ago, with the publication of Charles Nodier’s “Le Bibliomane.” I have translated a score of these tales for bibliophiles, from the French, German, and Italian. Certain book lovers have taken an interest in these analyses of typical though imaginary collectors, and I have been encouraged to continue the work of collecting and translating these tales.

Stefan Zweig, one of Europe’s foremost men of letters, who is also well-known as a collector of books and autographs, has written several very charming pieces in which he has shown his keen appreciation of the psychology of the bibliophile. With Mr. Zweig’s kind permission I have translated these delightful tales and prefaced them with his “Books Are the Gateway to the World,” and, as an epilogue, I have added his “Thanks to Books.”

Two of these contributions are clothed in the form of fiction—“The Old-book Peddler” and “The Invisible Collection.” To my thinking the four contributions have much more unity than one might expect. I only hope that readers of the collection will enjoy their flavor and philosophy as much as I enjoyed turning them into English. I wish to thank my friend and colleague, Professor Werner Leopold, for his kind help in some of this work.

Theodore W. Koch

The Charles Deering Library

Northwestern University

June, 1937