Although passion can be understood as devotion or adoration towards someone or something – and in fact the Royal Spanish Academy establishes the terms “fierce”, “fondness” and even “love” as synonyms – it is also defined as suffering, as a “disorder or disordered affection of the mind”. Passion therefore represents an ambivalence of meanings that the ancient Greeks already observed: a powerful and at the same time dangerous force that they associated with eros and desire. Aristotle spoke of the “purification” or “purification” of passions – primarily fear and compassion – through catharsis in the viewer of a tragedy and through feeling relief to achieve a state of balance and purification. But what attitudes and actions occur until moderation arrives? Are there passions that are better or worse than others? How far should one obey her?
The Italian essayist Antonio Castronuovo, in his Dictionary of the Bibliomaniac (Edhasa), examines some emotions, excesses and exaggerated inclinations, which in this case have to do with the passion for books. Apparently, book lovers have their own set of inclinations, to which the author gives a name and description. In this sense, and taking into account the symptoms that the passionate subject may suffer, the author opens a new chapter in bibliomania, which he calls bibliopathology.
From A to Z and with more than 200 entries, a constantly evolving typology is presented. Necrobibliophoria, for example, focuses on “the desire to take books to the grave.” This is the case of the French writer Raymonde Linossier, who was buried with a copy of the ballet “Les Bitches” by the composer and passionate bibliophile Francis Poulenc. The strange thing is that the request did not come from the young woman, but from the musician in love, who also openly preferred male company. Another condition is bibliotaphy, which manifests itself in those who “buy books only to hide them and prevent others from enjoying them.” Attempting to visit their libraries can lead to the breakup of any relationship. Furthermore, they are related to the themes that Castronuovo points out in his article “Protective Obsession”. The guardians of these books are so suspicious that they render their own copies unusable. Better kept than lost or damaged.
Authoritarians don’t like that
The practice of professional and critical journalism is a mainstay of democracy. That is why it bothers those who believe that they are the owners of the truth.
Thus, with an ironic and sometimes humorous tone, always precise in the description and justification with quotations and anecdotes from the entire history of the book, the Italian author addresses not only the well-known morbidities that brought bibliophilia, bibliomania, bibliolatry and bibliophagy, but also those other pathologies in which he wonders whether one should be ashamed or proud of one’s own “disease”. Ultimately, it’s not a medical diagnosis for anyone, but rather a way to celebrate the most unspeakable vices and obsessions as inevitable – and even laugh a little about them.
Bibliomaniac’s Dictionary
Author: Antonio Castronuovo
Genre: Dictionary
Other works by the author: Bibliopathies, bibliomanias and other literal evils
Publisher: Edhasa, $43,500
Translation: Diego Bigongiari
About The Author
