Books of beauty long gone…but why?

This is a question, which is often asked - why are books no longer made with such effort and beauty. Well, there is a valid reason for this…

Long ago, reading 📖 was for only the elite, and scholars. The market for millions of books, did not exist.
If one wanted to read, a teacher (who was highly regarded, in those days…), would be sought, to teach the elite.

The elite would then, show off this status, by reading beautifully-bound books 📕 in all sorts of spaces - on the train, in restaurants, while walking in the park with their parasol ☂️ umbrellas.

Men would show off their knowledge at male only clubs - discussing with brandy and a cigar; being seen with a book at knowledge fairs and to be seen engrossed in a book or surrounded by millions of books for the attainment of knowledge… was the thing to do.

Used as a status symbol, books of beauty were very much appreciated - highly sort after and seen as a tier to which people seeking validation and acceptance from others, automatically chose to acquire.

It is not that publishers cannot make books of beauty, it is that the making of such quality books, is time-consuming beyond belief.

Such books were made by incredibly talented artisans, who painstakingly slaved over every word - illustration - font - binding and embellishment.

Collecting the most beautiful books or having them on your person, was seen as valuable…as valuable as wearing a necklace of diamonds and precious jewels 💎 …
And then, if you could entertain others at garden parties and to-do events by reading 📖the prose, poems and love sonnets - you had an upper edge in society.

Women would swoon to the most eligible bachelor, and to be seen in the company of such a person, would be valuable. It could set you up for life; it would be certain to put you in all the right circles for status elevation and longevity.

Dukes, Duchesses, Earls, Counts and whatever other hierarchical title one could associate with one’s character was validated… all because a book of beauty, knowledge and substance came into being.

And then we say, the book has no value in our society now?

On the contrary, the book made society and the people in it - the ranks and titles we chase and the circles ⭕️ we enviably find ourselves gravitating toward… is all because of the humble book 📖 …where knowledge was valued, sought after and dominated the world 🌏 of progress.