2025-11-08
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A book found in Prague

Here it is: A History of English Literature by Arthur Compton-Rickett,
which I found in a secondhand bookshop while visiting Prague (Czech
Republic) for a work-related project some time ago. Among the very few
English titles on the shelves, it caught my eye, promising to
accompany me in exploring Albion's literary heritage. I had meant to
read it for a while, and after it gathered some dust on my shelf, I
finally picked it up.

Since the book appears to be in the public domain, it can be easily
accessed online, although I much prefer the printed version. In this
case, it's an especially nice hard-back edition published in 1933. You
can tell the difference just by feeling the texture of the paper under
your fingers. It's one of the reasons printed books will always have
their place; it's about the experience -- the look, the feel, even the
smell -- so a book is not merely a carrier of content but an object of
craftsmanship and art that no digital device can ever replace.