The Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève, Paris (2012) - Limited Edition # 2 of 3 Photograph

“Congratulations on the new library, because it isn’t just a library,” wrote Isaac Asimov in a letter sent to celebrate the 1971 opening of Troy, Missouri’s new library. “It is a space ship that will take you to the farthest reaches of the Universe, a time machine that will take you to the far past and the far future, a teacher that knows more than any human being, a friend that will amuse you and console you---and most of all, a gateway, to a better and happier and more useful life.” Affirming the sentiments of these words, House of Books brings together a visual compendium of these literary portals, each space selected for its distinct grandeur, reflective of the fantastic, complex beauty contained within its shelves. In the rhythmic reiteration of minute multi-colored volumes that recede into an unknowable vanishing point, the architecture of knowledge takes its shape; the dizzying vastness of the interiors even come to resemble, in many instances, the control room of a space shuttle, perfect testaments to Asimov’s vivid metaphor.