Author Discusses his Love of Rare Books

How does someone become a rare book collector?  Charlie Lovett’s interest began when he saw his father collecting old and rare copies of Robinson Crusoe.  That sparked a fascination in books that led Charlie to eventually become a rare book dealer, and today, a published author. His new novel, The Bookman’s Tale, weaves together stories and history—from Shakespearian London to today’s North Carolina.  It begins with the main character, Peter Byerly, finding a mysterious literary relic that takes him on an adventure.   WABE’s John Lemley began this interview by asking Lovett, ‘what is so alluring about the simple, tangible, book?’