author
Arthur Lee Humphreys
1865–1946
A book-loving writer and bookseller, he turned his passion for libraries, local history, and old printed treasures into lively, useful works for curious readers. His books range from practical advice for private collectors to studies of Somerset, antique maps, and literary history.
1 Audiobook
The Private Library What We Do Know, What We Don't Know, What We Ought to Know About Our Books
by Arthur Lee Humphreys
About the author
Arthur Lee Humphreys was an English bookseller, publisher, author, and local historian active from the late 19th into the early 20th century. Records describing him connect his work with bookselling and publishing as well as historical research, and library catalogs show a wide range of subjects under his name, including book collecting, county bibliography, antique maps, and Somerset history.
His writing often grew out of a deep interest in the life of books themselves. Works such as The Private Library and Piccadilly Bookmen show a writer who cared not only about texts, but also about collectors, publishers, and the culture surrounding books. Other titles point to his strong antiquarian side, especially his studies of parishes, maps, and regional history.
That mix of practical knowledge and historical curiosity makes his work especially appealing today. He wrote for readers who enjoyed learning how books were made, kept, gathered, and remembered, and his subjects still speak to anyone drawn to libraries, old editions, and the stories hidden behind them.