The Lost Gutenberg

The Astounding Story of One Book's Five-Hundred-Year Odyssey

By: Margaret Leslie Davis

Narrated by: Coleen Marlo

Length: 6 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

“A lively tale of historical innovation, the thrill of the bibliophile’s hunt, greed and betrayal.” (The New York Times Book Review)

"An addictive and engaging look at the ‘competitive, catty and slightly angst-ridden’ heart of the world of book collecting.” (The Houston Chronicle)

The never-before-told story of one extremely rare copy of the Gutenberg Bible, and its impact on the lives of the fanatical few who were lucky enough to own it.

For rare-book collectors, an original copy of the Gutenberg Bible - of which there are fewer than 50 in existence - represents the ultimate prize. Here, Margaret Leslie Davis recounts five centuries in the life of one copy, from its creation by Johannes Gutenberg, through the hands of monks, an earl, the Worcestershire sauce king, and a nuclear physicist to its ultimate resting place, in a steel vault in Tokyo. Estelle Doheny, the first woman collector to add the book to her library and its last private owner, tipped the Bible onto a trajectory that forever changed our understanding of the first mechanically printed book.

The Lost Gutenberg draws listeners into this incredible saga, immersing them in the lust for beauty, prestige, and knowledge that this rarest of books sparked in its owners. Exploring books as objects of obsession across centuries, this is a must-listen for history buffs, book collectors, seekers of hidden treasures, and anyone who has ever craved a remarkable book - and its untold stories.

©2019 Margaret Leslie Davis (P)2019 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"The remarkable tale of 'Number 45,' one of the finest copies of the Gutenberg Bible in existence... Davis does a fine job telling a fascinating story that touches on the origin of books, the passion of collectors, the unseen world of rare-book dealers, and the lives of the super-rich, past and present. A great read for any book lover.” (Kirkus, starred review)

“A gripping, well-researched account of the importance of books as cultural artifacts and of one particular work that transformed the world, as well as the lives of those who owned a copy, that will appeal especially to bibliophiles.” (Library Journal)

“The Lost Gutenberg has two protagonists: a singularly beautiful copy of the Gutenberg Bible - known as #45 - and the California heiress who emerged from scandal to chase it. Along the way, Davis takes in the larger-than-life stories of the aristocrats, libertines, billionaires, and bibliomaniacs who all competed to own this unique piece of literary history. A fascinating exploration of the shifting value we place on rare books, and the shifting wealth and power of those who hunt them.” (Michael Blanding, New York Times best-selling author of The Map Thief: The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps)

“A lively tale of historical innovation, the thrill of the bibliophile’s hunt, greed and betrayal.” (The New York Times Book Review)

Spare me

The notion that E. Doheny is this amazing, astute, and intrepid book collector is laughable. I found myself disgusted when she asks her husband, “Honey, will you buy me a Gutenberg Bible?”, before she even knew what book collecting even was. Rich and clueless but has all the resources because she is screwing a rich guy. All of these wealthy bastards being described with all of this credit for their collections is nauseating. If I had all the money in the world I could buy a pretty badass book collection too, without any other credit being given to me. Paraphrasing- “And with that purchase Doheney earned her claim to stand amongst the greatest book collectors the world had ever known.” Give me a break...

A fascinating story about a masterpiece!

For those who collect books or love books this is the story of the quintessential acquisition. the irony in the world of valuable collecting is that the acquisition ceases to be about knowledge but about the quest itself.

EXCELLENT ON ALL COUNTS!

As the recipient of a Cochlear Implant I listen to audio books for enjoyment as well as "hearing practice." The narrator is exceptional. I listened at 85 percent speed and found that most comfortable. Thank you for another fine presentation!

Distracting narration, disjointed tenses

The most annoying part of this experience was the Inconsistent pronunciation of the word LibRary, also sometimes known as Libary. This is a word that comes up a great deal in this book about book collecting, so the tic is particularly distracting. Otherwise, the narration was fine.

The actual story was interesting – learning about the various stops on the Bible’s long trip was engaging and fun – but had some odd editorial decisions. The en medius res beginning, coupled with a looseness of tenses (the majority of the book is written in present tense, though sometimes the past tense is used) made the chronology confusing, especially with dates mentioned so infrequently.

Overall, mildly disappointed.