Books that Mention Books

I have read three books that mention books. These are not ordinary books. These books provide the reader with special abilities. The three titles that I have read that mention these special books are The Diamond Age, by Neal Stephenson, The Chronicles of Narnia, by C. S. Lewis, and The Book of Dragons, which is written by Edith Nesbit.

These titles were read in the in the order in which they were mentioned. I will start with my current reading, the mention of the book in The Book of Dragons.

Lionel, the boy King had wandered in a library that was full of books, not realizing that all the books in this library were his (Lionel had just became king). These books were purchased by his great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, grandfather. His ministers insisted that he not touch or read any the books in this library in that they supposed the books to be magic in some way.

Lionel insisted that he wouldn’t touch any of the books in the library, except one he had spied his eyes upon. It was a great brown book that lay on the study table. “It had gold patterns on brown leather, and gold clasps with turquoises and rubies in the twists of them, and gold corners, so that the leather should not wear too quickly.”

The book was entitled “The Book of Beasts” and inside the book were images of all types of creatures. Some of the creatures were common creatures like the butterfly with its “many-colored wings on the yellow old page of the book”, or the shining bird with its blue feathers; while others were creatures that might have been found in some fantasy story, like the red dragon, the Manticora the sworn enemy of the dragon, and the Hippogrith with its pure white mane and kindly eyes.

This book was special and held magical qualities. As one opened the book to these creatures the creatures would become animated and alive and fly out of the book to cause delight as was the case of the blue bird, butterfly, and the Hippogrith; or as with the red dragon and Manticora trouble and desolation.

I shall like to know of other books that mention books.