“It’s clear within a few pages of [the new book]The Library: A World History that there will be no place in this survey of libraries for the one I grew up visiting. A shame. Palmers Green library in Enfield had an impeccable selection of plastic-backed Quantum Leap novels, plus all the TinTins. But it was never pretty …
The Observer’s Tom Lamont recalls his childhood days in last weekend’s book reviews.