As Steve Jobs unveils his mysterious tablet, and the latest generation of Kindle offers longer battery life and free book samples, the bookshelf is in danger of losing its prestige and Borgesian cachet.
Not so fast. If ever an argument against the Kindle could be made, it would be made gazing up at the mezzanine of the "great room" at 1 West 67th Street, the legendary Hotel des Artistes. The custom oak, double-height bookcases are home to a 2,500-volume library-your Kindle can hold only 1,500.
At 205 West 57th Street, the wall of books at one end of the living room crests toward you like a literary wave. "The owners of the apartment are readers. They love books and have unique first editions; it's a real collection," broker Paula Del Nunzio said of the owners of her listing. The floor-to-ceiling bookshelf that constitutes one entire wall is repeated on the other side of the apartment, a butterfly-wing arrangement allowing for twice the library volume.
"Everyone who visits the apartment loves the bookshelves," Ms. Del Nunzio added. "Which is so interesting at a time when everything is on the Web. I think people do like the tactile feel of the book." - Chloe Malle
