Not a lot of people could not read back in yesteryear. Reading was something to be desired, but few had the skill. Those who did, treasured it and read to others who could not. People who had more than one book were considered the top of the heap educationally. If you had a bunch of books, you were the academic king of the hill.
Families who had as many books as seen in the picture were truly rich. Many of the books were published in England or France. If they were printed in America, they were probably printed in Philadelphia or Boston. However, New York City was publishing some books to. To have lots of books and display them in as elegantly as shown in the photo was a real blessing. God has blessed us today with so many books that they are a liability in the home as far as space is concerned. They are given away, thrown away, and sold cheap......not back then.
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