The Beautiful Bibliophile by Jane Mount – this year’s best Christmas gift for booklovers
Video Review
Book Review
Bibliophile: An Illustrated Miscellany - Jane Mount
A love letter to all things bookish. Vibrant handdrawn illustrations bring to life knowledge about literary people, fictional meals, beautiful bookstores, and most of all lovingly curated stacks of beautiful book covers. It's a must have for every books. Chronicle, 2018.
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Hey look, I’ve found this year’s best gift for all your book-loving friends! And of course, for you to treat yourself to as well.
The book in question is Bibliophile by Jane Mount, and it is absolutely adorable! Jane is an American illustrator who is best known for her previous book My Ideal Bookshelf and accompanying website, where she paints illustrations of shelves of books that have changed people’s lives. This new book of hers is accurately described as “a love-letter to all things bookish” and it is sure to bring joy to warm the hearts of bibliophiles everywhere.
Reading the book is like cozying up with one of your closest book buddies in a gorgeous library to share literary stories. It is filled with Jane’s signature illustrations of piles of books that you know and love, bringing to life carefully curated lists of favourite books in many different genres, from picture books, to fantasy, to historical fiction, to book club darlings. She even has a pile of the books she is most often asked to paint (To Kill a Mockingbird wins out here, with Harry Potter books coming in a close second).
There are profiles of bookish folks, paintings of delightful bookstores and striking libraries from around the world, adorable bookstore cats, and even a fun quizzes. Although I found you can also make your own fun game in looking through the illustrations to find editions that you have in your own library.
A peek inside the book…
Jane says in the introduction that her goal is to triple the size of your ‘To Be Read’ pile, and I am sure she will accomplish this and more for her readers. I have been poring over the illustrated piles with much glee. I thoroughly recommend this one!
Also worth a quick mention here are some complementary treats released by the publisher, including gorgeous notecards, postcards, and some cute ceramic containers and bookends.
2021 update: A second book in this series has been released called Bibliophile: Diverse Spines.
2025 update: A very fun advent calendar and reading journal!
Related Fun Stuff
Bibliophile Advent Calendar for Booklovers
Based on Jane Mount's lovely Bibliophile books and artwork, the calendar includes 24 adorably illustrated miniature books with reading reflection prompts and trivia, a mini keepsake journal to record your answers, and an internal “bookshelf” to display them. There's even a 25th‑day reader's gift surprise. Chronicle Books, 2025.
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Book Club Journal
A literary journal packed with bookish art and inspiration to record, remember, and rank all the titles your book club reads. Chronicle, 2025.
➤ Find it at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Bibliophile Ceramics
Decorative ceramic bookends and vases for booklovers, designed by Jane Mount.
➤ Find them at Amazon
Literary Notepad
A handy chunky 400-page notepad, encased in a cloth “cover” with foil stamping that makes it look like a small book. Chronicle, 2022.
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Bibliophile: Diverse Spines - Jamise Harper & Jane Mount
Intended to uplift the works of authors who are often underrepresented in the literary world. Includes dozens of themed illustrated book stacks (Classics, Contemporary Fiction, Mysteries, Cookbooks, and more) with an emphasis on authors of color and authors from diverse cultural backgrounds; a look inside beloved bookstores owned by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color; and reading recommendations from leading BIPOC literary influencers. Chronicle, 2021.
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Bibliophile Postcards
A collection of 50 different postcards that feature book stacks, literary icons, libraries, authors, and more. Chronicle, 2019.
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Bibliophile Notes
A collection of 20 different notecards and envelopes with lovingly curated bookstacks. Chronicle, 2017.
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My Ideal Bookshelf - Jane Mount & Thessaly La Force
Leading cultural figures share the books that matter to the most, which are illustrated by whimsical books stacks painted by Jane Mount. Contributors include Malcolm Gladwell, Thomas Keller, Michael Chabon, Alice Waters, James Patterson, Maira Kalman, Judd Apatow, Chuck Klosterman, Miranda July, Alex Ross, Nancy Pearl, David Chang, Patti Smith, Jennifer Egan, and Dave Eggers, and more. Chronicle, 2012.
➤ Find it at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
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