On the burning of books

This historical overview explores the dark but resilient relationship between literature and destruction. Written by former British politician Kenneth Baker, the book examines the numerous instances throughout history where regimes, religious authorities, and individuals attempted to wipe out ideas by literally setting them on fire.
Rather than focusing purely on the tragedy of censorship, Baker presents an optimistic look at how these actions ultimately fail. He walks the reader through various motivations behind book burning—ranging from ideological cleansing to personal spite—while illustrating how the written word consistently finds a way to survive, outlast its oppressors, and preserve human knowledge. The text is highly engaging and heavily supplemented with visual artifacts and photography.