What would our lives be like if there were no libraries and no actors?

Robert Tanitch reviews two books:

IMPROBABLE LIBRARIES by Alex Johnson (Thames & Hudson £14.95). One of the depressing things for people of our generation is to see how many public libraries are closing.

But this little and charming book shows, with some delightful photographs, taken from all over the world, how libraries and librarians are rethinking their strategies.

Books are being brought to the public in new, amazing, clever and amusing ways. Anybody who loves books will be fascinated and cheered up.

THE CAMBRIDGE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF STAGE ACTORS AND ACTING (Cambridge £120 ) is an invaluable history of acting in that it covers the international stage, from the classical era to the present day, providing biographical, historical and technical information on key players, directors and theorists in over 1,000 entries.

It is full of famous names and names you have never heard of. Students of theatre, professionals and serious theatre-goers, will find it particularly fascinating and useful.

You can buy your copies of these books at discounted prices here: