Noble Fragments

‘[Visontay’s search] would take him down a winding, unexpected path — one that circled the globe and the centuries, was peopled with a staggeringly varied cast of characters, and involved one of the most notorious acts of literary vandalism ever perpetrated.’

‘A brilliant writer discovers a gripping personal story. Serendipity at its best.’

‘A riveting hunt for the mysterious leaves of a book perched in the branches of a family tree. Proof that epic sagas are rooted in life’s most intimate details. I was hooked from the start.’

‘For Michael Visontay, the story of the fragments is more than an intriguing historical drama … Visontay deftly unfolds his moving family story as he tracks down what became of the fragments.’

‘Michael Visontay has written a truly original book: a family memoir that also excavates the cutthroat business world of the rare book trade in New York in the early 20th century … Parts of it read like a thriller, while the humanity beating through other sections brought me to tears.’

‘A Sydney journalist discovers a maverick bookseller and harrowing Holocaust story intertwined in his past.’

‘Visontay has so far established the location of 120 “noble fragments” sold by his relative a century ago, including 11 that made their way to Australia.’

‘Michael Visontay’s Noble Fragments is about second chances, serendipitous connections, and simple good fortune … The book deftly links an intriguing story about bibliophiles and the addiction that is rare-book collecting with the poignant tale of a traumatised son’s devotion to his father … Visontay tells Wells’s story and that of his own family straightforwardly with insight and sensitivity.’

‘This absorbing narrative explores the world of the rare book trade in the first half of the twentieth century … Visontay’s book is a perfect read for any bibliophile.’

‘In reading this book, we accompany Visontay on his journey down the rabbit-hole of discovery, and can fully appreciate the steep learning curve he embarked upon as he investigated Wells and the collectors of the scattered Noble Fragments. This book offers readers a wonderful look into this unique and somewhat arcane world, and the dealers, scholars, and collectors of rare books and incunables who populate it … Part-memoir, part-art history investigation, Noble Fragments will delight readers of books such as those by Christopher de Hamel, but also readers who love stories of hope and resilience.’

‘Noble Fragments is a fascinating mixture of Jewish family history and book collecting, recounted through the prism of the sale of individual pages, “noble fragments”, from one of the world’s greatest books, the Gutenberg Bible, the first printed book in Europe.’

Michael Visontay has worked as a journalist and senior editor at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian, and taught journalism at university. He is the author of several nonfiction books, including Welcome to Wanderland, Who Gave You Permission? (with Manny Waks), and Undies to Equities: the remarkable life of Henri Aram.