I have been on the lookout for this book for many years. I don’t remember when I first heard of it and I didn’t even know what it was about; but I adore Trina Schart Hyman’s illustrations and am always noting whenever I hear of another book with her work. Also, it is about a man who loved books. It’s got my attention!
This is the story of Saint Columba – from birth to death – and his deep, obsessive love of books. Check out The Man Who Loved Books by Jean Fritz, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman, 1981. As it is often difficult to find, I’m going to share it all. Enjoy!
First up, we have to peek at the undercover. You know I love a good undercover and this one is simple and beautiful. A lovely golden mustard debossed with Columba’s pet crane reading a book.
The undercover definitely sets the tone for the color palette in this book which is a two-color beauty. It is such a fascinating choice and feels like a unique way to handle an ancient time period and the life of a monk. It is also an odd choice when it comes to the beauty of Columba’s homeland, Ireland, and the island he eventually called home, Iona; but I get ahead of myself.
The title page and accompanying illustration are also things of beauty. Schart Hyman often did her own lettering and these are a great example of the style, artistry and decorations she would use. They have a medieval feel and also fit so perfectly with a book about a monk who hand-wrote books. Opposite the title page, we see Columba working at a manuscript and his pet crane reading a book. Just take some time to really take in all the details of this scene. The church in the background. Monks working the fields. Archways, tile floor, detailed writing desk, books stacked… I just love the detail and imagination Schart Hyman draws into every scene.
Quick side note to point out the dedication page. Schart Hyman dedicated her work to her friend, Tomie. Most likely famous illustrator Tomie dePaola. This made me smile. Illustrators supporting other illustrators.
On to the story.
The book opens with a view of Ireland around the 520s and tells us of a man named Columba who was wild about books. At this point in time, books were hard to come by. You had to walk miles to find one and you had to copy one by hand if you wanted to own one. This is a super interesting opening to Columba’s story.
It also tells about the bards of Ireland and how stories were told and shared.
And then we see Columba, son of a chieftain, who grows to loves stories and especially books. He is taught to read early—myth has it that a prophet was told he must be taught to read.
So Columba grows into a big man with a big voice and a big love for books. According to this story, Columba’s love for books became a problem.
Columba butted heads with other monks over their fierce love and protectiveness of their books. Columba liked to not only read any book he could, but he also liked to copy them and have them for himself. This didn’t always go over great. And this was all before copyright and plagiarism laws.
And Columba had a temper apparently too. His passion for books was growing quite the drive in him and it eventually all came to a head in another friendship.
Columba’s friend Finian returned from a trip with a new book. Columba happily went for a visit with his inks and pens. And his pet crane apparently too. Finian was overjoyed to show Columba the book, but he told Columba not to copy it.
Columba didn’t listen. He secretly copied the book over many nights. A messenger found them one night and it all blew up. Finian claimed that he should get to keep the copy too. Columba wouldn’t hear of it after all the sleepless nights and labor he put in to copy it. The debate went to the High King and Columba lost. Finian got to keep the copy and Columba was irate.
Unfortunately, being son of a chieftain, Columba had access to warriors and he declared war on the High King to avenge himself. He won that time. And many thousands of men died.
But Columba didn’t really win. He felt miserable. And this huge mistake changed the trajectory of his life.
The book says he vowed to never set eyes on Ireland again. He set out with 12 companions to find an island where he couldn’t see Ireland any more.
They settled on the island of Iona where they built a church and huts surrounding it. Columba traveled to nearby islands and parts of Scotland preaching and starting churches.
Columba was homesick and missed the joy of new books, but he took to copying the Bible, again and again. He wanted every church to have their own copy of the Bible. The book says he made three hundred copies of the New Testament by his own hand.
Twenty-eight years later, a boat came from Ireland with lots of his countrymen. They sought him about trouble back in Ireland between the kings and the bards.
They begged him to come and help resolve the issue. But Columba could not break his vow. He agonized over what to do.
He finally found an answer—he traveled blindfolded back to Ireland. He brokered peace and returned to Iona, all while still blindfolded.
Columba worked and lived on Iona for 6 more years copying books. And apparently he died while in the middle of copying a sentence.
Oh, so much to say about this book. I could pore over every detail of the illustrations. I marvel at how I don’t find them boring with their limited, earthy palette. But no, a Schart Hyman illustration is never boring. I love following the crane throughout the book. I love all the expressions of the people. I love all the patterns and items placed so thoughtfully and adding to the story. And the ship scenes too! I even love the details of hair that Schart Hyman does so well including the addition of red in just the cover which is so great. Such a talent.
But something super interesting about this book is that it is missing something incredibly important about Columba. The author, Jean Fritz, was a great children’s book writer, known for lots of excellent non-fiction stories and biographies. And she does just fine here with a good story about a man who loved books. And it is an interesting piece about Columba’s life that I especially connect to. And actually there are quite a few, even wilder myths about Columba that would have made an even more fascinating tale. I respect that she stuck to stories about him that are the most probable. But Fritz missed the biggest piece about what changed Columba and what ultimately drove his decisions and life on Iona. The text mentions Columba loving the church and the Bible, but not once does it mention how much Columba loved God. And to miss that point, means you miss Columba’s story completely. Columba is one of my favorite saints for a lot of reasons, but I think this article by John Gee from 2021 puts it in some of the best words.
“Typically, when we discuss saints in the liturgical setting, we are speaking about people that are close to perfect. These are people who have surrendered their entire life to Christ. In many cases these amazing people have done amazing things. They have helped countless numbers of people. After all, they are saints of the church, they could do no wrong. But because they are considered so close to perfect, they sometimes seem inaccessible or even too good to be true.
This is simply not the case with Columba. What we find in Columba is a person who has grievously hurt others and will spend a lifetime trying to right a wrong. Saint Columba is so attractive to me because Columba was human. His whole story is told, mistakes and all. I believe today we do not need a perfect example of piety; we need an example of humanity. An example of a person who commits error, owns it, and spends the rest of their life correcting it. This is a story the world needs. This is the story of Saint Columba of Iona.” (read the whole post for a great look at Columba)
As Emily Watkins puts it in another good post, “Columba loved God’s story.” And it changed him completely. He didn’t just banish himself from Ireland. He set up a church on Iona and used it as a base to spread God’s story all over islands and most of Scotland. He hoped to change as many lives as he cost with his self-righteous anger. It is said of Columba that as he aged, he grew gentler. The temper that had driven him in his younger years, was replaced with humility and care for others. And yes, Columba loved books. But the rest of his life shows as Emily Watkins continues in her post, “He did not simply desire to possess a book, but longed to love others by telling them the story that would change everything.” Like it changed him.
So, I really enjoyed this book about Columba, a man who loved books. I will always adore and admire Trina Schart Hyman’s brilliant illustrations. But this book drove me to think about what was missing from his story. To quote a great American, it matters who tells your story. I’m sorry Fritz and Schart Hyman might have missed it in all their research of him. And, don’t get me wrong. If you know me at all, you know I don’t like overally didactic books. I didn’t want or expect this book to be preachy. But I do think the key point of Columba’s life work is a key point of his story and leaving it out – no matter what you personally believe – isn’t being honest to who he was.
I don’t think Columba would mind being known for loving books. Or having a pet crane, which is a funny detail that deserves its own story. Or that people remember his temper and how it once killed a lot of people. He would not have wanted to be painted as a spotless saint who did a lot for the Church. I like to think Columba would want to be known for loving books, but most especially for loving and spreading the greatest story ever. He spent years of his life writing and sharing that story. And it is even said he died while copying from the Psalms. A true lover of the best books.
“Alone with none but thee, my God, I journey on my way” – Columba of Iona
Three Books a Night 