The Best Kept Secret: 200 Years of Blooks

The Best Kept Secret: 200 Years of Blooks is a captivating exploration of book-shaped objects, or "blooks," that have intrigued collectors, artists, and bibliophiles for centuries. Curated by renowned scholar Mindell Dubansky, this book offers a deep dive into the history, artistry, and cultural significance of these fascinating objects, which mimic the form of books while concealing unexpected functions. From intricately carved keepsakes and hidden compartments to sculptural tributes and humorous trick books, blooks reflect the enduring allure of the book form across time, cultures, and artistic traditions.

Brimming with striking photographs and insightful essays, this volume showcases an extraordinary range of blooks spanning two centuries. Organized into thematic sections—including Containment & Concealment, Learning & Enlightenment, Love & Friendship, and more—it reveals how these objects have served as vessels for memory, amusement, and artistic expression. Whether crafted as sentimental gifts, functional storage, or conceptual art, blooks invite us to reconsider the boundaries between books and objects, utility and symbolism, craftsmanship and illusion.

A must-have for book lovers, collectors, and design enthusiasts, The Best Kept Secret is both a scholarly resource and a visual feast. With compelling historical narratives and breathtaking imagery, this book underscores the power of the book form beyond its traditional purpose. It is an essential addition to the library of anyone passionate about books as objects, material culture, and the intersection of literature and art.

The Best Kept Secret: 200 Years of Blooks is  the publication accompanying the exhibition of the same name. This book features essays by Mindell Dubansky and Corina Reynolds and a fully illustrated checklist of the works exhibited in the exhibition.

This publication was designed by Jisung Park, CBA/YALE 2o24 Design Fellow.