In his volume of memoirs, BOOKS IN THE BLOOD, Anthony Rota, a dealer in rare books and manuscripts for over half a century, talks of the private collectors and university libraries whose collections he has helped to enrich over the years. His early training under his father, Bertram Rota, and the history of the firm since the latter's early death, are recounted along with virtually all aspects of the trade.

A past president of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association, and of the twenty-five national International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (of which he is now President of Honour), Anthony Rota has taught and lectured on the subject of book and manuscript collecting and associated subjects on both sides of the Atlantic. In 1995 his book PART FROM THE TEXT was published and tells us what books as physical objects can teach us about economic and social history, and especially about printing history.

Anthony Rota was the third recipient of the De Golyer Medal for "distinguished services to the world of books."