Leona Rostenberg was an American historian and rare books dealer born in New York, New York.

Rostenberg and her decades long friend and business partner Madeleine B. Stern

Madeleine B. Stern

Madeleine Bettina Stern , born in New York, New York, was an American historian and rare books dealer and noted Louisa May Alcott scholar....

 became widely known in the late 1990s while in their late eighties when their memoir on the rare book trade, "Old Books, Rare Friends" became a best seller.

In addition to many books on book history and book collecting

Book collecting

Book collecting is the collecting of books, including seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing, cataloging, displaying, storing, and maintaining whatever books are of interest to a given individual collector. The love of books is bibliophilia, and someone who loves to read, admire, and collect...

, Rostenberg wrote numerous articles over the years for many publications including
Journal of Modern History, American Historical Review

American Historical Review

The American Historical Review is the official publication of the American Historical Association, established in 1895 "for the promotion of historical studies, the collection and preservation of historical documents and artifacts, and the dissemination of historical research." It targets readers...

, and Library Quarterly.

Books by Leona Rostenberg

• English Publishers in the Graphic Arts, 1599-1700: A Study of the Print-Sellers and Publishers of Engravings, Art and Architectural Manuals, Maps, and Copy-Books, 1963.
• Literary, Political, Scientific, Religious, and Legal Publishing, Printing, and Bookselling in England, 1551-1700: Twelve Studies (two volume set), 1965.
• The Minority Press and the English Crown: A Study in Repression, 1558–1625, 1971.
• An Antiquarian's Credo, 1976.
• Bibliately, 1978.
• The Library of Robert Hooke: The Scientific Book Trade of Restoration England, 1989.

Books co-authored by Rostenberg and Madeleine B. Stern

• Old and Rare: Thirty Years in the Book Business, 1974
• Between Boards: New Thoughts on Old Books, 1978.
• Bookman's Quintet: Five Catalogues about Books: Bibliography, Printing History, Booksellers, Libraries, Presses, Collectors, 1979.
• Quest Book—Guest Book: A Biblio-Folly, 1993.
• Connections: Ourselves—Our Books, 1994.
• Old Books in the Old World: Reminiscences of Book-buying Abroad, 1996.
• Old Books, Rare Friends: Two Literary Sleuths and Their Shared Passion, 1997.
• New Worlds in Old Books, 1999.
• Books Have Their Fates, 2001.
• Bookends: Two Women, One Enduring Friendship, 2001.
• From Revolution to Revolution: Perspectives on Publishing and Bookselling 1501-2001, 2002.