Books: A Living History

From the first scribbling on papyrus to the emergence of the e-book, this wide-ranging overview of the history of the book provides a fascinating look at one of the most efficient, versatile, and enduring technologies ever developed. The author traces the evolution of the book from the rarefied world of the hand-copied and illuminated volume in ancient and medieval times, through the revolutionary impact of Gutenberg's invention of the printing press, to the rise of a publishing culture in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and the subsequent impact of new technologies on this culture.

Many of the great individual titles of the past two millennia are discussed as well as the range of book types and formats that have emerged in the last few hundred years, from serial and dime novels to paperbacks, children's books, and Japanese manga. The volume ends with a discussion of the digital revolution in book production and distribution and the ramifications for book lovers, who can't help but wonder whether the book will thrive--or even survive--in a form they recognize.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: J. Paul Getty Museum
Published: 10/11/2011
ISBN: 9781606060834
Pages: 224
Weight: 2.40lbs
Size: 10.20h x 7.90w x 1.00d

Review Citations: Publishers Weekly 09/12/2011
Shelf Awareness 10/25/2011
Booklist 12/01/2011 pg. 4
Choice 03/01/2012