The Book

By Keith Houston

Uncover the hidden history behind the evolution of books, from ancient scrolls to modern paperbacks.

4.1/5 Goodreads · 1,264 ratings

428 pages· 94,225 words

$29.95Save 7%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Explore the fascinating journey of books with Keith Houston as he delves into the evolution of writing, printing, and binding. Discover how paper, ink, and thread weave tales of civilizations and empires. From cuneiform tablets to today's hardcovers, this tactile history reveals the surprising story behind humanity's most enduring information technology. What secrets do the materials of a book hold, and how have they shaped our world?

From the publisher

We may love books, but do we know what lies behind them? In The Book, Keith Houston reveals that the paper, ink, thread, glue, and board from which a book is made tell as rich a story as the words on its pages–of civilizations, empires, human ingenuity, and madness. In an invitingly tactile history of this 2,000-year-old medium, Houston follows the development of writing, printing, the art of illustrations, and binding to show how we have moved from cuneiform tablets and papyrus scrolls to the hardcovers and paperbacks of today. Sure to delight book lovers of all stripes with its lush, full-color illustrations, The Book gives us the momentous and surprising history behind humanity’s most important–and universal–information technology.

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