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 civilisations, 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-colour illustrations, The Book gives us the
momentous and surprising history behind humanity’s most
important—and universal—information technology. Praise for
Shady Characters: "Punctuation is not a mere ornament or a
curiosity—it is essential, and we need to know about it. Keith
Houston’s history is entertaining and readable."—The Guardian
"Engaging typographical journeys... Houston brings to life a
history of ingenuity and imagination."—The Times "[S]cholarly,
highly readable and, on some deeper level, slightly
deranged."—The Spectator "Refreshing... the stories he uncovers
along the way are fascinating."—The Telegraph "Shady Characters
might make you look at books... in an entirely new way."—Nature
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"The Book"
Mon, 26 Mar 2018 | Review
by: Chris G.
This will probably be the most interesting book you'll ever encounter! It's all about how books are, apart from the writing, created - paper, printing, binding. It shows how the processes were originated and have developed down the centuries. Absolutely fascinating - anyone who owns even a single book should get this and will almost certainly never part with it - I know I'll always keep my copy!
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