BOOK, THE - THE LIFE STORY OF A TECHNOLOGY

The book is so familiar that it's easy to forget how profoundly its invention altered civilization. Howard (history, California State U., Hayward) provides an overview of the book's development across centuries, cultures, and fields, from the papyrus scroll to e-books. She discusses the importance of Gutenberg and the context of his time; the development of book materials, bindings, typefaces, and printing methods; the book's cultural and social influences; and modern technological advances from linotype and lithography to electronic publishing.