The Smithsonian Book of Books

More about the book

From earliest attempts at writing to the newest electronic computer-books; from sumptuous illuminated and bejeweled medieval manuscripts to Gutenberg and the invention of movable type; from the diverse arts and crafts of bookmaking to the building of magnificent libraries for housing treasured volumes; from the ancient epic of Gilgamesh to the plays of Shakespeare and the tales of Beatrix Potter, the author highlights the evolution of the commercial value of books and of the passion for book collecting