From cave paintings to computers, this overview of the history of books
and communication is written for the layperson and student. It provides
clear information on how books shaped and reflected major social,
political, and literary developments. As a general guide, it moves from
the earliest writing in the Middle East and Egypt to Greece, Rome, and
early Christian contributions to book production and literacy. Major
sections discuss publishing during the Middle Ages and how the invention
of printing drastically changed and improved the distribution of
knowledge. Later chapters take the reader from the age of encyclopedias
in the seventeenth century to the great technological advances of the
nineteenth and twentieth centuries. For those who wish to pursue
specific areas in the history of the book in greater detail, there are
three parts devoted to additional reading with descriptive, critical
annotations: general histories and bibliographies, scribes and printers,
and printing to the modern period. Extensive notes and documentation
will lead to additional sources.