The business of books : booksellers and the English book trade, 1450-1850 /
In 1450 very few English men or women were personally familiar with a book; but by 1850, the great majority of people daily encountered books, magazines, or newspapers. This text explores the history of this fundamental transformation.
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| Author / Creator: | |
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| Format: | eBook Electronic |
| Language: | English |
| Imprint: | New Haven : Yale University Press, [2007] |
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| Online Access: | Click here for full text at JSTOR |
| Summary: | In 1450 very few English men or women were personally familiar with a book; but by 1850, the great majority of people daily encountered books, magazines, or newspapers. This text explores the history of this fundamental transformation. In 1450 very few English men or women were personally familiar with a book; by 1850, the great majority of people daily encountered books, magazines, or newspapers. This book explores the history of this fundamental transformation, from the arrival of the printing press to the coming of steam. James Raven presents a lively and original account of the English book trade and the printers, booksellers, and entrepreneurs who promoted its development.<br> Viewing print and book culture through the lens of commerce, Raven offers a new interpretation of the genesis of literature and literary commerce in England. He draws on extensive archival sources to reconstruct the successes and failures of those involved in the book trade--a cast of heroes and heroines, villains, and rogues. And, through groundbreaking investigations of neglected aspects of book-trade history, Raven thoroughly revises our understanding of the massive popularization of the book and the dramatic expansion of its markets over the centuries. |
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| Item Description: | Print version record. |
| Physical Description: | 1 online resource (xviii, 493 pages) : illustrations, maps |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (pages 435-455) and index. |
| ISBN: | 030017716X 9780300177169 |