History of the Book

We will learn about the technological, material, and cultural history of the preservation of written language, from the earliest scripts in stone to contemporary digital publishing. Although the focus will rest mostly on the development of the western codex-style book from early papyrus rolls to the invention of the printing press, we will explore other forms of writing preservation from many cultures. Students will learn the histories of various scripts (including the development of the alphabet), writing technologies, and book manufacturing practices. As an overarching theme, we will discuss how changes in book production inspired cultural changes, and vice versa.