A History of the Book in America: Volume III: The Industrial Book, 1840-1880 (History of the Book in America (University of NC)) [Hardcover]

Scott E. Casper (Author), Jeffery D. Groves (Author), Stephen W. Nissenbaum (Author), Michael Winship (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0807830852 | ISBN-13: 978-0807830857 | Publication Date: July 9, 2007

This volume of A History of the Book in America covers the creation, distribution, and uses of print and books in the mid-nineteenth century, when a truly national book trade emerged. Essays examine the rise of the manufactured, bound product and the idea of the book as the quintessential product of the industrialization of both the print and papermaking trades, which depended on new nationwide networks for finance, transportation, and communication. The volume also chronicles the rise of a uniquely American print culture, as reading and writing were increasingly conceived of as essential to American citizenship, economic success, and cultural achievement.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A model of scholarly publication and institutional cooperation. . . . A timely achievement and a great one. . . . Without university presses, we would still be waiting for HBA."
-Journal of Scholarly Publishing

"What the History of the Book series shows so clearly is that the world we know, the communities to which we already belong, are reified and reinforced by books. Such is the incredible and incredibly flexible power of this primitive technology. Behold the book: It is limited but perfect."
-Humanities magazine

"Succeeds both as a reference work and as a status report on the field's scholarship. . . . Relevant and lucidly written."
— Technology and Culture

"Admirable. . . . Bears reading for new approaches to understanding how print culture affected the lives of Americans in a myriad of social settings and occupations."
— Printing History

"Provides superb expositions of current scholarship on the history of the book. . . . Places the handsome, often gold-stamped, book-product front and center in a larger print universe operating in many sites. . . . [A] wonderfully rich complexity."
—Journal of American History

"Generously illustrated, numerous tables and graphs make statistically dense chapters accessible. . . . Recommend[ed] without hesitation."
-- Resources for American Literary Study

From the Inside Flap

This volume of A History of the Book in America covers the creation, distribution, and uses of print and books in the mid-nineteenth century, when a truly national book trade emerged. Essays examine the rise of the manufactured, bound product and the idea of the book as the quintessential product of the industrialization of both the print and papermaking trades, which depended on new nationwide networks for finance, transportation, and communication. The volume also chronicles the rise of a uniquely American print culture, as reading and writing were increasingly conceived of as essential to American citizenship, economic success, and cultural achievement.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 560 pages
• Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press (July 9, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807830852
• ISBN-13: 978-0807830857
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,002,198 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)