Overview

Written language is one of the most significant inventions in human history because it allowed large amounts of information to be stored and conveyed from one person to another or between generations. Another significant step was the development of printing, which allowed the reproduction of this information easily and cheaply. In the eighteenth century, significant advances in the printing and bookmaking crafts made printing books even easier. Other advances, especially in lithography, also made it possible to reproduce drawings and, later, photographs along with the printed word. These advances helped make books less expensive and more appealing, resulting in ever-increasing book sales and readership.

Background

The written word goes back thousands of years and, indeed, we may never know exactly when writing was first developed. The first books were hand-written; in Europe, monks and commercial copyists produced virtually all...