Books And Their Makers During The Middle Ages; A Study Of The Conditions Of The Production And Distribution Of Literature From The Fall Of The Roman Empire To The Close Of The Seventeenth Century (Vol

From monastic scriptoria to bustling Renaissance print-shops, the story of books is the story of Europe itself. Books shape cultures and civilisations. In Volume I of Books And Their Makers During The Middle Ages, George Haven Putnam offers a sweeping yet finely observed history of the book from the fall of the Roman Empire to the dawn of the seventeenth century, tracing how medieval manuscripts and books were produced, exchanged and read across the changing worlds of Middle Ages Europe.Drawing on a lifetime of research, Putnam examines medieval manuscript production in monasteries and universities, the emergence of professional scribes and stationers, the impact of the early printing press - an early printing press history intertwined with the growth of the European book trade. Both a scholarly historical study and an engaging narrative, it has long been a foundational history of the book, valued as a reliable book history reference for medievalists, for book history students, and for anyone curious about Renaissance book culture and the wider history of printing.Republished by Alpha Editions in a careful modern edition, this volume preserves the spirit of the original while making it effortless to enjoy today, a heritage title prepared for readers and collectors alike. A history of printing classic and a vivid portrait of how ideas travelled in manuscript and print, it rewards the casual reader with rich storytelling while offering the depth and detail that serious researchers and classic-literature collectors expect.