Resources about Books and their History
From Cuneiform Alphabets to Curious George
A flash of book history
Books are considered the oldest mass medium.
When writing was invented in ancient times, anything that could be written upon was used – stone, clay, bark, metal, skins.
Around 5,000 years ago, Egyptians wrote on papyrus, a plant grown along the Nile River. Then the Sumerians wrote on clay tablets around 2400-2200 BC.
Mass printing of modern books began a mere 560 years ago. They were the first truly mass medium.
Today there are non-physical books published in electronic formats known as electronic books or e-books.
Most people still think of a book as a written work that has been published and sometimes printed on pages bound together, but not always such a physical object.
A brief glossary of book termsWikipedia: Some more info about books
- A book is a database storing information as a collection of written, printed, illustrated sheets of paper, parchment or other material fastened together to hinge at one side. Or today, alternatively, as a collection of text files in a tablet computer or on a Web server.
- A leaf is a single sheet in a physical book. Each side of a leaf is a page.
- Literature is the body of all written works including books.
- A bibliophile is a lover of books and is sometimes called a bookworm.
- A bookstore or bookshop is a place where books are bought and sold.
- A library is a place where books are loaned to readers.
Book Novel Monograph E-Book Library
Social networks for book readers
The Center for the Book The Library of Congress
History of Books and Printing The New York Public Library
Early Printed Books University of Oxford Libraries
History Resources on Books and Printing Daniel Traister
Book History Timetable Knops Boekrestauratie
History of Book and Printing Knops Boekrestauratie
Books That Shaped America The Library of Congress
America's Most Influential Authors
Books The New York Times
The Online Books Page University of Pennsylvania Library
Google Books Google
Amazon books Amazon
Book Publishing Companies TopicSites
Today's Book Publishing News TextbookPublisher
Book Country
Bookperks HarperCollins
Copia
Goodreads
Reading Life Kobo
NOOK Friends Barnes&Noble
Scribd
Shelfari Amazon
Wattpad
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© 2013 Dr. Anthony Curtis, Mass Communication Dept., University of North Carolina at Pembroke e-mail home page