What a detailed and absorbing read. Well written entertaining this book really transports you to the scenes of book printing, use of paper and all sorts of interesting topics about books. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

—Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Every reader that loves books with their whole heart and soul should read this. It was such an interesting experience.

awesome book about the people who built our idea of the books. tyssm for the arc. favorite passages are near the beginning and the end.

Professor at Balliol College, University of Oxford, Adam Smyth combines impressive scholarship with a touch of friendly gossip in THE BOOK-MAKERS: A HISTORY OF THE BOOK IN EIGHTEEN LIVES. He enlivens the detailed description of book-making, that is, literally producing books as physical objects, from late 15th century to the present day with tales of the people who led the way. At times the detail overwhelm, but they are all in service to capturing the variety and vigor of book-making history. I would predict Smyth’s work will be the go-to source on this topic for the foreseeable future.

With thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.