Books Before Print

This beautifully illustrated book provides an accessible introduction to the medieval manuscript and what it can tell us about the world in which it was made and used. Captured in the materiality of manuscripts are the data enabling us to make sense of the preferences and habits of the individuals who made up medieval society. With short chapters grouped under thematic headings, __Books Before Print__ shows how we may tap into the evidence and explores how manuscripts can act as a vibrant and versatile tool to understand the deep historical roots of human interaction with written information. It highlights extraordinary continuities between medieval book culture and modern-world communication, as witnessed in medieval pop-up books, posters, speech bubbles, book advertisements, and even sticky notes. CONTENTS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PREFACE ABBREVIATIONS GENERAL INTRODUCTION FILLING THE PAGE: SCRIPT, WRITING, AND PAGE DESIGN INTRODUCTION Chapter 1. MEDIEVAL SCRIPT Chapter 2. CRACKING CODES: ABBREVIATIONS IN MEDIEVAL SCRIPT Chapter 3. THE EMPTY PART OF THE PAGE Chapter 4. FOOTNOTES BEFORE PRINT Chapter 5. THE FIRST PAGE OF THE MANUSCRIPT Chapter 6. THE LAST PAGE OF THE MANUSCRIPT ENHANCING THE MANUSCRIPT: BINDING AND DECORATION INTRODUCTION Chapter 7. DRESSING UP THE MANUSCRIPT Chapter 8. HUGGING A MANUSCRIPT Chapter 9. JUDGING A BOOK BY ITS COVER Chapter 10. MARY HAD A LITTLE BOOK Chapter 11. DRAWING WITH WORDS Chapter 12. SPEECH BUBBLES Chapter 13. MODEL- BOOKS READING IN CONTEXT: ANNOTATIONS, BOOKMARKS, AND LIBRARIES INTRODUCTION Chapter 14. GETTING PERSONAL IN THE MARGIN Chapter 15. HELPING HANDS ON THE PAGE Chapter 16. SMART BOOKMARKS Chapter 17. LOCATION, LOCATION Chapter 18. COMBATING BOOK THEFT THE MARGINS OF MANUSCRIPT CULTURE INTRODUCTION Chapter 19. THE INCREDIBLE EXPANDABLE BOOK Chapter 20. BOOKS ON A DIET Chapter 21. BOOKS ON A STICK Chapter 22. SLIPS, STRIPS, AND SCRAPS: MESSAGING Chapter 23. SLIPS, STRIPS, AND SCRAPS: SCHOLARLY NOTES Chapter 24. MEDIEVAL NAME TAGS Chapter 25. POSTERS BEFORE PRINT Chapter 26. MEDIEVAL BOOK APPS CONTEXTUALIZING THE MEDIEVAL MANUSCRIPT INTRODUCTION Chapter 27. WHERE ARE THE SCRIPTORIA? Chapter 28. DESKTOPS Chapter 29. SECOND- HAND BOOKS BEFORE PRINT Chapter 30. MANUSCRIPTS ON THE MOVE Chapter 31. THE SKINNY ON BAD PARCHMENT Chapter 32. DESTROYING MEDIEVAL BOOKS (AND WHY THAT’S USEFUL) EPILOGUE: THE LEGACY OF THE MEDIEVAL BOOK RECOMMENDED READING BY SECTION BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX OF MATERIAL FEATURES MANUSCRIPT INDEX GENERAL INDEX "This beautifully illustrated book provides an accessible introduction to the medieval manuscript and what it can tell us about the world in which it was made and used. Captured in the materiality of manuscripts are the data enabling us to make sense of the preferences and habits of the individuals who made up medieval society. With short chapters grouped under thematic headings, Books Before Print shows how we may tap into the evidence and explores how manuscripts can act as a vibrant and versatile tool to understand the deep historical roots of human interaction with written information. It highlights extraordinary continuities between medieval book culture and modern-world communication, as witnessed in medieval pop-up books, posters, speech bubbles, book advertisements, and even sticky notes."--Provided by publisher ‹div›This beautifully illustrated book provides an accessible introduction to the medieval manuscript and what it can tell us about the world in which it was made and used. Books Before Print explores how manuscripts can act as a vibrant and versatile tool to understand the deep historical roots of human interaction with written information. It highlights extraordinary continuities between medieval book culture and modern-world communication, as witnessed in medieval pop-up books, posters, speech bubbles, book advertisements, and even sticky notes.‹/div›