Notes and Queries, Vol. 2: A Medium of Inter-Communication for Literary Men, General Readers, Etc.; July-December, 1868 (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

Unknown Author

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0265603765 ISBN 13: 9780265603765

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018

Synopsis

Unlock the mystery of early printing and block books with a rigorous, readable analysis.

This book from Notes and Queries surveys the complex history of “block books,” especially the Biblia Pauperum, and challenges the wild, long-standing claims about their origins. It foregrounds the tension between German and Dutch attributions, and it argues for careful, evidence-based evaluation rather than hype or speculation. The piece also traces how education and literacy levels of the period shaped early printing, and it situates the Biblia Pauperum within a broader study of pre‑moveable type print history.

What you’ll encounter

• A critical look at major theories about who created early block books and when they appeared.
• Discussion of the Biblia Pauperum, its reception, and the misreadings it has inspired.
• Arguments about the role of education in the rise of printed works before modern printing.
• Careful language that avoids overstatement while weighing competing scholarly claims.

Ideal for readers of Notes and Queries and anyone curious about the origins of printed images, religious iconography, and the early history of books.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0265603765
• ISBN 13: 9780265603765
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 874