The Book by Design

P. J. M. Marks

ISBN 10: 0712354042 / ISBN 13: 9780712354042

Published by British Library Publishing, United Kingdom, London, 2023

About this Item

Why does a book look and feel the way it does? What can it tell us about the circumstances of its creation? This is a fascinating exploration of the development of book design through some of the most treasured volumes in the British Library collections. Carefully selected by the Library's curatorial teams and beautifully illustrated with striking new studio photography alongside images from specially digitised collections, The Book by Design includes: The Lindisfarne Gospels * The Diamond Sutra of 868 The Arnstein Bible * The Golden Haggadah The Queen Mary Psalter * The Mainz Psalter of 1457 Hypnerotomachia Poliphili * Akbar's Khamsah of Nizami The Shakespeare First Folio * Tale of Genji * A Qur'an from Aceh * The Grammar of Ornament * The Buddha's Last Birth Tale * Audubon's The Birds of America * The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer Flowing between these major chapters are features covering unusual book formats, interesting bindings and materials, as well as particular design elements and trends from different periods and cultures. This structure brings together works of historical importance and modern innovation to create a volume that will delight bibliophiles and anyone passionate about book design and production. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Seller Inventory # GOR014671469

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Book by Design
• Publisher: British Library Publishing, United Kingdom, London
• Publication Date: 2023
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0712354042
• ISBN 13: 9780712354042
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: Very Good
• Weight: 1451 grams

About this title

Synopsis

A richly illustrated look at some of the British Library’s most beautiful books from around the world.

For centuries across the world, books have been created as objects of beauty, with bookmakers lavishing great care on their paper, binding materials, illustrations, and lettering.

The Book by Design , featuring an array of books from the British Library's collection, focuses on the sensory experience of holding and reading these objects. Each selection represents a specific moment in the development of what we know today as the book—from scrolls and bound illuminated manuscripts to paperbacks and formatted digital information. These range from the seventh century to the present and include examples from China, Japan, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and North America, in addition to a look at book traditions in Africa and Oceania. John James Audubon’s Birds of America , the works of Chaucer, Russian Futurist books, limited editions, historic copies of the Qur’an and the Bible, mass-market paperbacks, and more come together to tell the visual, tactile, artistic, and cultural history of books.

Expert curators and specialists explore these books from the perspective of design and manufacturing, original art photographs offer vivid representations of their textures and materials, and graphics detail the size and specifications of each book. Offering a wide-ranging look at the creation and use of books, illustrated with hundreds of color images, this volume is itself an object of beauty.