If we push the definition of a 'book' beyond the traditional
form of the codex to encompass cuneiform tablets, papyri, as well as the
printed and digital book- just what
is the essence of its purpose? Featuring contributors from a wide range of
disciplines such as art history, medieval studies, ancient Near-Eastern
history, information management and the history of the book, this ambitious new
release explores the biography of the concept of the book, and its function
across millennia.



The volume analyses the role of the book as a tool of
communication. It examines a broad conceptual range; from the evolution of
medieval encyclopaedia, 17th century pamphlets on witchcraft trials,
and the role of books produced as propaganda by the Ministry of Information in
Britain during the Second World War. It covers an impressive timespan and
geography, detailing accounting systems in ancient Assyria, the dissemination
of Aristotelian texts in late medieval Europe, and the Penny Post in 19th-century
England. This volume boldly demonstrates the functionality of the book to be as
diverse as human endeavour.