The Riveting History of the Printing Press

History of the printing press

Introduction The printing press turned books from rare, hand-copied objects into affordable goods, and in doing so changed how knowledge spreads. This article traces printing from Chinese woodblocks and Korean metal type through Gutenberg, the steam press and offset lithography to digital and print-on-demand printing, and asks what each step meant for publishing. Key points … Read more

How Johannes Gutenberg Transformed the Publishing Industry

How Johannes Gutenberg transformed the publishing industry

Introduction This write-up explores how Johannes Gutenberg transformed the publishing industry, sparked by his printing press invention. Before the invention of the printing press, books and other printed materials were painstakingly handwritten or hand-copied by scribes. This made books incredibly scarce, expensive, and inaccessible to the common people. Literacy rates were dismally low, and knowledge … Read more