The 19th Century Moral Panic Over … Paper Technology

In the history of information technologies, Gutenberg and his printing press are (understandably) treated with the kind of reverence even the most celebrated of modern tech tycoons could only imagine. So perhaps it will come as a surprise that Europe’s literacy rates remained fairly stagnant for centuries after printing presses, originally invented in about 1440, started popping up in major cities across the continent. Progress was inconsistent and unreliable, with literacy rates booming through the 16th century and then stagnating, even declining, across most of Western Europe. Great Britain, France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Italy all produced more printed books per capita in 1651–1700 than in 1701–1750. Continue reading at 'Slate'

[ Slate | 2017-08-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #printing press #printing presses #major cities #great britain #printed books

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Shirley Hughes: I hope books survive, they are wonderful pieces of technology

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[ The Guardian | 2015-07-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Stephen Witt: ‘Music piracy is illegal – but morally, is it wrong?’

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First to Tweet and Take Selfies? It Was This Horrid Family From a Century Ago

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[ AdWeek | 2015-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BookCon 2015: 'Paper Towns' Cast and Director Reunite with John Green

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ AdWeek | 2015-04-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-04-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Guardian | 2015-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-03-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ Engadget | 2015-03-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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