The Edinburgh History Of The Book In Scotland

Whether in the creation of early manuscripts, in the formation of libraries, through fine printing, or the development of mass media, Scotland's contributions to the history of the book, both within the nation and beyond its boundaries, have been remarkable. Published in four volumes, "The Edinburgh History of the Book in Scotland" brings together the work of leading scholars in order to investigate the history of the Scottish book from earliest times to the present. The early part of the period covered by this volume marked the centrality of the book as a vehicle of communication. The later part of the period witnesses the book's decline as a mass medium, although it retains a high cultural value in contemporary society. The initial 'new media' to challenge the predominance of the book, that is, radio, television and, to a lesser extent, cinema, were from the beginning either under official control or regulated in a restrictive manner (as to content) while the book increasingly freed itself from such controls and could represent a range of social and political opinion.The book's function as a source of information and instruction is increasingly threatened by contemporary 'new media' such as the Internet which themselves offer an augmented range of material and a freedom of expression. The issues covered by this volume include the professionalisation of publishing, its scale, technological developments, the role of the state, including the library service, the institutional structure of the book in Scotland, industrial relations, union activity and organisation, women and the Scottish book, and the economics of publishing. Separate chapters cover Scottish publishing and literary culture, publishing genres, the art of print culture, distribution, and authors and readers. The volume includes an innovative use of illustrative case studies. A range of distinguished contributors provide an original analysis of the book in Scotland during a period that has been until now greatly under-researched and little understood.

Book Details

ISBN: 9780748618293
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
Publication Date: 15 November 2007
Format: Hardback
Language: English
Pages: 400 p.