Books Before Print

Erik Kwakkel is book historian and professor at the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies at The University of British Columbia, Vancouver.

• General IntroductionFilling the Page: Script, Writing, and Page DesignIntroduction1. Medieval Script2. Cracking Codes: Abbreviations in Medieval Script3. The Empty Part of the Page4. Footnotes Before Print5. The First Page of the Manuscript6. The Last Page of the ManuscriptEnhancing the Manuscript: Binding and DecorationIntroduction7. Dressing Up the Manuscript8. Hugging a Manuscript9. Judging a Book by its Cover10. Mary Had a Little Book11. Drawing with Words12. Speech Bubbles13. Model BooksReading in Context: Annotations, Bookmarks, and LibrariesIntroduction14. Getting Personal in the Margin15. Helping Hands on the Page16. Smart Bookmarks17. Location, Location18. Combating Book TheftThe Margins of Manuscript CultureIntroduction19. The Incredible Expandable Book20. Books on a Diet21. Books on a Stick22. Slips, Strips, and Scraps: Messaging23. Slips, Strips, and Scraps: Scholarly Notes24. Medieval Name Tags25. Posters Before Print26. Medieval Book AppsContextualizing the Medieval ManuscriptIntroduction27. Where are the Scriptoria?28. Desktops29. Second-Hand Books Before Print30. Manuscripts on the Move31. The Skinny on Bad Parchment32. Destroying Medieval Books (and Why That’s Useful)Epilogue: The Legacy of the Medieval BookRecommended ReadingBibliographyIndex

Kwakkel is to be applauded for what he has achieved, but then he always is at his very best when enthusing others about the myriad surprises that medieval manuscripts can reveal. If this book is not a staple of book history curricula within the next few years, I shall be astonished.