The Bookmakers: A History of the Book in Eighteen Lives

Recommended by Eugene Soltes, McLean Family Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School

As a student at Harvard College, one of the most memorable classes I took was “Printed Books as a Field of Study,” sparking my deep interest in viewing antiquarian books as objects to research and admire. Having read literally every “book on books” since, few have been more captivating than Smyth’s incredible work, which immerses the reader into daily-life scenes of historical book production. Read the chapter on paper production, and you’ll view each sheet of paper you touch a bit differently, perhaps even see glimmers of what fascinated Harry Widener so deeply about the printed book.