Form and Meaning in the History of the Book

Nicolas Barker, OBE FBA, has made many contributions to the study of the book. In celebration of his 70th birthday, the British Library has published a selection of his essays that show the range of his interests in a number of related fields: books and texts; books and people; typography and early printing; the history of the book; bookselling; and forgery. None of these essays has previously been reprinted and collectively they offer a series of authoritative insights into various aspects of the book as physical and cultural artefact. The collection is prefaced by an introduction by Alan Bell, former Librarian of the London Library.