ABSTRACT

Thoroughly revised, restructured and updated, A History of British Publishing covers six centuries of publishing in Britain from before the invention of the printing press, to the electronic era of today.

John Feather places Britain and her industries in an international marketplace and examines just how ‘British’, British publishing really is. Considering not only the publishing industry itself, but also the areas affecting, and affected by it, Feather traces the history of publishing books in Britain and examines:

  • education
  • politics
  • technology
  • law
  • religion
  • custom
  • class
  • finance, production and distribution
  • the onslaught of global corporations.

Specifically designed for publishing and book history courses, this is the only book to give an overall history of British publishing, and will be an invaluable resource for all students of this fascinating subject.

chapter |6 pages

INTRODUCTION

part |2 pages

Part I THE EARLY MODERN BOOK TRADE

chapter 2|9 pages

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BOOK TRADE

chapter 3|19 pages

THE BOOK TRADE AND THE STATE

chapter 4|18 pages

THE MARKET FOR BOOKS

part |2 pages

Part II PUBLISHING IN THE INDUSTRIAL AGE

chapter 5|14 pages

THE FIRST PUBLISHERS

chapter 7|11 pages

PUBLISHING IN A FREE TRADE ECONOMY

chapter 8|12 pages

THE DIFFUSION OF KNOWLEDGE

chapter 9|12 pages

THE AGE OF THE NOVEL

chapter 10|11 pages

AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS

part |2 pages

Part III THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

chapter 11|7 pages

THE FIRST OF THE MASS MEDIA

chapter 12|20 pages

THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY

chapter 13|9 pages

PAPERBACK PUBLISHING

chapter 14|13 pages

PUBLISHING FOR THE EMPIRE

chapter 15|6 pages

THE TRADE IN WAR AND PEACE

chapter 16|11 pages

NEW COMPETITORS

chapter 17|9 pages

THE SECOND INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

chapter 18|9 pages

BRITISH PUBLISHING IN A GLOBAL ECONOMY