Gill's Reviews > Gutenberg’s Fingerprint: A Book Lover Bridges the Digital Divide

'Gutenberg's Fingerprint' by Merilyn Simonds

4 stars/ 8 out of 10

I was attracted to this nonfiction book by the description provided by the publisher, and I was not disappointed.

I found this book by Merilyn Simonds to be an interesting mixture. It is part memoir, part informational and historical, part musings. Simonds looks in turn at paper, type, ink and press; and explains and examines the importance of each of these in the process of producing the final version of a book. She follows each of these through historically; from the centuries before Gutenberg and his printing press, right up to the digital production of reading material.

I learnt a lot from reading this book, and it also raised many interesting questions that I am still pondering. Parts that especially stick in my mind include: the making of endpapers using plants from Simonds' garden, the reasons why paper took over from vellum, the whole section about ink (including e-ink and LCD displays), the fascinating history of colophons, bookbinding etc etc.

Having found this book to be an interesting and informative read, I will now be looking to obtain copies of some of the other books that Merilyn Simonds has written.

Thank you to ECW Press and to NetGalley for an ARC.