The Evolution of the Book

If you have any interest in the printed word, this site on An Abbreviated History of Books is not to be overlooked. It is written by Harvard professor Robert Darnton who is a scholar and pioneer on the field of the history of printed books. You will find a timeline with great information on how to evaluate the age of books, the design of books, paper, printing, decoration and everything from the scroll to the digital age of book design. Jan Tschichold gets an entire page designated because of his significant contributions to the field. For those looking for the big picture of the book, this is an especially rewarding and concise history. For further explorations on The History of Graphic Design, review the rest of the site where you will find such chapters as Typographic Milestones, Art & Crafts and the Private Press Movement, The Bauhaus and The Digital Revolution in Graphic Design.