The Cambridge History of the Book in Britain is an authoritative series which surveys the history of publishing, bookselling, authorship and reading in Britain. This seventh and final volume surveys the twentieth and twenty-first centuries from a range of perspectives in order to create a comprehensive guide, from growing professionalisation at the beginning of the twentieth century, to the impact of digital technologies at the end. Its multi-authored focus on the material book and its manufacture broadens to a study of the book's authorship and readership, and its production and dissemination via publishing and bookselling. It examines in detail key market sectors over the course of the period, and concludes with a series of essays concentrating on aspects of book history: the book in wartime; class, democracy and value; books and other media; intellectual property and copyright; and imperialism and post-imperialism.

‘Inevitably in a volume of this kind there are elements, aspects and topics one would have liked to have seen covered, but that are not. Equally, topics are covered that one did not expect, or even know about. Regardless, the volume is a treasure trove of information. Like all previous volumes in the series, Volume Seven is extremely rich, detailed, carefully edited, and authoritative.’

Wim Van Mierlo Source: Library and Information History

‘A fitting conclusion to a splendid seven-volume series (the first volumes appeared in 2008), this wonderfully useful and engaging collection presents 31 essays on topics including print materials and technology, book formats, and the digital book; authorship, publishing, distribution, and ownership; particular publishing niches from government publications, university presses, journals, magazines … This rich volume and indeed the whole series are essential for all who are interested in the history of the book.’

D. L. Patey Source: Choice

‘The volume not only serves as an important point of reference for those working in book, publishing, or indeed library, history at the moment but will also serve as the foundation for scholars in the future to pursue their own investigations. This volume makes a very significant contribution and it is one which will stand the test of time.’

Peter Reid Source: Journal of the Edinburgh Bibliographical Society

‘What has been done in this volume is immensely valuable. It is a time capsule of a national book history and book history more generally. It belongs - with no excuses - in any library pretending to house the essentials of cultural research.’

Robert L. Patten Source: The Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America