In 1450, all of western Europe?s books were hand-copied and amounted to no more than are in a modern public library. By 1500, printed books numbered in the millions. Johann Gutenberg?s invention of movable type ignited the explosion of art, literature, and scientific research that accelerated the Renaissance and led directly to the Modern Age. In Gutenberg, you?ll meet the genius who fostered this revolution, discover the surprising ambitions that drove him, and learn how a single, obscure artisan changed the course of history.
"His story is one of genius very nearly denied. A few records less, and we would not now be revering the Gutenberg Bible as his. All we would have would be the results: an idea that changed the world and a book that is amongst the most astonishing objects ever created?a jewel of art and technology, one that emerged fully formed, of a perfection beyond anything required by its purpose. It is a reminder that the business Gutenberg started . . . contains elements of the sublime?that at the heart of the mountains of printed dross there is gold." —From the Introduction to Gutenberg
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Gutenberg: How One Man Remade the World with Words reveals this remarkable inventor as a complex and dynamic figure whose brilliance and determination were matched only by his ambition and daring. It traces the sources of his inspiration and explores the intrigues and legal battles that punctuated his decades-long, covert research and development program. It also explores Gutenberg?s constant need for capital, which drove him at times to take desperate measures, such as having a city official thrown in debtors? prison until he paid Gutenberg the money he owed him.
This compelling biography chronicles Gutenberg?s ceaseless efforts to overcome technological challenges, hire artisans and train them in a craft that he was inventing as he went along, and keep the entire venture secret until he opened for business. It also features a detailed exploration of the technical, artistic, theological, and financial issues surrounding the publication of the Gutenberg Bible.
In the tradition of Simon Winchester?s The Professor and the Madman, Gutenberg offers immensely rewarding reading to anyone interested in the history of science and literature and in the unending human struggle to accomplish great deeds against great odds. It is the only complete and engaging account available of the man behind what was, quite simply, one of the most revolutionary inventions in history.
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