ENGL 151-07-08, History of Books, Spring 2008

Abstract

When we reod a book, we use o sophisticoted piece of technology wilh o long ond storied hisiory. Books are unique historical artifacts with stories to tell beyond those printed within the poges. This introduction to college writing and argument explores the history of books as physical objects. The closs will sludy everything obout books except what their texts mean, including the development of printing, authorship, copyright, typogrophy, illustration, binding, paper and ink manufocture, preservation, book collecting, and forgery. In oddiiion to a research project on a self-selected book printed before 1920, you will write and revise three shorter papers throughout the semester.