Rare Book School
Preliminary Reading List

The Printed Book in the West since 1800

Eric Holzenberg

Preliminary Advices

Required:

1. Gaskell, Philip. A New Introduction to Bibliography. Winchester & New Castle, DE: St. Paul's Bibliographies & Oak Knoll Press, 1995. Any edition of this title from 1974 or later will be fine; avoid the uncorrected 1972 ed. Read pp. 189-310 on "Book Production: The Machine-Press Period, 1800-1950;" if you have time, a review of "Book Production: The Hand-Press Period, 1500-1800" (pp. [5]-185) will be useful in providing historical context.
2. Steinberg, S.H. Five Hundred Years of Printing. New ed., ref. by John Trevitt. London & New Castle, DE: Oak Knoll Press & The British Library, 1996. Revised edition preferred. Read Chap. III-V, pp. 137-250.
3. Rota, Anthony. Apart From the Text. Ravelston & New Castle, DE: Private Libraries Association & Oak Knoll Press, 1998.

Suggested:

4. Cave, Roderick. The Private Press, 2nd ed., rev. & enl. New York: R.R. Bowker, 1983. Out of print, and expensive ($65-$100) when found in the second-hand book trade, but still the best and most comprehensive survey of the private press movement. Find it and read it if you can, in any edition available.

Oak Knoll titles may be ordered direct from the publisher:

Oak Knoll Books
414 Delaware Street, New Castle, DE 19720
phone: 1-800-996-2556
fax: 302-328-7274
email: oakknoll@oakknoll.com
Web site: http://www.oakknoll.com/