history

Johann Gutenberg. He is credited with inventing the printing press with movable type (even though the Chinese really did about 200 years prior). By 1455 probably made around180 copies of the Bible. Some copies of his Bible survive today, five of which are in the United States. Printing made books easier to make, and considerably less labor intensive. This cut down the time it took to copy the Bible by hand by years. The printed bibles still had some degree of personalization- illuminated texts and drawings were common, as well as markings for oral readings. Printing could spread information faster- and was met with some resistance at first. Those with large libraries believed that printed books would bring down the value of hand copied manuscripts. Printing was not so popular in societies where calligraphy was important, such as the Middle East and Asia. The press increased literacy and education throughout Europe and was a vehicle to the diffusion of ideas. Printing presses were found throughout Europe by the end of the 15th Century.

Modern methods of printing can make millions of sheets in a day, and printing with moveable type is a rare art. Published books, magazines and newspapers are a part of life now. Bookstores offer coffee and muffins as well as the New York Times Bestseller. Turtlenecked jerks with soul patches recommend their favorite books, and fat sweaty guys play chess against each other. Bookstores offer much more than just books, and the credit goes to Gutenberg.

If books were as popular as Grand Theft Auto, then stupid kids would read more.

A digital copy of the Gutenberg Bible and more information can be found at http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/exhibitions/permanent/gutenberg/.