William Caxton

Duff, E. Gordon (Edward Gordon), 1863-1924Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.0

Word count: 194K words
Chapters: 20

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.William Caxton by E. Gordon DuffAuthor: Duff, E. Gordon (Edward Gordon), 1863-1924,Language: English, Class: Z: Bibliography, Library science, Release Date: Nov 8, 2017

Editor's review

This is a biographical work on William Caxton by E. Gordon Duff, falling under the category of bibliography and library science, and made available as a public-domain ebook by Project Gutenberg. Caxton is a key figure in early English printing and publishing, and the book centers on his printing activities and publishing career, making it a classic reference text in the field of British book history and printing history. For Chinese readers, its value lies in offering an early and specialized perspective that helps understand how printing took root in England and how books moved from the manuscript age to the print age. The book contains a great deal of bibliographical information and edition details, so it does not read as breezily as a popular biography and is better suited to consultation with specific questions in mind. Because it was written early and is an original English work, some expressions and materials need to be checked against modern research. It is recommended as an introductory document for book history research rather than casual reading.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in British printing history and book history
Students in library science and bibliography
Literature and history enthusiasts who want to learn about Caxton's publishing activities
Researchers who need an English public-domain work on book history for reference

Not a good fit for

Readers who only want a light popular biography and do not care about bibliographical details
Beginners with limited English reading ability and no background in book history
Those expecting a modern academic survey and the latest research findings

Reading tips

Read the table of contents and introduction first to clarify the book's scope before moving into the main text.
Keep paper and pen ready to note the book titles and editions mentioned for later verification.
Read alongside a general history of British printing to compensate for the work's temporal limitations.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book suitable as an introduction to book history research?

It can serve as one of the introductory texts, but it was written early and leans heavily on bibliographical details, so it is not a modern general survey. It is advisable to have a basic framework of British printing history first; the book will then be easier to follow and its materials and views easier to assess.

Who was William Caxton, and why is he important?

Caxton was a major figure in early English printing and publishing, who introduced printing to England and published many English books. This book centers on his printing and publishing activities and is suited to readers who want to understand how English books transitioned from manuscript to print.

Does the book contain a lot of bibliographical information?

Yes. The book falls under bibliography and library science, and its discussion of Caxton's publishing activities involves specific titles, editions, and similar information, giving it a specialized feel. Those who want only a narrative biography may find it tedious; those doing book-history research will find exactly these details useful.

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About the author

Duff, E. Gordon (Edward Gordon), 1863-1924 Author

E. Gordon Duff (Edward Gordon Duff, 1863–1924) was a British bibliographer and historian of the book, known for his work on the bibliographical description of early English printed books. His research centred on William Caxton, the key figure who introduced printing into England in the fifteenth century. Duff's book William Caxton focuses on the printer's activities and publications and belongs to the specialist literature of early English printing history and bibliography. Works of this kind typically emphasise collation of editions, identification of type, and the verification of publication facts, and are addressed to scholars of book history, analytical bibliography, and late medieval English print culture. Public information on Duff's own life is limited; this entry is based solely on the work held in the collection and its subject matter, and concentrates on the scope and scholarly orientation of his writing.