A History of the Book in America, Vol. v: The Enduring Book: Print Culture in Postwar America (review)

Abstract

The book is immaculately designed by Ian Bain and the three volumes are enclosed in a slipcase. The illustrations are generous in number and decently repro duced in most cases — my only cavil is that if a slightly thicker paper stock had been used this would have reduced the unfortunate ‘show-through’, which is disap pointingly evident throughout. The book, nonetheless, is a triumph, both of scholarship and of cataloguing, and all those interested in the subject of Bewick and his workshop will need these volumes on their shelves. The greatest accolade that can be paid to the author is that this work does not require to be done again. The oeuvre of Bewick and his workshop has, at last, been documented and recorded completely, in rich depth and exceptionally well.