Book description
A Best Book of the Year: Mother Jones, Bloomberg News, National Post, Kirkus ReviewsÂ
A consideration of all things paperâits invention that revolutionized human civilization; its thousand-fold uses (and misuses), proliferation, and sweeping influence on society; its makers, shapers, collectors, and pulpersâwritten by the admired cultural historian and author ofâŠ
Why read it?
1 author picked On Paper as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
Basbanesâ book examines the many uses for paper.Â
He takes us along on a visit to papermaking family mills in villages in China and Japan where handmade paper is still produced in quantity, using two-thousand-year-old traditional methods and local plant materials. This is followed by a summary of the development of pulp paper in Asia, Islam, Italy, and Europe including the evolution of paper machines.Â
Much of the book is devoted to an extensive coverage of every possible use of paper, including disposable paper, paper cartridges for rifles, artillery wadding, cigarettes, passports, coded messages, hard copy secret documents, government archives,âŠ
From John's list on the history of paper.
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