You're Dead to Me Printing in England
Jul 5, 2024
Dr Lydia Zelndenrust and Robin Ince discuss early book printing in England. They delve into the history of the first English printed book, diverse text production, and the state's reaction to printing. The episode explores the origins of printing in East Asia, evolving technology, and the impact on society. Topics also include the evolution of bookmarks, banned books in England, and the power of reading throughout history.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Caxton Turned Printer After Time In Cologne
- Caxton discovered printing during a period of exile in Cologne after a career as a successful merchant and governor of English merchants in Flanders.
- His exposure to printing in Cologne shifted his career from trade to publishing, leading to his later press in Westminster.
Printing Began In East Asia Centuries Before Gutenberg
- Printing originated in East Asia: paper in China (1st century CE) and woodblock printing by the 7th century, with the Diamond Sutra (868 CE) as earliest surviving printed book.
- Woodblock involves carving away negative space so the raised design takes ink and transfers mirrored text to paper.
Movable Type Existed In Korea Before Gutenberg
- Movable type existed in East Asia before Gutenberg: baked clay movable type in 11th-century China and metal movable type in 13th-century Korea.
- The oldest surviving movable-metal-type book is Korean (1377), predating Gutenberg's Bible by decades.