We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit our partners.

The History of the Book in the Early Modern Period

1450 to 1800

Elizabethanne Boran, Jane Suzanne Carroll, Mark Sweetnam, and Joseph Clarke

Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more This course is for anyone interested in bookselling, book history and book design. This may include collectors, dealers, artists, or anyone with a passion for reading and learning. This course uses a large number of images and image databases for learners to explore. We have included text descriptions for these images to make the course as accessible as possible. You can use the hashtag #FLhistoryofthebook to talk about this course on social media.

Topics Covered

Week 1: How books were made in Western Europe (1450-1800) (designing types, illustrating, sewing, binding, and finishing books).
Week 2: How books were sold in Western Europe (1450-1800) (bestsellers, collectors, advertising and book auctions).
Week 3: How books were read in Western Europe (1450-1800) (books and readers, families libraries, and annotating books).
Week 4: How books changed the world (1450-1800) (reforming religion, transforming medicine and science, and remaking the state).

Enroll now

Save this course

Create your own learning path. Save this course to your list so you can find it easily later.

Save

Reviews summary

Fascinating journey through book history

According to students, this course offers a fascinating and comprehensive journey through the history of the book from 1450 to 1800. Learners consistently praise the rich, detailed content and the engaging lectures delivered by a passionate and knowledgeable instructor. The inclusion of abundant high-quality visual resources, including rare images and databases, is frequently highlighted as a significant strength, truly bringing the subject to life. While some found the academic depth significant, making it potentially dense for casual learners, it is widely considered excellently structured and a must for bibliophiles and history enthusiasts. Recent updates suggest ongoing improvement and relevance.

Offers significant academic detail, potentially intense for some.

"I found some of the academic language a bit dense at times, but overall it was very informative and thorough."

"While the information is thorough, I felt it leaned heavily on academic theory, which might be a lot for general learners."

"The content is interesting, but I found the pace a bit slow; it felt more like a series of academic lectures than an interactive online course."

Recent updates enhance the course content and resources.

"The updated materials and additional resources made this course even better than I expected."

"I noticed the forum was active, and the instructors were responsive to questions, indicating good maintenance."

"It's clear the course continues to be maintained and improved, keeping the content fresh and relevant for learners."

Course content is organized logically, making learning flow.

"This was a solid introduction to the topic; I felt the instructor clearly organized the material well."

"The course felt very comprehensive, and Week 1 on bookmaking was particularly strong and well-explained."

"I appreciated how every week offered new insights, building progressively from designing types to family libraries."

High-quality images and databases greatly enhance the learning.

"The images provided really brought the history to life for me, making it easy to visualize the concepts."

"The resources provided, especially the image databases, are invaluable; I constantly found myself exploring them."

"I found the quality of the video lectures excellent, and they really delivered on the promise of rich visual examples."

Perfectly suited for those passionate about book history.

"As a book collector, this course was a dream come true for me. I gained so much insight into the early modern book trade."

"This course exceeded my expectations. It's a must for bibliophiles, really deepening my appreciation."

"It was a great course for me to expand my historical knowledge of books and their impact on society."

Lectures are captivating and delivered by a highly passionate expert.

"Absolutely fascinating! The lectures were so engaging, and the images provided really brought the history to life. Highly recommend for anyone interested in book history."

"The instructor is brilliant. Their passion for the subject is infectious, and they make complex topics accessible to me."

"I found every week offered new insights, from designing types to family libraries. The historical details were captivating."

Career center

Learners who complete The History of the Book in the Early Modern Period: 1450 to 1800 will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Reading list

We've selected 50 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in The History of the Book in the Early Modern Period: 1450 to 1800.

Cultural Anthropology

Save

A comprehensive overview of cultural anthropology, this book introduces students to the basic concepts and methods of the field.

The History of the Book in the Early Modern Period

Topics Covered

Save this course

Reviews summary

Fascinating journey through book history

Career center

Reading list

Share

Similar courses

Futurelearn Buyer Protection & Guarantee

Free Access on Short Courses

14-Day Cooling-Off Refund Window

Verified Academic & Industry Partner