The First Cambridge Press in its European Setting

E.P.Goldschmidt(1887–1954)wasaprominentbooksellerandscholarwellknownforhisresearchonearlyprintingandthespreadofhumanistideasinEurope.Firstpublishedin1955,thisvolumeoriginatedintheproofsforGoldschmidt'sinaugurallectureseriesasSandarsReaderinBibliographyatCambridge.Althoughhishealthwasfailing,andhewasconsequentlyunabletogivethelectures,Goldschmidtwasabletoprepareasetoffinalproofsbeforehedied.Itwasdecidedtopublishtheworkwithoutalterationsasabasisforfurtherstudyonhumanismandprintingafter1500.Thishighlyreadablebookwillbeofvaluetoanyonewithaninterestinthegrowthoftheprintmediumanditsconnectionwiththedisseminationofideas.