The History of Books, From Stone to Paper to Online to Audio

Books have come a long way from where they began. Imagine having to etch into stone every time you wanted to write out your thoughts, make a list, or jot down a quick note. Hundreds of years ago, that was exactly the case.

Book writing developed only after words, paper, and the printing press were invented. It’s crazy to think of a world without words or paper, but such a time did exist, when people did not have access to the endless entertainment, knowledge, and guidance that books have offered over the years.

Books are windows into any place you imagine. They can take you to a different world or teach you things you never knew before. In modern times, we have taken it a step further and created audio and online books, as well as picture books for young readers and Braille books for the blind. It is no wonder that a day each year is set aside to honor books and the value they bring to human life.

The Beginning of Books

The first words can be traced to 3400 BC, and The Epic of Gilgamesh is thought to be the first written story. It was a mythical tale of the ruler of the Sumerian Uruk between 2700 BC and 2500 BC. It was written on 12 clay tablets in Akkadian, the language of Mesopotamia.

Before paper, all sorts of things were used to capture words. China used bone, shells, wood, silk, and palm leaves to write on. Romans used wax-coated wooden tablets, and ancient Egyptians used papyrus, a material similar to thick paper. Over time, parchment, made from animal skins, most commonly sheep, goats, and calves, rose in popularity.

Paper developed in China around 105 CE, though there is some evidence of paper-like materials about 100 years prior. This idea made its way around the world, and in the 13th century, the first water-powered paper mills were constructed in Spain. In 19th-century Europe, paper made from wood, as it is  manufactured today, became the standard for modern paper making.

Books nowadays are printed and bound in mass numbers in factories all around the world. But it wasn’t always so easy. Early books relied on the scribe (either the writer or the one employed to copy documents), the bookbinder, and the illustrator. Each part was difficult and time-consuming.  In the mid-19th century, the invention of the typewriter substantially sped up the writing process. From there, computers and advanced technology have taken the world by storm and have made writing as simple as pushing a series of buttons in the appropriate order or even speaking the words into the machine and letting it type itself.

A Holiday for Hardcovers and Paperbacks?

Each year during National Family Reading Week, a day is set aside to celebrate books and the influence literature has had over the years. Today, May 7, is Make a Book Day, commemorated to spark an interest in books and encourage people to find joy in reading and experience the adventures and new ways of thinking that reading provides.

Nowadays it is easy for a writer to self-publish a book. It is done easily online. So if you have written something that you would like to see published, check out the various websites that can assist you. Many sites even offer to publish your writings in multiple countries and in multiple languages.

Books today are selling in very high numbers because the internet has allowed them to be created in different forms (digital and audio). The book industry is a robust $143.57 billion global market.

Interesting Book Facts

What is the world’s best-selling book? If you said the Bible, you would be correct. The Bible has sold between 4 and 7 billion copies. Second place goes to Quotations From Chairman Mao Tse-Tung, often referred to as the Little Red Book. This book contains 427 quotes covering 33 topics by Mao Zedong, the leader of the Chinese Communist Party in 1949.

The world’s most expensive book, “The Codex Leicester,” sold for $30.8 million in 1994 and was written by Leonardo Da Vinci. The person believed to have the largest book collection, John Q. Benham, resides in Indiana, and he owns approximately 1.5 million books.

Books are invaluable. Reading stimulates creativity and imagination and helps the reader develop critical thinking skills and understanding. Make a Book Day is set aside to honor how reading and writing enrich our minds and lives.

1. Before books, stories were written on stone slabs and other materials.
2. May 7 is Make a Book Day.
3. The Bible is the highest selling book in history, from 5 to 7 million copies.