A Short History of Cambridge University Press

A short, illustrated account of the world's oldest publishing house.

Michael Black (Author)

9780521775724, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 28 March 2000

92 pages, 65 b/w illus.
21 x 19.8 x 1.7 cm, 0.345 kg

A Short History of Cambridge University Press is an account of the world's oldest press, from the publication of the Press's first book in 1584 through to the present day. It emphasises the constitutional basis of the Press, which is an essential part of its parent university, and highlights the moments of change and crisis: Richard Bentley's revival in the 1690s, the Victorian renaissance in the 1850s, the rise of modern university publishing, two world wars, the crisis of the early 1970s - resolved by Geoffrey Cass's bold reconstruction - and the printing and publishing expansion of the 1990s. This history brings out the unique nature of the Press, which is an educational charitable enterprise, trading with vigour throughout the world and publishing over 2400 titles a year. This revised and illustrated second edition brings the story up to the turn of the millennium, and emphasises both the diversity of the Press's recent achievements and its current aims.

Introduction
The first stationers
The Charter
The first Cambridge press
Conflict with the stationers
Bentley's public press
The eighteenth century
The early nineteenth century
The partnership
The partnership ends
Between the wars
After 1945
Crisis and recovery
Consolidating the past, constructing the future: 1980s to early 1990s
The 1990s: global activity and innovation
Achievements and challenges of the 1990s and beyond
'One of the brightest jewels...'
Some Cambridge books and authors
Appendices.

Subject Areas: Publishing industry & book trade [KNTP], International business [KJK], Economic history [KCZ], 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000 [HBLW], British & Irish history [HBJD1]