The European Encyclopedia
From 1650 to the Twenty-First Century

Organized thematically, this book tells the story of the European encyclopedia from 1650 to the present.

Jeff Loveland (Author)

9781108703802, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 11 March 2021

461 pages, 34 b/w illus. 4 tables
23 x 15.2 x 2.5 cm, 0.68 kg

'It would be extremely beneficial for those associated with FE or HE institutions, as it could also be read by students, early career researchers, and faculty in many departments. While the main narrative is a history of European encyclopaedias, it will also be of interest to colleagues working on business and economic history, information studies, world literature and print and visual culture.' Rose Roberto, Publishing History

First taking shape during the seventeenth century, the European encyclopedia was an alphabetical book of knowledge. For the next three centuries, printed encyclopedias in the European tradition were an element of culture and peoples' lives, initially just among Europe's educated elite but ultimately through much of the literate world. Organized around themes such as genre, economics, illustration, and publishing, The European Encyclopedia is the first comprehensive survey of encyclopedias to be written in English in more than fifty years. Engaging with printed encyclopedias, now largely extinct and the object of nostalgia, as well as the global phenomenon of Wikipedia, Jeff Loveland brings together encyclopedias from multiple languages (notably English, French, and German, amongst others). This book will be of interest to anyone, from academics in the humanities to non-academic readers, with an interest in encyclopedias and their history.

1. Genres of encyclopedias
2. The contents of encyclopedias
3. Size, price, and the economics of encyclopedias
4. Preparing an encyclopedia
5. The organization of encyclopedias
6. Illustrations in encyclopedias
7. Authorship in encyclopedias
8. Publishing an encyclopedia
9. Readers and users of encyclopedias
10. Encyclopedias after print.

Subject Areas: Educational: English literature [YQE], Publishing industry & book trade [KNTP], Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900 [HBLL], British & Irish history [HBJD1], Library, archive & information management [GLC], Literary studies: general [DSB], Literature: history & criticism [DS], Literature & literary studies [D]