Smyth (English literature and book history, Univ. of Oxford; Material Texts in Early Modern England) offers a diverting history of books and the people who made them. The author narrates his own work, allowing his love for his subject to shine through as he animatedly discusses the bookmakers’ innovative spirits and devotion to their craft. His book begins in 1492 London with Dutchman Wynkyn de Worde, who published more than 800 titles, accounting for a whopping 15 percent of England’s known printed output before 1550. From there, Smyth explores the work of 17 additional artisans, including skilled bookbinder William Wildgoose, typographers John Baskerville and Sarah Eaves, sisters Anna and Mary Collett, who created a new biblical narrative through collaging with printed Bibles, and Nancy Cunard, a pioneering small publisher who printed Samuel Beckett’s Whoroscope in 1930. While he references developments in Asia and the Middle East, Smyth’s history focuses primarily on bookmakers in England and the United States. Nearly half of the individuals Smyth profiles are women who made groundbreaking, if often overlooked contributions to the field. VERDICT This energetic, deeply researched history of bookmakers is a delight. Book lovers everywhere will want to check this out.