In this reprint of a 1991 survey of the handmade book in Western civilization, Avrin (library and archive studies, Hebrew U. of Jerusalem) admits to chutzpah in compiling the scattered information on writing and the handmade book into a continuous history. From ancient papyrus scrolls to the printed Gutenburg Bible, she examines the material on which a book was written, its script, manufacture, illustrations, and briefly, literature and cultural context. The 308 illustrations could be of better quality. The volume includes maps of the ancient Near East, Middle East, Hellenistic, Roman, and Islamic worlds. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)