Kilgour's study is a concise history of the book as we know it in all its forms, starting from the very beginning with the invention of writing and concluding at the present time with the electronic revolution and what it may hold for the future. Kilgour himself is a highly respected figure among the bibliophile set. He brings a lifetime's accumulation of knowledge and an historian's curiosity to the writing of this book, which should be picked up enthusiastically by libraries as a tribute and indespensable guide to the object whose legacy they are dedicated to preserving.