Marketing English Books, 1476-1550: How Printers Changed Reading

The monograph series Oxford Studies in Medieval Literature and Culture highlights the multilingual and multicultural nature of medieval literature and encourages research that combines various subjects. Marketing English Books explores how early printers in England cultivated markets for a wide range of texts between 1476 and 1550, shaping readers' expectations, tastes, and practices. It argues that developments in printed text marketing had a greater impact on readers than previously thought, changing their expectations, tastes, and beliefs.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 04 November 2020
Publisher: Oxford University Press

The monograph series Oxford Studies in Medieval Literature and Culture is a testament to the rich diversity and multicultural nature of medieval literature. It actively promotes research that explores a wide range of subjects, including literature, theology, philosophy, social, political, juridical, and intellectual history, the history of art, and the history of science. The series seeks to foster productive interdisciplinary approaches, combining these diverse fields to shed new light on medieval phenomena.

One of the key features of the Oxford Studies in Medieval Literature and Culture series is its commitment to innovative studies on a wide array of topics. These topics may encompass, but are not limited to, manuscript and book history, languages and literatures of the global Middle Ages, race and the post-colonial, the digital humanities, media and performance, music, medicine, the history of affect and the emotions, the literature and practices of devotion, the theory and history of gender and sexuality, ecocriticism and the environment, theories of aesthetics, medievalism, and more.

The series aims to showcase the multifaceted nature of medieval literature and culture, providing a platform for scholars to explore the intersections between different disciplines and shed new light on the complexities of the medieval world. By promoting research that crosses boundaries and encourages collaboration, the series seeks to contribute to the ongoing dialogue and understanding of medieval studies.

Marketing English Books, a part of the Oxford Studies in Medieval Literature and Culture series, delves into the fascinating history of early printers and their role in shaping demand and creating new markets. Until the advent of print, the sale of books had been primarily a bespoke trade, with each book being tailored to the individual customer's preferences. However, with the introduction of print, printers faced a new challenge: how to sell hundreds of identical books to individuals who had many other demands on their purses.

This book argues that this forced printers to think carefully about marketing and potential demand. Even if they sold through a middleman, such as a wholesaler, bookseller, or chapman, they needed to convince these intermediaries that the books would attract customers. Marketing English Books sets out to demonstrate how markets for a wide range of texts were cultivated by English printers between 1476 and 1550 within a broader European context.

The series includes a diverse range of works, including devotional tracts, forbidden evangelical books, romances, gestes, and bawdy tales, news, pilgrimage guides. guides, souvenirs, and advertisements. These texts reflect the diverse interests and needs of the medieval readership, from religious and spiritual texts to popular entertainment and cultural ephemera.

By examining the marketing strategies employed by early printers, Marketing English Books sheds light on the complex interplay between print technology, cultural trends, and consumer demand. It explores how printers adapted their practices to meet the changing needs of their audience, how they cultivated new markets, and how they navigated the challenges of selling identical books in a competitive marketplace.

The series also highlights the role of intermediaries in the book trade, such as wholesalers, booksellers, and chapmen, who played a crucial role in distributing and promoting books. It examines their strategies for selecting and acquiring books, their relationships with printers, and their contributions to the growth of the book market.

Marketing English Books offers valuable insights into the early history of print culture and the development of the book market. It provides a rich and detailed account of the strategies employed by early printers and their intermediaries, and it contributes to our understanding of the complex processes that shaped the modern book industry. Whether you are a scholar of medieval literature, history, or cultural studies, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the dynamic and ever-evolving world of early print culture.

Weight: 586g
Dimension: 164 x 240 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780198847588