Project Gutenberg
Before I forget, here is a great site. You can download thousands of free public domain ebooks:
http://www.gutenberg.org/
The name is in obvious reference to Johann Gutenberg, credited with the invetion of the printing press using movable type.
Before Gutenberg woodblock printing was common. A sheet of paper was laid over the inked woodblock and an impression taken by rubbing - a complex and lengthy procedure.
The basic idea of Gutenberg's invention was the splitting up of the text into individual components such as lower and upper case letters, punctuation marks, ligatures and abbreviations, based upon the tradition of medieval scribes. These individual components were cast in any quantity as type in reverse, then put together to form words, lines and pages. The prototype for each letter was the punch. A caracter was cut into the face of a steel block, resulting in a precise relief in reverse. Now the respective punch was struck into a rectangular block made of softer metal, probably copper, with a hammer-blow.
The height of Gutenberg’s art of printing is considered to be the 42-line bible (B42). The 2-volume bible with a total of 1,282 pages was created with the help of a staff of 20. For this bible, Gutenberg cast 290 different shapes. The colorful initials and signs were added later by an illuminator and a columnist. Of the 180 copies, it is assumed that 150 were printed on paper, while the remaining 30 were printed on exquisite parchment.
Today, 48 copies remain in existence. Of these, two are owned by the Gutenberg museum. With this bible, that remains until today one of the most beautifully printed books of the world, Gutenberg proved that the "nova forma scribendi" was esthetically equal to hand-writings that were at their height at that time. The development of the art of printing brought about a major change in the world of writing. The spread of knowledge and scientific discoveries promoted scientific development and became a milestone in the historical progress towards modern times.
