This is an extraordinary story of skill, craft, mess, cunning, triumph, improvisation, and error.
Of printers and binders, publishers and artists, paper-makers and library founders.
Some we know.
We meet jobbing printer (and United States Founding Father) Benjamin Franklin, and watch Thomas Cobden-Sanderson conjure books that flicker between the 20th and 15th centuries.
Others we’ve forgotten.
We don’t recall Sarah Eaves, wife of John Baskerville, and her crucial contribution to the history of type.
Nor Charles Edward Mudie, populariser of the circulating library – and the most influential figure in publishing before Jeff Bezos.
Nor William Wildgoose, who meticulously bound Shakespeare’s First Folio, then disappeared.
The Book-Makers puts people back into the story of the book.
It takes us inside the print-shop as the deadline looms and the adrenaline flows – from the Fleet Street of 1492 to present-day New York.
It’s a tale of contingencies and quirks, of successes and failures, of routes forward and paths not taken.
This is a history of book-making that leaves ink on your fingers, and shows why the printed book will continue to flourish.
‘Evocative and fascinating’ – Emma Smith, author of Portable Magic
‘A brilliant time machine of a book’ – Joseph Hone, author of The Book Forger
‘Amazing. This book is a soul-expanding celebration of the human spirit’ – Martin Latham, author of The Bookseller’s Tale
‘Will delight any booklover’ – Roland Allen, author of The Notebook
Delivery options
Orders are processed and dispatched Monday to Friday.
Estimated Dispatch Times:
Items are usually dispatched within twenty-four to seventy-two hours. Dispatch time does not include delivery. If one or more items are not available when you place your order there may be a delay in dispatch, so that we can send your items in as few parcels as possible.
Latest UK Delivery Estimates
- 1st Class - 1-2 working days
- 2nd Class - 2-3 working days
- Free Click and Collect at Daunt Books Marylebone
Latest International Delivery Estimates
- Europe - Standard 7-10 working days
- Europe - Tracked and Signed 4-7 working days
- Rest of the World - Standard 15-20 working days
- Rest of the World - Tracked and Signed 10-15 working days
Ongoing Covid restrictions, reduced air and freight capacity, high volumes and winter weather conditions are all impacting transportation and local delivery across the globe.
Overseas Delivery Information
We are experiencing delays with deliveries to many countries, but in most cases local services have now resumed. For more details, please consult the latest information provided by Royal Mail's International Incident Bulletin.
Overseas Customs
If you are ordering goods for delivery outside of the UK, please note that your consignment may be subject to import duties and taxes, which are levied once the goods reach the country of destination.
Any such charges levied in relation to customs clearance must be paid by you. It is accepted by you that Daunt Books has no control over additional charges in relation to customs clearance. We recommend that you check with your local customs officials or post office for more information regarding importation taxes/duties that may be applicable to your online order as this changes country to country.
