A History of the Book in America, Volume I: The Colonial Book in the Atlantic World, Hugh Amory and David D. Hall, eds (original) (raw)

2001, Papers of The Bibliographical Society of Canada

Books in Review / Comptes rendus the book or manuscript) and one or two are so small that the writing is legible only with a magnifying glass. The General Index also needs attention. Taking a few pages of the text at random, on page 87, we find the names of Geerte Groote and Johan Scutken, neither of whom is included in the index, to say nothing of the Devotio moderna, and Richard Rolle, whose name appears on this page as well as on pages 84-86. On page III we find the Madrid bookseller Alonso G6mez, who does appear in the index, cheek by jowl with Francisco L6pez the Elder, who does not. And where are Francisco de Cormellas, Pedro de Robles, Juan de Villanueva, Juan de Escobedo, and so on? The compilation of an index is undoubtedly an affair of dull diligence, but it remains essential, and it is even more essential for a collection of papers as rich and varied as we have here. May we hope that the index to the third volume will be more detailed and more comprehensive? But all in all, this is a splendid compilation: erudite, well written, well researched, well annotated, and well presented. For those interested in the early history of the printed Bible it is an essential reference book, full of fascinating information, and a credit both to its learned contributors and its meticulous editors.