Annotation

Robert Darnton, focusing principally on a publisher in Switzerland, one of the largest and whose archives are the most complete, offers a sweeping view of the world of writing, publishing, and especially bookselling in pre-Revolutionary France - a vibrantly detailed inside look at a cut-throat industry that was struggling to keep up with the times and, if possible, make a profit off them.

Full Description

The story of how book piracy in pre-Revolutionary France expanded the reach of the works that would inspire momentous change.
Detailed information

Table of Contents

Introduction Publishing 1. The Rules of the Game and How the Game was Played 2. The Landscape in Paris 3. The Fertile Crescent Pirating 4. How to Pirate a Book 5. Portraits of Pirates and Their Businesses 6. Underground Geneva 7. A Confederation of Pirates 8. The Struggle to Pirate Rousseau and Voltaire Inside a Swiss Publishing House 9. Business as Usual 10. Our Man in Paris 11. Relations with Authors 12. Making and Losing Money Conclusion Acknowledgements