Observations on the Mystery of Print and the work of Johann Gutenberg by Hendrik Willem van Loon, 1937 (pp. 45). Printed for the New York Times National Book Fair in 1937. This thin volume is, of necessity, a short romp through the annals of the history of printing, reaching back to early China and the Mediterranean, and somewhat focusing on 16th century Europe, principally Holland and Germany. Van Loon delicately dispels the notion that Gutenberg invented movable type, but adds that the precise inventor(s) are unknown and unknowable. More importantly, he sketches how the evolution of society was the causative factor in the radical move from hand-scribed books to those mass produced. A few interesting asides in this entertaining book are: A) he contends that less than 2% of the 130 million people in the U.S.(in 1937) were book readers; B) Gutenberg’s real name was Gensfleisch (which he translated at gooseflesh and which Google translates as people meat); C) in an example demonstrating the durability of books as opposed to humans, he conjectures about “human beings stranded on the moon and…not able to return until fifty years” have passed---amazing prescience with respect to space travel; D) the word parchment is derived from Pergamum where it is said to have been invented and the word vellum comes from the word for veal; and E) he predicts that Gutenberg as a German might become more prominent---remember this is 1937---when “next year the Third Reich will most generously spread the fame of this 100% Aryan and Teuton…” Despite its age this is not a rare book and an original copy can be purchased on Amazon for less than $20.

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