'Sophisticated and moving... Powerful' Sunday Times 'A deep, immersive recreation of a pivotal moment in history' A. D. Miller 'If ever there were a historical novel with up-to-the-minute resonance, this is it. As we go through another information revolution, Christie's novel takes us back in brilliantly observed detail to the first - the invention of the printing press. Her characters are engaging, the world as beautifully crafted as one of Gutenberg's hot-metal letters, and the themes more relevant now than ever' Naomi Alderman In the middle of the 15th century, scribe Peter Schoeffer is dismayed to be instructed by his father to give up his beloved profession of illuminating texts in Paris. Instead he is to travel to Mainz in Germany to be apprenticed to Johann Gutenberg, an entrepreneur who has invented a new process for producing books - the printing press. Working in conditions of extreme secrecy, the men employed by Gutenberg daily face new challenges both artistic and physical as they strive to create the new books to the standard required by their master. In a time of huge turmoil in Europe and around the world, Gutenberg is relentless in pursuing his dream and wooing the powerful religious leaders whose support is critical. Peter's resistance to the project slowly dissolves as he sees that, with the guidance of a scribe such as himself, the new Bibles could be as beautiful in their way as the old. Today we can see that beauty in some of our museums, but few know the astonishing tale of ambition, ruthlessness and triumph that lies behind it.
About the Author
I'm an American-Canadian author and journalist. Born in California and raised Montana and British Columbia, I started writing at the age of 10 with a family newspaper and a (very bad) novel about horses. I studied philosophy at Vassar College, journalism at UC Berkeley and got my masters in fine arts from St Mary's College of California. In my first career as a journalist I reported for newspapers in California and from Europe as a foreign correspondent, including the Washington Post, The Guardian, The San Francisco Chronicle and Salon.com. I currently write about culture for The Economist.I published my debut novel, "Gutenberg's Apprentice" in 2014 and have since written and published award-winning short stories. My new novel, "The Shining Mountains" is the story of my distant great-uncle and his Native American wife and family in the 19th century Rocky Mountain West. Learning about and sharing this important history has been incredibly enriching. Learn more about it atwww.alixchristie.com.
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