#WorldBookDay

It’s World Book Day on March 3rd, so here are some fun facts about the history of books:

• The authors in Antiquity had no rights to the content of their books, and anyone could edit or change them.
• The Library of Alexandria contained 500,900 great works of literature, science and other works, and was partially destroyed in 48 AD.
• Paper was first used to publish books in 105 AD in China.
• Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1440, bringing the book into the Industrial Age.
• The Gutenberg Bible was the first product made by Gutenberg’s printing press.
• Books were written on papyrus in Egypt, wax plates in Rome and on silk in China.
• The earliest surviving book is from 2400 BC and was found in Egypt.
• During the height of the Roman Empire, there were 28 libraries in Rome.
• By 1500, printing was established in more than 250 European cities.
• In 1621, the first English-language newspaper was published; The Corante.
• In 1702 the first daily English-language newspaper was published and lasted 30 years.
• In 1653, the first American library was established in Boston.
• In 1705, the first successful American newspaper was launched; The Boston News Letter.
• In 1709, authors received their first legal protection when England introduced the Copyright Act.
• The House of Lords reversed the Copyright Act.
• In 1793, France introduced its copyright law setting each author’s copyright for their lifetime plus two years.
• In 1935, IBM introduces the first electrical typewriter.
• The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkein has sold more than 100 million copies.
• The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by CS Lewis has sold between 50 and 100 million copies.
• Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes has sold more than 500 million copies.

What is the latest book you have read?

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