Publishing, Principles and Practice Book Review

Publishing, Principles and Practice is written by Richard Guthrie and published by Sage in 2011. It is an interesting book which covers almost everything related to publishing. It consists of 225 pages. References are given at the end of each chapter in the notes following suggestions made for further reading. At the end, the book has a detailed index. The book starts with an “Introduction”. This section provides basic information on the topic publishing emphasizes its significance and gives a brief summary of the chapters of the book. Chapter 1 is “A History of Books”. The chapter starts with the earliest forms of writing and brings us to today with the emphasis on publishing. The chapter begins with the time of Eumenes II in Asia Minor (197-159 BC); talks about Guttenberg and discovery of printing press and focuses on early English trade, gives and account of emergence of English printing companies, and ends with today‟s conglomerate publishing. The backbone of the chapter is laid down according the historical background of Britain; however, developments in other western countries like France, Germany and USA are also mentioned. Chapter 2 is “The Publishing Process”. This chapter presents a detailed and vivid description of „publishing process‟, with its difficulties. It lays down the detailed description of the tasks of an editor. In his account Guthrie gives interesting details in relation to the design of the cover and types of paper used in the process of publication.