Bound in Venice: the Serene Republic and the Dawn of the Book

Venice in the 1500s is the mercantile and cultural capital of the world. There, the first printers, publishing houses and bookstores open for business, and thrive, finding fertile ground in the city's wealth, its freedom and high level of literacy among its cosmopolitan population. Soon half of all the books published in Europe come from Venice. Among the innovators, one remarkable visionary, Aldo Manuzio, stands head and shoulders above the rest. Credited with the invention of the Italic font and pocket editions, he is the first truly modern publisher.