Thoroughly revised, restructured and update edition of a classic text, ''A History of British Publishing, Second Edition'' covers six centuries of publishing in Britain from before the invention of the printing press, to the electronic era of today. Radically reworking the second edition, John Feather places Britain and her industries in an international marketplace and examines just how 'British' British publishing really is. Considering not only the publishing industry itself, but also the areas affecting, and affected by it, Feather traces the history of publishing books in Britain and examines: - education - politics - technology - law - religion - custom - class - finance, production and distribution - the onslaught of global corporations. Specifically designed for publishing and book history courses, this is the only book to give an overall history of British publishing, and will be an invaluable resource for all students of this fascinating subject.