The Beauty of Books

The Beauty of Books (2011)

EndedDocumentary show

Series combining human stories, expert interviews, book illustrations and historic archive to reveal the beauty of books.

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Network
Scheduleevery Monday at 20:30 (30 min)

Last Episode

Paperback Writer
Season 1Episode 430 min

Paperback Writer

The paperback book democratized reading in the 20th century, and printing directly onto the covers became a way of selling a book in the mass market.

Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell was a book written in and for this era, emerging as a paperback in 1954. Its changing cover design reflects each decades approach to selling the book to new readers: from its classic 50s Penguin cover to the latest design from Jon Gray, they are signs of our times.

As an example of how cover design has become art, the iconic 'cog eye' design by David Pelham of Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork Orange has permeated society since the first paperback of 1972.

Bringing the story of the book up to the 21st century, the arrival of electronic readers has sent traditional publishing into a tailspin. The paperback and its cover design has been replaced by the concept of mass storage and electronic pages. As this new technology gains new fans the paper book comes under renewed scrutiny. Whether society accommodates both ways of disseminating knowledge in the future depends on our continued devotion to good writing, editing and design.

Feb. 28, 2011

Recent Episodes

EpisodeNameAirdate
S01E04Paperback WriterFeb. 28, 2011
S01E03Illustrated WonderlandsFeb. 21, 2011
S01E02Medieval MasterpiecesFeb. 14, 2011
S01E01Ancient BiblesFeb. 7, 2011
View all episodesView all seasons

Frequently Asked Questions  Warning: Spoilers

When did 'The Beauty of Books' premiere?

'The Beauty of Books' premiered on June 4, 2011.

Who presented 'The Beauty of Books'?

Historian, John Sergeant presented 'The Beauty of Books'.

What was the running time of each episode of 'The Beauty of Books'?

Each episode of 'The Beauty of Books' had a running time of 30 minutes.

How many episodes were aired in the first season of 'The Beauty of Books'?

The first season of 'The Beauty of Books' consisted of three episodes.

Did 'The Beauty of Books' explore the history of books?

Yes, 'The Beauty of Books' explored the history of books.

Were all the books featured in 'The Beauty of Books' from the British Library?

Yes, all the books featured in 'The Beauty of Books' were from the British Library.

Did 'The Beauty of Books' only focus on English literature?

No, 'The Beauty of Books' covered literature from around the world.

Did 'The Beauty of Books' include interviews with experts?

Yes, 'The Beauty of Books' included interviews with experts in the field of literature and history.

Did 'The Beauty of Books' explore the impact of books on society?

Yes, 'The Beauty of Books' explored the impact of books on society.

Did 'The Beauty of Books' have a companion book?

Yes, 'The Beauty of Books' had a companion book written by John Sergeant.

Did 'The Beauty of Books' receive positive reviews?

Yes, 'The Beauty of Books' received positive reviews from critics and audiences alike.

Did 'The Beauty of Books' win any awards?

It is unclear from the available sources if 'The Beauty of Books' won any awards.

Was 'The Beauty of Books' available to stream online?

Yes, 'The Beauty of Books' was available to stream online through various platforms.

Cast

Richard Dormer

Richard Dormer

voices himself
Stephen Anthony Bailey

Stephen Anthony Bailey

plays himself
View all cast

Characters

Narrator

Narrator

voiced by Richard Dormer
Author & Design Critic

Author & Design Critic

played by Stephen Anthony Bailey
View all characters

Also known as

  • Красота книг (Russian Federation)

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