Ask the Author: Keith Houston
Answered Questions (4)
Keith Houston
Hi, H - thanks for posing the question! I'm glad you're enjoying "The Book".
Most important for me was having a year or so to devote to research (on top of the research I'd already done for "Shady Characters"). Membership of the National Library of Scotland helped me make the most of that year in that I was able to borrow almost any book I needed, however obscure, and to access their rare book collection as needed.
I have to say, at no point did I ever have the sum total of all my research in my head at once. I used Evernote to save and organise anything I found useful - notes, web pages, academic papers, photographs - so that I *didn't* have to remember it, and then gradually winnowed it down to the stuff that would eventually make its way into "The Book". Once I knew my way around the subject, the book's structure seemed more or less obvious - how could I have written it any other way?
Thanks again!
Keith
Most important for me was having a year or so to devote to research (on top of the research I'd already done for "Shady Characters"). Membership of the National Library of Scotland helped me make the most of that year in that I was able to borrow almost any book I needed, however obscure, and to access their rare book collection as needed.
I have to say, at no point did I ever have the sum total of all my research in my head at once. I used Evernote to save and organise anything I found useful - notes, web pages, academic papers, photographs - so that I *didn't* have to remember it, and then gradually winnowed it down to the stuff that would eventually make its way into "The Book". Once I knew my way around the subject, the book's structure seemed more or less obvious - how could I have written it any other way?
Thanks again!
Keith
Keith Houston
Hi Caelan,
I had started out writing about punctuation at http://shadycharacters.co.uk, and the subject of books arose somewhat naturally out of that. What actually happened was that I was casting about for an idea for my second book (I came up with some stinkers, I can tell you) when my agent suggested looking at book history as a continuation of punctuation, typography and so on. It was a huge subject, but it was a great idea, and The Book was the result. If you've read it, I hope you enjoyed it; if not, why not give it a try?
Thanks for the question!
Keith
I had started out writing about punctuation at http://shadycharacters.co.uk, and the subject of books arose somewhat naturally out of that. What actually happened was that I was casting about for an idea for my second book (I came up with some stinkers, I can tell you) when my agent suggested looking at book history as a continuation of punctuation, typography and so on. It was a huge subject, but it was a great idea, and The Book was the result. If you've read it, I hope you enjoyed it; if not, why not give it a try?
Thanks for the question!
Keith
Keith Houston
Hi Thiadmer - thanks for the question. It's a good one, and I'm not sure what the answer is. Presumably, as you say, to make linen specifically for use in papermaking was too expensive. Alternatively, perhaps there were constraints on flax production to do with farming or lack of a free market. I'm afraid I don't have a concrete answer!
Thanks,
Keith
Thanks,
Keith
Keith Houston
Hi June - thanks for the question, and thanks for coming to Writer's Week!
I'm Scottish, but "The Book" was published by WW Norton, an American publisher, and so the spelling and general style conform to American standards. As for the paper, turn to page 75 and you'll find out everything you need to know!
I'm Scottish, but "The Book" was published by WW Norton, an American publisher, and so the spelling and general style conform to American standards. As for the paper, turn to page 75 and you'll find out everything you need to know!
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