The English Press in the Eighteenth Century

by Jeremy Black

First published in 1987, this is a comprehensive analysis of the rise of the British Press in the eighteenth century, as a component of the understanding of eighteenth century political and social history. Professor Black considers the reasons for the growth of the print culture and the relations of newspapers to magazines and pamphlets; the mechanics of circulation; and chronological developments.

Extensively illustrated with quotations from newspapers of the time, the book is a lively as well as original and informative treatment of a topic that must remain of first importance for the literate historian.

Genres: History

338 pages, Hardcover

First published December 31, 1987

About the author

Jeremy Black is an English historian, who was formerly a professor of history at the University of Exeter. He is a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of America and the West at the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US.
Black is the author of over 180 books, principally but not exclusively on 18th-century British politics and international relations, and has been described by one commentator as "the most prolific historical scholar of our age". He has published on military and political history, including Warfare in the Western World, 1882–1975 (2001) and The World in the Twentieth Century (2002).

Reviews

[Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

As always, Jeremy Black's summary of the state of play on research into the English press of this period is admirably thorough in terms of research. It seems as if he writes books like these by publishing a handful of articles that later appear as chapters or portions of chapters in the finished summary work. So naturally, here, there are a half dozen articles on different aspects of press in the period authored by Black, presumably on his way to this summation. And that, in effect, is what it is. There are a dozen or so scholars with different areas of specialization on the press in the eighteenth century. Black has essentially added his own work to that of these various specialists and done an able and clear job of reaching what conclusions were possible at the time of publication. Quite obviously, the state of the press has much to do with evolving readership issues as well as evolving social and political developments. Black is a solid guide to most of these changes and reliably conservative in his speculations where the evidence isn't sufficiently clear to warrant sharper conclusions. In short, this is a decent starting place (not least for the thorough bibliography) for students wishing to come to grips with general views of the press in the eighteenth century.

[Andrew Otis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Assumes too much knowledge, no overarching theme, mostly a bunch of facts written in a confusing manner. Interesting content.