Upon its invention in the mid-1400s, the printing press instantly became a revolutionary device. It introduced literacy to the masses and led Europe out of the Middle Ages. This book explores the press' exciting history, the social and political conditions in place at the time Johannes Gutenberg invented it, and the changes the invention wrought afterward. It traces the evolution of moveable type and information dissemination up to modern electronic communications technology, examining the positive and negative effects of these developments, both in the past and on democracy and humankind today. This book will give readers a new appreciation for the written word, whether it is printed on paper or displayed on a screen.

The totally satisfying answers to more than 100 questions that drive normal people—not to mention infomaniacs and trivia buffs—crazy. Questions about matters great and small, from ancient times to yesterday. Illustrated with illuminating technical drawings and unusual vintage photographs. How did they spend $40 million making Heaven's Gate? How did they decide the length of a mile? How did Beethoven compose when he was deaf? How did they discover the Hope diamond? How did they know the size of the Earth over 1,700 years before anyone sailed around it? How did they set the price of the Louisiana Purchase? How did the FBI devise the "Ten Most Wanted" list? How did they decide which horses were Thoroughbreds? How did they pick the Four Hundred? How did they start the Guiness Book of World Records? How did the Indians decide that cows were sacred? How did they discover penicillin? How did they build the Great Pyramid at Giza? How did they decide how tall to make the Empire State Building? How did they know there was an El Dorado? How did they start the Chicago fire of 1871? How did Hannibal cross the Alps?

Inside the World of Board Graphics takes an in-depth, comprehensive look at the global nature and cultural influence of Surf/Skate/Snow board art and design. International design luminaries Art Chantry, Katrin Olina and James Victore are placed along side industry super stars Terry Fitzgerald, Martin Worthington, Yoshihiko Kushimoto and Rich Harbour (who has been shaping and designing surfboards since 1959). The book includes dozens of interviews and profiles from the people currently creating board art and design: Aaron Draplin, Emil Kozak, Morning Breath, Anthony Yankovic, Haroshi and Hannah Stouffer to name a few. There are many books about the art of board design, but there has never been a book like this that takes a rare look behind the scenes of the creative process. Countries represented: Iceland, Spain, Japan, Brazil, Australia, Canada, Russia, Poland, UK, Mexico, Venezuela, Romania, South Africa, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Croatia and the USA, among others.