Gutenberg's apprentice : A novel

The untold story of the world's first technology start-up Alix Christie's rich and enthralling debut novel reveals the explosive human drama behind the world-changing invention of the printing press and the creation of the world's most famous book: the Gutenberg Bible The year is 1450. Peter Schoeffer, an ambitious young scribe, returns from Paris to Mainz, his home town on the Rhine, at the behest of his foster father, a forward-thinking merchant and bookseller. There he is unwillingly thrown into a workshop that his father has financed, a strange, dark place run by a driven, caustic master named Johann Gutenberg. Its purpose is the manufacture of books in a new'and according to some, blasphemous'way: with a secret invention known as a printing press. Gutenberg's Apprentice is the story of Peter's journey from reluctant apprentice to overseer of the most important book ever made, and all that he seeks, and is forced, to understand along the way. It is the tale of a young man torn between two fathers, his resentment and grudging love for a man both brilliant and stormy, their battle to prevail against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, including struggles within the workshop and against the crushing power of the Catholic Church. Each step they take awakens age-old conflicts between art and commerce, tradition bristling against technological progress, and fate versus human agency. This is the untold story of the last great communications revolution, with all the wonder and doubt the digital world provokes today vividly experienced half a millennium ago, in the workshop that produced the world's first printed book. Writing with a rare sense of authenticity, Alix Christie has created in her debut novel a richly imagined, emotionally powerful, and spectacularly convincing account of one of the most important events in Western history. Gutenberg's Apprentice is a profoundly moving story that will change forever your perception of what a book'handwritten, printed, or electronic' is, or can be. "A finely atmospheric debut...Christie's novel is a worthy tribute to the technological revolution it reimagines, as well as a haunting elegy to the culture of print...One thinks of Donna Tartt's obsessive accounts of furniture decoration in The Goldfinch or even Philip Roth's lovingly twisted empathy with glovemaker Swede Levov in American Pastoral. Such novels of craft and specialization take a writerly delight in the most intricate details of a particular trade while spinning rich prose out of its mysterious threads." #8212; Washington Post An enthralling literary novel that evokes one of the most momentous events in history, the birth of printing in medieval Germany#8212;a story of invention, intrigue, and betrayal, rich in atmosphere and historical detail, told through the lives of the three men who made it possible. Youthful, ambitious Peter Schoeffer is on the verge of professional success as a scribe in Paris when his foster father, wealthy merchant and bookseller Johann Fust, summons him home to corrupt, feud-plagued Mainz to meet "a most amazing man." Johann Gutenberg, a driven and caustic inventor, has devised a revolutionary#8212;and to some, blasphemous#8212;method of bookmaking: a machine he calls a printing press. Fust is financing Gutenberg's workshop and he orders Peter, his adopted son, to become Gutenberg's apprentice. Resentful at having to abandon a prestigious career as a scribe, Peter begins his education in the "darkest art." As his skill grows, so, too, does his admiration for Gutenberg and his dedication to their daring venture: copies of the Holy Bible. But mechanical difficulties and the crushing power of the Catholic Church threaten their work. As outside forces align against them, Peter finds himself torn between two father figures: the generous Fust, who saved him from poverty after his mother died; and the brilliant, mercurial Gutenberg, who inspires Peter to achieve his own mastery. Caught between the genius and the merchant, the old ways and the new, Peter and the men he admires must work together to prevail against overwhelming obstacles#8212;a battle that will change history . . . and irrevocably transform them A novel about the birth of the printing press "spotlights intriguing parallels between 15th-century Europe and the digital media of the twenty-first-century world" ( The New York Times Book Review ). Youthful, ambitious Peter Schoeffer is on the verge of professional success as a scribe in Paris when his foster father, wealthy merchant and bookseller Johann Fust, summons him home to corrupt, feud-plagued Mainz to meet "a most amazing man." Johann Gutenberg, a driven and caustic inventor, has devised a revolutionary—and to some, blasphemous—method of bookmaking: a machine he calls a printing press. Fust is financing Gutenberg's workshop and orders Peter, his adopted son, to become Gutenberg's apprentice. Resentful at having to abandon a prestigious career as a scribe, Peter begins his education in the "darkest art." As his skill grows, so, too, does his admiration for Gutenberg and his dedication to their daring venture: copies of the Holy Bible. But mechanical difficulties and the crushing power of the Catholic Church threaten their work. Caught between the genius and the merchant, old ways and new, Peter and the men he admires must prevail against overwhelming obstacles—a battle that will change history, and irrevocably transform them. This enthralling literary novel evokes one of the most momentous events in history in a story of invention, intrigue, and betrayal, rich in atmosphere and detail, told through the lives of the three men who made the printing press possible. "[A] stellar debut . . . masterful." — Historical Novel Society "Enthralling." — Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Atmospheric . . . a worthy tribute to the technological revolution it reimagines, as well as a haunting elegy to the culture of print . . . One thinks of Donna Tartt's obsessive accounts of furniture decoration in The Goldfinch or even Philip Roth's lovingly twisted empathy with glovemaker Swede Levov in American Pastoral . Such novels of craft and specialization take a writerly delight in the most intricate details of a particular trade while spinning rich prose out of its mysterious threads." — The Washington Post An Enthralling Literary Debut That Evokes One Of The Most Momentous Events In History, The Birth Of Printing In Medieval Germany—a Story Of Invention, Intrigue, And Betrayal, Rich In Atmosphere And Historical Detail, Told Through The Lives Of The Three Men Who Made It Possible. Youthful, Ambitious Peter Schoeffer Is On The Verge Of Professional Success As A Scribe In Paris When His Foster Father, Wealthy Merchant And Bookseller Johann Fust, Summons Him Home To Corrupt, Feud-plagued Mainz To Meet “a Most Amazing Man.” Johann Gutenberg, A Driven And Caustic Inventor, Has Devised A Revolutionary—and To Some, Blasphemous—method Of Bookmaking: A Machine He Calls A Printing Press. Fust Is Financing Gutenberg’s Workshop And He Orders Peter, His Adopted Son, To Become Gutenberg’s Apprentice. Resentful At Having To Abandon A Prestigious Career As A Scribe, Peter Begins His Education In The “darkest Art.” As His Skill Grows, So, Too, Does His Admiration For Gutenberg And His Dedication To Their Daring Venture: Copies Of The Holy Bible. But Mechanical Difficulties And The Crushing Power Of The Catholic Church Threaten Their Work. As Outside Forces Align Against Them, Peter Finds Himself Torn Between Two Father Figures: The Generous Fust, Who Saved Him From Poverty After His Mother Died; And The Brilliant, Mercurial Gutenberg, Who Inspires Peter To Achieve His Own Mastery. Caught Between The Genius And The Merchant, The Old Ways And The New, Peter And The Men He Admires Must Work Together To Prevail Against Overwhelming Obstacles—a Battle That Will Change History . . . And Irrevocably Transform Them. An Economist Book of the Year An October 2014 Indie Next Pick An enthralling literary debut that evokes one of the most momentous events in history, the birth of printing in medieval Germany—a story of invention, intrigue and betrayal Youthful, ambitious Peter Schoeffer is on the verge of professional success as a scribe in Paris when his foster father, the wealthy merchant and bookseller Johann Fust, summons him home to corrupt, feud-plagued Mainz to meet "a most amazing man." Johann Gutenberg, a driven and caustic inventor, has devised a revolutionary—and to some, blasphemous—method of bookmaking: a machine he calls a printing press. Fust is financing Gutenberg's workshop, and he orders Peter to become Gutenberg's apprentice. Resentful at having to abandon a prestigious career as a scribe, Peter begins his education in the "darkest art." As his skill grows, so, too, does his admiration for Gutenberg and his dedication to their daring venture: printing copies of the Holy Bible. But when outside forces align against them, Peter finds himself torn between two father figures—the generous Fust and the brilliant, mercurial Gutenberg, who inspires Peter to achieve his own mastery. Caught between the genius and the merchant, the old ways and the new, Peter and the men he admires must work together to prevail against overwhelming obstacles—a battle that will change history . . . and irrevocably transform them all. When His Foster Father, A Wealthy Merchant And Bookseller, Finances Johann Gutenberg And His Printing Press, Peter Schoeffer Is Ordered To Become Gutenberg's Apprentice And Begins His Education In The Darkest Art As They Print Copies Of The Holy Bible, Drawing The Wrath Of The Church. Alix Christie. Grolier Club Copy Has Prospectus Inserted. Als een rijke koopman uit Mainz in 1450 drukker Johann Gutenberg financieel gaat steunen, dwingt hij af dat deze zijn adoptiezoon als leerling accepteert