-[T]he book is arguably the one technology that has made all others possible, it is also the most taken for granted. What Howard does is provide an exceedingly accessible retelling of the book's life story, one that shows precisely how books represent a peak of technology, giving permanence and form to ideas and relevance and resonance to their readers. —Libraries & the Cultural Record

-The Book: The Life Story of a Technology surveys the fine art of the printed book, providing a review of the history of its development over the centuries and around the world, discussing early books and their differences from later productions, and reviewing all the technical skills needed to produce a book right up to modern times. —MBR Bookwatch

-[P]rovides an overview of the book's development across centuries, cultures, and fields, from the papyrus scroll to e-books. She discusses the importance of Gutenberg and the context of his time; the development of book materials, bindings, typefaces, and printing methods; the book's cultural and social influences; and modern technological advances from linotype and lithography to electronic publishing. —Reference & Research Book News/Art Book News Annual

-In this broad and concise overview (back cover), Howard essentially skims very selective high points in the history of the book--from writing on papyrus (in about 2600 BCE) to the reusable e-paper and e-ink of the postmodern palimpsest that is today's e-book....This work is most suitable for general collections. Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates, two-year technical program students, and general readers. —Choice