The Book Culture of a Colonial American City: Philadelphia Books, Bookmen, and Booksellers.

Abstract

This book examines the range of books most commonly owned by colonial Americans, from the ubiquitous family Bible to schoolbooks and little works for children, covering subjects from literature to history and law. Based on inventories, invoices, catalogues and the books themselves, this study covers the variety of titles held, the popularity of certain ones and the quantities and prices of the books shipped and sold. Apart from occasional titles, most of the books to be found, and all of the Bibles, were imported. Although the work concerns itself with Philadelphia, it is applicable with minor differences to all of British America.