This work investigates the mechanical and procedural realities of book production during the era of hand printing to provide a foundational understanding of how texts were physically realized. Ronald B. McKerrow, a preeminent scholar in the field, utilizes his extensive expertise in textual criticism and printing history to demystify the transition from manuscript to printed volume. The text serves as a technical manual, detailing the specific constraints and methods employed by early printers to bring literature to the public eye. By examining the physical evidence left behind in early printed books, the author constructs a framework for understanding the relationship between the printing house and the final text.

Experts and scholars consistently identify this work as a foundational text for anyone studying bibliography or the history of the book. Readers frequently note the technical density of the prose, which remains a standard reference for navigating the complexities of early modern printing practices.