Just what goes into the making of a book?

Keith Houston takes us to the banks of the Nile Delta in Egypt to explore the creation of Papyrus when humans first put ink to paper.

This is an exploration behind the elements that go into the creation of one of life's most powerful and precious objects - 'The Book'.

From the creation of parchment and paper to the the materials that we use now, this is a delightful dip into the long and often surprising history of one of the world's most important information technologies.

Read by Deborah Findlay

Abridged in five parts by Libby Spurrier.

Producer: Celia de Wolff

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in May 2018. Show less