Just what goes into the making of a book?

Keith Houston traces the spread of the use of skin in book manufacture and the bloody legacy of parchment - a legacy which continues today in the form of the Leather Bound Book.

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 by Libby Spurrier.

Producer: Celia de Wolff

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