The book is one of civilization's most enduring cultural artifacts. This book, celebrating the craft of bookbinding across the last millennium, is the catalogue accompanying the exhibition at the Bodleian Library, Oxford of the same name.From the exquisite gold-tooled bindings of the Renaissance to the bold modern designs of the twentieth century with magnificent abstract patterns set against large swathes of bold colour, it features bindings from the extensive collection in the Bodleian Library, including the renowned Broxbourne Collection. It also illustrates magnificently-bound books from the Sir Paul Getty Library at Wormsley as well as those from an important private collection. Some of the bindings have never previously been exhibited or illustrated in print.The book examines bindings in thematic sections such as East meets West, Artists and Craftsmen, Luxury, Bindings and Text. A special feature of the book is the lavish fold-out pages depicting, for example, a single illustration of a binding right across the spine, including both covers. This beautifully-illustrated book will be collected by book lovers and aficionados.