A collection of eight essays that investigate the book trade revolution of the 18th-century and the ways in which significant kinds of 18th-century writings were designed and received by different audiences. It sets out to explore the answers to certain crucial questions about the contemporary use of books. Following on from Professor Rivers' "Books and Their Readers in Eighteenth-century England", published in 1982 this new collection contains the results of important research by well-known specialists in the field of book publishing history.