Jonathan Bloom has written a refreshing history of paper that considers the impact of papermaking technology on world literacy. While the central focus is on papermaking in the Muslim world, the book also covers other Asian and European papermaking history and techniques. Usually you will find these subjects treated separately, whereas this book talks about something we all share. Best of all, Bloom brings these separate worlds together in a highly readable format. Also, Bloom’s extensive investigations of the impact of paper on cultural expression sets this book apart from previous works that concentrate solely on papermaking methods. The book is compiled from a variety of sources, many of them new for those unfamiliar with the languages, history, and culture of the Middle East. The layout is reminiscent of a good textbook. The wide margins display related commentary, illustrations, and eye-catching sidebars that offer short summaries of key concepts. He has provided a novel approach to bibliography and footnotes by writing a Bibliographic Essay, which supplements the readability and uninterrupted flow of the text. It is a solid reference work for this part of papermaking history. The substantial introduction gives a brief outline of Bloom’s objectives, and reviews the history of paper, the advances in technology, the emergence of paper in European society, and a review of previous scholars’ writing on the subject. Bloom points out that the most recent general work on papermaking history was Dard Hunter’s Papermaking, last revised in 1947. While Bloom's book is not a new general history, it goes a long way toward achieving that goal; Hunter gave only slight attention to the Middle East, anyway. The initial chapter provides an overview of the early history of writing materials from the Mediterranean to Eastern Asia before the use of paper, and leads up to the early codex, including the Asian book, before delving into the early origins and spread of papermaking. This section is very thorough, threading together many contemporary sources in a clear and concise manner. Bloom investigates the long-held understanding that the technique of papermaking was first introduced to Arab Muslims after a victory at the battle of Talas (in modern Kazakhstan) in 751 C.E. Supposedly, Chinese papermakers were taken prisoner there and forced to reveal their craft to the conquerors. This notion circulates in most modern papermaking literature and can even be spotted on historical timelines. Bloom reveals many reasons to be suspicious of the original source for this claim. He makes a concrete case that paper was already in use in the area at that time and suggests we view the story of Talas much as scholars treat the story of T'sai Lun, the alleged Chinese inventor of papermaking: as a metaphor for what occurred, not as literal fact. The next chapter focuses on the spread of papermaking and dynamic trade in the major cities of Baghdad and Damascus, as well as elsewhere in Iran, Central Asia, and Egypt. Bloom not only discusses papermaking but the response of each specific locale to the emerging craft. Related technologies are routinely treated in the sidebars, providing increased understanding of the historical context. An excellent example of this is a short discussion of the evolution of mills and water wheels, which is then related back to paper production. The following chapters reveal how paper influenced calligraphy and authorship, bookmaking, and illustration, and the resulting increased level of communication in the Muslim world, spanning a large portion of the globe. While covering central topics in Islamic art such as calligraphy and painting, Bloom goes well beyond the narrow focus that many writers maintain to discuss the diverse impact that increased authorship brought. Particular attention is paid to the important contributions made by Muslims to the fields of mathematics and science, specifically focusing on the emergence of scientific notation. Finally, Bloom discusses the pivotal transfer of papermaking to Christian Europe, and the subsequent paper trade between cultures, as well as the comparatively late introduction of mechanized printing to the Middle East.  I have few criticisms of the book, none of them major. The typeface used is smaller than usual, but does allow room for the commentary and sidebars (although chapters 4 and 5 lack any sidebars or marginal commentary, making the text seem compressed). The book has no list of illustrations, and while many of the images are wonderful—with crisp reproduction and excellent color—most are quite reduced in size from their originals. A basic, general timeline in conjunction with the maps on pages xiv-xvi would have been a useful overview, especially for educators. For scholars, a checklist of primary manuscript accounts of papermaking and related techniques would have been a good resource. I will admit that these technical materials are understandably beyond the scope of this particular work, which is meant to appeal to the general, English speaking public as much as the specialist. I can only hope that future scholars will be inspired by Bloom’s example to pursue their own investigations and tackle the task of translating the large corpus of primary sources.  This book captures the nuances of Middle Eastern society as complex, ethnically diverse, and inherently pluralistic, and highlights the role that non-Muslim populations played both within and outside of that society. It recalls a more tolerant Islam in stark contrast to the image of extremism routinely portrayed in the media today. Bloom offers a compelling perspective of the humble and indispensable contributions of Islamic culture to Western society. This work inspires the hope that the spirit of the region's ancient caravan routes will once again emerge as actively amicable exchanges between modern cultures. Jake Benson