What a lovely concept. World history as told through the development and influence of papermaking. The author is well-renowned for this approach (see Salt, Cod, etc.), and executes it flawlessly here. I had never considered how much we depend on paper and how complicated its production is. I learned much about what quality is in terms of paper and printmaking. Also how art and education is restlessly entwined with technological development. Kurlansky is eager to counter the technological fallacy - that technology causes changes in culture, society, and intelligence. He affirms that society changes and calls for new technologies, that technology responds to needs, rather than creating needs.