Books have impacted society and culture throughout the world in many ways. From the first Bible to Harry Potter, books have been a means of global communication, knowledge sharing, and self-expression throughout history.
When man first began to record the written word about five thousand years ago, it was done by hand on animal skins, papyrus, wood, stone and cloth in an assortment of media such as berry juice and charcoal. Because there was usually only a single copy, the message or information was limited in who had access and to those who spoke and read the language in which it was written. When Johann Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1450, access to printed materials was expanded exponentially. Before the invention of the printing press, it could take an author’s entire lifetime to print a book. Gutenberg's press allowed for several hundred copies of a book to be produced per year. The larger number of books increased the number of people with access and information was more easily shared. By sharing information, one individual could build on the theories and explorations of another. This expanded information sharing led to more people acquiring knowledge, more inventions and the advancement of science. Books have also contributed to cultural awareness - prior to books, knowledge of other cultures was often limited to those who traveled to those cultures and in many cases based solely on that individual's interpretations and view. Books have recently evolved