"This fascinating book looks at every aspect of paper: its history, composition, production, application, and trade. Beginning with the anatomy of paper and its earliest forms, this book looks at paper as a symbol of political and economic importance and as a carrier of ideas, from literature to art, design, and music. It looks at the different surfaces, opacities, weights and volumes of paper and how it is used for printing, typography, graphics, and maps as well as a vehicle for origami, architecture, and fashion. Sumptuously illustrated with photographs and drawings, this book includes a variety of papers for readers to examine and feel, highlighting the sensual aspects of this seemingly ordinary product." (Publisher description)