{"product_id":"empire-of-ink-the-printers-rogues-and-radicals-who-invented-the-american-newspaper","title":"Empire of Ink: The Printers, Rogues, and Radicals Who Invented the American Newspaper","description":"\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"2\" cellspacing=\"0\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"productDetailSmallElements\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"This beautifully written book takes us beyond the familiar New York papers and editors to a whole continent bursting with the thirst for news. It does full justice to the technological advances that made this possible, while introducing a gaggle of little-known personalities--brave, imaginative, and sometimes unscrupulous. A wonderful read.\"-- \n\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eAndrew Pettegree, coauthor of The Library\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"A spunky history of newspapers adds color to the black and white ... finding in the actual cut-and-paste culture from then much in common with today's jostling, jousting online media.\"-- \n\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Engaging...A fresh, often startling account of newspapers' early years.\"-- \n\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eKirkus\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Captivating ... a rip-roaring, richly entertaining feast.\"-- \n\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eWall Street Journal\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\" \n\u003ci\u003eEmpire of Ink\u003c\/i\u003e makes clear why newspapers deserve a prime seat at the table of American history. Alex Wright deftly captures the freewheeling cast of characters, the experimentation in style and form, and the partisan fighting that shaped the spirit of nineteenth-century journalism.\"-- \n\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eJoseph M. Adelman, author of Revolutionary Networks\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"As printed newspapers have lost their dominance to digital media platforms and corporations, Alex Wright's history is a sobering reminder of the incredible power of America's free press, and of those who continue to soil our hands with the ink of informed commentary and reported facts.\"-- \n\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eSteven Heller, former senior art director, New York Times Book Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Wright's history traces the rise of the American newspaper from the Revolutionary War through to the 20th century, and the radical spirit behind its inception.\"-- \n\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Millions, Most Anticipated Books of Spring 2026\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBiographical Note\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eAlex Wright\u003c\/b\u003e is the author of \n\u003ci\u003eCataloging the World\u003c\/i\u003e and \n\u003ci\u003eGlut\u003c\/i\u003e. He has also led digital projects for Google News, \n\u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e, and Hearst Newspapers. He holds a PhD in design from Carnegie Mellon University, and divides his time between Brooklyn and the Hudson Valley.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Delightful.\"-- \n\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eBig Think\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher Marketing\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eA sweeping history of America's first media revolution: the rise of the newspaper, and the transformation of a fledgling republic into the world's first information superpower. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \"Takes us beyond the familiar New York papers and editors to a whole continent bursting with the thirst for news. A wonderful read.\" --Andrew Pettegree, coauthor of \u003ci\u003eThe Library\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e No society had ever generated so much ink and paper in so little time. Between the Revolutionary War and the dawn of the twentieth century, the number of American newspapers increased five hundredfold. In \n\u003ci\u003eEmpire of Ink\u003c\/i\u003e, Alex Wright tells the story of how an unruly young democracy found its voice--shaped by the interplay of new technologies, bold public policies, and a distinctly American zeal for free expression that unleashed the greatest outpouring of print the world had ever seen. \n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e It was a wild, boisterous time--populated by gunslinging editors, tramp printers, zealous reformers, brilliant inventors, and literal snake-oil salesmen. Together, they transformed journalism, built a new industry, and helped forge the nation's character. By century's end, this freewheeling press had begun to give way to news syndicates, wire services, and corporate interests. Wealthy media barons seized on new technologies and economies of scale to consolidate power--shaping the mass media that would define the twentieth century. \n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Vividly bringing a pivotal chapter in American history to life, \n\u003ci\u003eEmpire of Ink\u003c\/i\u003e reveals how the nation's age-old struggles over truth, technology, and power continue to echo into today's digital age.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Citations:\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/span\u003e 03\/15\/2026 (EAN 9781541606791, Hardcover)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003eShelf Awareness\u003c\/span\u003e 12\/30\/0001 (EAN 9781541606791, Hardcover)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n","brand":"Basic Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51496203354390,"sku":"9781541606791","price":40.8,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0857\/9910\/8886\/files\/9781541606791.jpg?v=1783057458","url":"https:\/\/lusper.myshopify.com\/products\/empire-of-ink-the-printers-rogues-and-radicals-who-invented-the-american-newspaper","provider":"Lusperbooks","version":"1.0","type":"link"}