In their first century of uninterrupted publication,

newspapers reached an all-embracing readership:

male and female, noble and artisan, in both

town and country. Such was its impact that this

seemingly ephemeral product became a collector's

object. In Reading newspapers Uriel Heyd examines

this vibrant new print medium and investigates its

political, social and cultural implications.

Adopting a comparative approach, the author

traces the culture of newspaper reading in

Britain and America. Previously unexplored

sources such as newspaper indexes and

introductions, plays, auction catalogues and a

unique newspaper collection assembled and

annotated by a Bostonian shopkeeper, provide

invaluable access to perceptions of the press,

reading practices, and the ever-changing

experience of consumers. While newspapers

supplied news of immediacy and relevance, their

effect transcended the here and now, influencing

readers' perceptions of the age in which they

lived and helping to shape historical memory.

But the newly found power of this media also

gave rise to a certain fear of its ability to exploit

or manipulate public opinion. Perceived as

vehicles of enlightenment, but also viewed with

suspicion, the legacy of eighteenth-century

newspapers is still felt today.