Only 49 of original editions of the Gutenberg Bible are known to survive. Margaret Leslie Davis joins Wednesday to tell the 500-year odyssey of obsession and tragedy of one extremely rare and beautiful copy of a book that sparked a revolution.
More than 500 years ago, Johannes Gutenberg changed the course of history with a book. It was the Holy Bible, printed with a revolutionary moveable typeface. For rare book collectors, a Gutenberg Bible is the ultimate prize. Only 49 of copies are known to survive, and of them Number 45 is the most pristine. Margaret Leslie Davis joins us to tell the incredible tale of Number 45, from its creation, its path through the hands of monks, noblemen and one wealthy widow, to its final resting place.
Margaret Leslie Davis is the author of several books, including Mona Lisa in Camelot and Dark Side of Fortune. Her latest is The Lost Gutenberg: The Astounding Story of One Book's Five-Hundred-Year Odyssey [Indie bookstore|Amazon|Audible].