AN ANALYSIS AND HISTORY OF MINIATURE BOOKS

The history of miniature books is long and varied; their popularity has fluctuated since their original emergence in the sixteenth century. They\u27ve been successfully marketed to a wide demographic and were intended for purposes ranging from convenience to luxury, or even simply for the sake of their whimsical appeal. Similarly, there has been significant diversity of content published in miniature form as well. Almanacs, prayer books, novels, plays, and more have all been produced in miniature form across the centuries. The height of miniature books seems to have come during the early twentieth century, when there was a surge in producing and collecting them. Though they are not as popular now, miniature books are still being published and bought. Their use as legitimate books has been called into question by many scholars and has been defended by others. While some hold that miniature books belong only to the realm of collectibles instead of literature, others contend that the name miniature is demeaning to books that simply happen to be smaller in stature, but are as valid as their larger counterparts. There is no clear answer on the matter; no one side is right and the other wrong. This leaves the researcher with the choice to either take sides or simply chronicle the debate. For these purposes, appreciating the history of these books necessitates understanding both sides of the debate, though sides will not be taken