Fascinating look at how the greatest anatomy book of the nineteenth century and beyond came to be written: the persons involved, including author, illustrator, publisher, and competitors; the process; and the importance of it all. Despite the lack of documentary substantiation, Richardson does a fine job of tracking down what evidence there is and putting it together. The innovation in Gray's was not the material so much as the illustrations, which were larger than any other text (partly by fortuitous accident) and had teach particular item labeled directly, rather than lettered to direct the reader to a legend or the footnotes. The type was also large and clear.
The art of the woodcutter and engraver was at its peak, and the craftmanship is outstanding even for the day.
(The book is substantial in weight, with heavy slick paper, and illustrations from the Anatomy.) ( )