Aldus Manutius and the spirit of book innovation

A ‘portable little book’ of Horace designed by Aldus Manutius in the 1490s

Not going for the hit is not always a bad idea.

Deciding against the most obvious choice may be the sign of a better, yet unsuspected, judgment.

At the end of the 15th at the beginning of the 16 century, the pioneer editor and typographer Aldus Manutius of Venice refused, and catego…