In 2012, Doug Wilson and his filmmaking cohorts premiered Linotype: The Film, a feature-length documentary centered around the type casting machine. Called the “Eighth Wonder of the World” by Thomas Edison, Linotype revolutionized printing and society. The film tells the charming and emotional story of the people connected to the machine and how it impacted the world.
For the past two years, Wilson has been tirelessly researching original sources for the Linotype Book Project. As he states in a video on the project’s site, “I thought I was finished with the Linotype after the film, but I was VERY WRONG. I’m still quite interested in the Linotype and how it impacted journalism, communication and society as a whole.”
Thus he’s systematically traveled the world to find new stories and create a deeper narrative for what has become a singular passion. Wilson chronicles his discoveries in a frequently published newsletter, which is free to subscribers (and those who pay what they can to support the project). As many of the remaining operators are passing, this blow-by-blow “journal” of an incredible journey gives readers a sense of taking part in the adventure.
Sign up, pay what you can, and take a trip with Wilson as he works on the book and documents arguably the most consequential mass communications invention since the printing press.
The post The Daily Heller: Linotype, the Machine That Saved the Word appeared first on PRINT Magazine.