More Information
Rights Information
In the late-18th century, a group of publishers in what Darnton calls the ‘Fertile Crescent’ — countries located along the French border, stretching from Holland to Switzerland — pirated the works of prominent (and often banned) French writers and distributed them in France, where laws governing piracy were in flux and any notion of ‘copyright’ was very much in its infancy. Piracy was entirely legal and everyone acknowledged that these pirated editions of works by Rousseau, Voltaire, and Diderot, among other luminaries, supplied a growing readership within France.
• Offers a sweeping view of the world of writing, publishing and bookselling in preRevolutionary France, providing a vibrantly detailed look at a cut-throat industry that was struggling to keep up with the times.
• Examines how book piracy helped to expand literary culture.
• Focuses on one of the largest publishers in Switzerland, whose archives are the most complete.
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press (OUP) is the world's leading university press with the widest global presence. Our academic publishing programme serves scholars, teachers and researchers, publishing important and rigorous research and scholarship across subject areas stretching from History to Life Sciences to Economics.
View all titlesBibliographic Information
- ISBN/Identifier 9780195144529
- Publish StatusPublished
Oxford University Press has chosen to review this offer before it proceeds.
You will receive an email update that will bring you back to complete the process.
You can also check the status in the My Offers area

Please wait while the payment is being prepared.
Do not close this window.