Forget the idea that ebooks sprang to life with the Kindle or iPad. El ebook tiene 40 años tells the real origin story, one that starts in a university lab long before most of us had a home computer.

The Story

This isn't a dry timeline. Author Marie Lebert tracks the ebook's journey like a detective following a cold case. She shows us the first digital text projects in the 1970s—massive, expensive, and seen as curiosities. We meet the stubborn visionaries who kept building digital libraries through the 80s and 90s, even when almost nobody was looking. The book follows the thread through early online projects like Project Gutenberg, right up to the tipping point where portable devices and big publishers finally made ebooks a household thing.

Why You Should Read It

I loved this because it’s a story about persistence over instant success. It gives credit to the unsung heroes—the programmers, academics, and volunteers—who built the foundation for our digital reading world. Reading it made me appreciate my e-reader so much more. It’s not just a gadget; it’s the endpoint of a 40-year collective effort to make knowledge more accessible.

Final Verdict

Perfect for curious readers who love behind-the-scenes history, tech enthusiasts who enjoy human-centered stories, and anyone who has ever wondered, 'How did we get here?' It’s a short, insightful read that connects the dots in a way that’s both surprising and satisfying.