This book is a straightforward account of the birth and growth of Project Gutenberg, the world's first and largest free digital library. It starts with founder Michael Hart typing the U.S. Declaration of Independence into a university computer in 1971, essentially creating the first "ebook." The story then follows the project's slow but steady expansion over nearly 40 years, powered not by corporations or governments, but by a scattered network of dedicated volunteers who believed information should be free.

Why You Should Read It

What grabbed me was how personal it feels. This isn't a dry history of file formats. It's about the retired teacher in Florida and the student in Germany spending their evenings painstakingly correcting scanned text, one page at a time. It shows how a wildly ambitious idea—"a library in every pocket"—persisted through the dial-up era and became a reality we now take for granted. It makes you appreciate every free classic on your e-reader in a whole new way.

Final Verdict

Perfect for curious readers who love books and the stories behind them. If you've ever downloaded a free classic from Project Gutenberg, this book is like getting a backstage pass to see how it all happened. It’s a quiet tribute to patient, collaborative effort and a reminder that the internet's best treasures were often built by volunteers, not algorithms.