An important inspiration for this The Social Life of the Book series, Matthew Stadler is relentlessly challenging preconceived ideas of publishing and the book, in his own writing, lectures and publishing activities. In this new essay, he’s examining the political dimensions of the book, through an unexpected, yet fertile, comparison between today and the invention of the space of the page in the Middle Ages. His praise for the dynamics of the “marginal” introduces a compelling discussion on authorship, the market, and the reader’s agency – putting the emphasis on the democratic openness of the book.