Book excerpt: A Short History of Cambridge University Press is an account of the world's oldest press, from the publication of the Press's first book in 1584 through to the present day. It emphasises the constitutional basis of the Press, which is an essential part of its parent university, and highlights the moments of change and crisis: Richard Bentley's revival in the 1690s, the Victorian renaissance in the 1850s, the rise of modern university publishing, two world wars, the crisis of the early 1970s - resolved by Geoffrey Cass's bold reconstruction - and the printing and publishing expansion of the 1990s. This history brings out the unique nature of the Press, which is an educational charitable enterprise, trading with vigour throughout the world and publishing over 2400 titles a year. This revised and illustrated second edition brings the story up to the turn of the millennium, and emphasises both the diversity of the Press's recent achievements and its current aims.