Empire of Ink

“A spunky history of newspapers adds color to the black and white ... finding in the actual cut-and-paste culture from then much in common with today's jostling, jousting online media.”—New York Times

“Delightful.”—Big Think

“Engaging...A fresh, often startling account of newspapers’ early years.”—Kirkus

“Wright’s history traces the rise of the American newspaper from the Revolutionary War through to the 20th century, and the radical spirit behind its inception."—The Millions, Most Anticipated Books of Spring 2026

“This beautifully written book takes us beyond the familiar New York papers and editors to a whole continent bursting with the thirst for news. It does full justice to the technological advances that made this possible, while introducing a gaggle of little-known personalities—brave, imaginative, and sometimes unscrupulous. A wonderful read.”—Andrew Pettegree, coauthor of The Library

“As printed newspapers have lost their dominance to digital media platforms and corporations, Alex Wright’s history is a sobering reminder of the incredible power of America’s free press, and of those who continue to soil our hands with the ink of informed commentary and reported facts.”—Steven Heller, former senior art director, New York Times Book Review

“Empire of Ink makes clear why newspapers deserve a prime seat at the table of American history. Alex Wright deftly captures the freewheeling cast of characters, the experimentation in style and form, and the partisan fighting that shaped the spirit of nineteenth-century journalism.”—Joseph M. Adelman, author of Revolutionary Networks