Beginning in the 4th century, the book became the preferred medium for long texts. Why then did some writers continue to make scrolls? In this beautifully illustrated overview, Thomas Forrest Kelly notes that scrolls were used to keep lists (resulting in the word "enrollment"), while actors relied on them to recall their lines. Scrolls could also convey ceremonial importance—a purpose that lives on with academic diplomas. Among the intriguing examples here are an alchemist's recipe for turning base metal into gold, a log of gifts for Queen Elizabeth I, William the Conqueror's family tree, and a pilgrim's map of the Holy Land.