A chapbook is a small, staple-bound booklet that has long served as a vessel for sharing poetry, philosophy, and powerful ideas. Rooted in the 16th century, chapbooks emerged alongside the spread of early printing, transforming reading from an elite pastime into a shared cultural experience accessible to everyone. In the hands of traveling “chap-men,” these compact booklets journeyed across towns and countrysides, bringing stories, hymns, and folk songs to audiences who read them in private or performed them aloud. Richly illustrated yet modest in design, chapbooks carried the weight of human experience—romance, adventure, and ideas—making them cherished pieces of accessible literature.