1516 was a pivotal year for postal services in Europe; the German noble family of Thurn and Taxis became the first organisation to be awarded a monopoly for the international transport of mail and the Royal Mail was created in the United Kingdom. These events provide the perfect backdrop for a beautifully illustrated book about the history of postal services, from the days when mail was carried on horseback to the advent of the steam train and the first postage stamps. In The Post Book: 500 years of history in Europe, professional philatelist Vincent Schouberechts tells the story of postal services in Europe and draws on information from authoritative historical documents, including wonderful maps of the old mail routes, the unique correspondence written by Peter Stuyvesant when he was governor of New Amsterdam (New York) and - best of all - the letter in which Emperor Charles confirms the lucrative postal monopoly awarded to the Thurn andTaxis family.