Synthesized answer
The "undertaking" described is a "multi-volume history" [1]. It emerged from conversations and was led by someone [1].
The specific element that makes it "very large" is that it is a "multi-volume history" [1]. The passage also states that the undertaking "would necessarily be very large" [1] and would be spread over "a number of years" [1].
Information missing that would help fully articulate its scope includes details about the subject matter of the history (beyond it being a history of Cambridge University Press, which is implied by the title of Volume 3) and the specific number of volumes that constitute this "multi-volume undertaking" [1]. We also don't know the exact subject of the multi-volume history itself, only that Volume 3 covers 1873-1972 [Passage 1].
Synthesized from the book passages below. Chat with the book on Feynman for follow-up.
From the book
Title: A History of Cambridge University Press: Volume 3, New Worlds for Learning, 1873-1972 by David McKitterick Description: The third and final volume of A History of Cambridge University Press, covering 1873-1972. Categories: Design Pages: 544 Snippet: ... <b>multi - volume</b> history seems to <b>have</b> emerged from conversations ; but these conversations were led at first by ... <b>undertaking</b> would necessarily <b>be</b> very large and , even though spread over a number of years , would <b>be</b> a ...
More questions about this book
- Why do you think a "multi-volume history" emerged from "conversations" rather than a formal directive? What does this suggest about the nature of such a large undertaking within an institution like Cambridge University Press?
- What are the unique challenges and potential benefits of spreading such a "very large" history project "over a number of years" compared to a more concentrated effort?
- Considering this is Volume 3, how might the initial "conversations" and the recognition of the project's vastness have shaped the way historical periods were divided or approached across the entire multi-volume series?
- If the project's origin story is described in this way, what assumptions might a reader of Volume 3 make about the intellectual commitment and institutional support behind the entire series?