A History of Reading - Hardcover

Manguel, Alberto

3.98

5,177 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0002550067 ISBN 13: 9780002550062

Publisher: Viking, 1996

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Reprint of the first U.S. edition. Tracks the history of the transmission of the printed word to the reader. Intermixes this story with sub-plots concerning book thieves and anarchists, book burners and censors, and others. xii , 372 pages. cloth-backed boards, dust jacket.. 8vo..

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Review:

This wide-ranging and erudite exploration of the topic of reading is suffused with the spirit of Manguel's fellow Argentinian Jorge Luis Borges. Manguel takes us through the history of reading as if leading us room by room through the infinite library Borges constructed in one of his famous stories. Manguel's approach is not chronological, but thematic. His chapter topics jump from attempts to censor reading to the physical surroundings favored by readers, from the limitations of translations to the esotericism of books written for a restricted readership. Throughout he moves easily through time and geography to quote anecdotes and examples from diverse sources. Manguel's enthusiasm, and the impressive breadth of his reading, will make his readers eager to rush to the nearest library.

About the Author:

Alberto Manguel is a writer, translator, and editor of international reputation; his many books include The Dictionary of Imaginary Places (with Gianni Guadalupi), the award-winning novel News From a Foreign Country Came, and the short story anthologies Black Water, The Gates of Paradise, and (with Craig Stephenson) In Another Part of the Forest. Born in Buenos Aires, Manguel has traveled extensively and is now a Canadian citizen.

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