A History of Reading - Softcover
This study of the history of reading goes from the earliest examples of the clay tablets and cuneiform of ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt via the invention of printing in the 15th century to the birth of a mass reading public and today's digital revolution. It argues that it is the demands and expectations of the reader, acting alongside the creative will of the writer, that is the evolutionary motor of literary forms and genres. From man's first use of the written word simply as a form of reference, to the emergence of the first holy or devotional texts, and onto the development of fictions, both poetic and novelistic, this work aims to both challenge and enlighten.
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Review:
This book contains some of the best writing about reading, encompassing the 6,000-year recorded history of this oldest of media--books. I should note that its dust-jacket surpasses mere decoration: Remove it, flip it open, and there is a lovely timeline of the history of reading to post next to your reading chair. An absolutely delightful book and, not surprisingly, Very Highly Recommended.
From the Back Cover:
"An absolute treasure.... Alberto Manguel has written a celebration of reading [that] has the impact of an elegy." -The Globe and Mail
"Anyone who reads will be hooked right away: ...it is, after all, a history of ourselves, and a celebration of our favourite occupation." -Margaret Visser
"A love letter written to reading." -George Steiner, The New Yorker
"A remarkable achievement. I finished the book with a sense of gratitude to have shared this journey through time in the company of a mind so lively, knowledgeable and sympathetic." -P.D. James, The Sunday Times
"A highly entertaining overview that leaves us with both a new appreciation for our own bibliomania and a deeper understanding of the role that the written word has played throughout history." -The New York Times
"Awe-inspiring.... A fine anthology of things we are unlikely to have found, or ever to find, for ourselves." -The Times Literary Supplement
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- PublisherFlamingo
- Publication date1997
- ISBN 10 0006546811
- ISBN 13 9780006546818
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages372
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. This study of the history of reading goes from the earliest examples of the clay tablets and cuneiform of ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt via the invention of printing in the 15th century to the birth of a mass reading public and today's digital revolution. It argues that it is the demands and expectations of the reader, acting alongside the creative will of the writer, that is the evolutionary motor of literary forms and genres. From man's first use of the written word simply as a form of reference, to the emergence of the first holy or devotional texts, and onto the development of fictions, both poetic and novelistic, this work aims to both challenge and enlighten. This history of reading goes from the earliest examples of the clay tablets and cuneiform of ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt to today's digital revolution. It argues that it is the demands of the reader, acting alongside the will of the writer, that is the evolutionary motor of literary genres. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780006546818
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History of Reading
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Book Description Condition: New. 1997. 1st. Paperback. This history of reading goes from the earliest examples of the clay tablets and cuneiform of ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt to today's digital revolution. It argues that it is the demands of the reader, acting alongside the will of the writer, that is the evolutionary motor of literary genres. Num Pages: 384 pages, 140 b&w illustrations. BIC Classification: CFF; GL. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 232 x 166 x 25. Weight in Grams: 630. . . . . . Seller Inventory # V9780006546818
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Book Description Paperback / softback. Condition: New. New copy - Usually dispatched within 4 working days. This history of reading goes from the earliest examples of the clay tablets and cuneiform of ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt to today's digital revolution. It argues that it is the demands of the reader, acting alongside the will of the writer, that is the evolutionary motor of literary genres. Seller Inventory # B9780006546818
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