In this marvelous book, acclaimed around the world, Alberto Manguel takes us on a fascinating exploration of what it means to be a reader of books. A History of Reading is a brilliant reminder of why we cherish the act of readingâdespite distractions throughout the ages, from the Inquisition to the lures of cyberspace. He shows us what happens when we read; who we become; and how reading teaches us how to live. He reminds us that we live in books as well as among themâhow we find our own stories in books, and traces of our lives. He shows us how our reading habits have developed over the centuries, and how, ever since humans first transcribed their thoughts and deeds on clay and papyrus, the act of reading is itself a part of being human.
Alberto Manguel is a lover of reading, and he brings a loverâs delight and enthusiasm to his history of reading. His stories take us across a breathtaking range of time and experiences. From the invention of the reader to Pliny the Youngerâs first lip-synch in history; from the moment when Alexander the Greatâs conquering army watched, amazed, as their captain read a letter from his motherâbut silentlyâto himself!âto reading clubs in medieval France; from the Great Camel Library of the Grand Vizir of Persia, who trained his camels to walk in alphabetical order, to the ancient delights of bedroom reading and the modern horrors of book burning in Nazi Germany; from cuneiform and codexes to the invention of printing and to Penguins; from the creation of eyeglasses to the hypnotics of hypertextâthe story of reading is laid open here for our pleasure.
Categories:
- Literature & Fiction
- History & Criticism
- Movements & Periods
- History & Criticism
Publisher : Vintage
Author : Manguel, Alberto
Language : English
Edition : First Edition
Published :1998-10-27
Number Of Pages : 384
Binding : Paperback
ISBN-10 : 0676970222
ISBN-13 : 9780676970227
Item weight : 1 lb
Dimensions : 1 in x 6.6 in x 9.1 in
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