Notes of a bibliophile. Why books have power over us
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In her incredibly fascinating narrative, Oxford professor and Shakespeare specialist Emma Smith tells the history of books, a centuries-old and remarkably interesting story, focusing not on the familiar image of "archives of wisdom and knowledge," but on the material forms in which books were presented and the diverse purposes they sometimes had to serve. Presenting a captivating and radically new history of the book in human hands, the author seeks answers to when and how it acquired power over us. Describing the enormous role that books played in people's lives for a whole millennium, Smith makes a remarkable discovery that the characteristic and very powerful magic of books is born not only from their content but also from their form. From the Diamond Sutra to a book made of slices of cheese wrapped in cellophane, this complex artistic object has for centuries contained and expanded relationships between readers, countries, ideologies, and cultures, doing so decisively and unpredictably.
"Every book promises the reader transformation. The expectation of change is part of the invisible contract between books and their readers. In this sense, all books are books about how to help oneself. If we do not find pleasure or connection with a certain book, it means we are stubbornly avoiding the obligations we should fulfill under the contract with it." (Emma Smith)
Author:
Author:Smith Emma
Cover:
Cover:hardcover
Category:
- Category:History & Geography
- Category:Fiction
Dimensions:
Dimensions:21.8x14.8x1.6 cm
Series:
Series:Popular psychology for business and life
ISBN:
ISBN:978-5-389-17090-2
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