Oh, my goodness, this essay is so much fun! I collect books on books and have a lot of the titles you mention, but I see that I have some reading to do! Thanks for including
"Books During Wartime". Another excellent book on paperbacks is Two-Bit Culture by Kenneth Davis. Also, The New Lifetime Reading Plan: The Classical Guide to World Literature, Revised and Expanded – Introductions to 130+ Classics for Lovers of Books by Fadiman and Major is a book that has been at my bedside for many, many years.
Joel, your post raised a question. (And you may have answered this in your book, which I haven't quite finished yet.) You mentioned books chained to pulpits, which was what I had always heard was a symbol of how churches limited access to the Bible and made it accessible only to clergy who would read it aloud to a congregation. But something occurred to me -- could it possibly have been because that Book might have been one of the most valuable (price-wise) objects in the building, and subject to theft?
Latayne, you’re correct. It’s an old Protestant libel against the Catholics. Books, including Bibles, were chained to pulpits, tables, and shelves to prevent them from being stolen. The chains allowed someone to consult the book without giving the freedom wander off with it.
I’ve got a book by Illich around here somewhere but haven’t read it and don’t have an opinion. I’ve heard he’s quite interesting. You’ll have to let me know what you think!
I am finding it intriguing and challenging. Here's a little chunk that you can chew on:
In ABC: The Alphabetization of the Popular Mind, Illich and his co-author, Barry Sanders, tried to gain perspective on the catastrophic change they sensed around them by exploring two comparable historical watersheds: the transition from epic or reality to literacy in ancient Greece, and the appearance of a recognizable ancestor of the modern book in 12th century Europe. Such scholars as Millman Perry and Eric Havelock had reflected on the momentous changes in consciousness that occurred when the technique of alphabetic literacy created visible words out of the irretrievable river of speech, and an entirely new kind of thought became possible. Illich’s original research focused on the 12th century, where he studied changes in the appearance of the medieval book. In the manuscripts of the early Middle ages, words were unseparated. In order to tease the words out of a continuous line of letters, it was necessary to read aloud, and numerous accounts agree that the monks and church fathers buzzed and mumbled as they read.
Let me add two books I enjoyed reading:
1.
"Portable Magic. A History of Books and their Readers" by Emma Smith, 2022
2.
"The Notebook. A History of Thinking on Paper" by Rolland Allen, 2023
I wrote a couple of words about them here:
https://jacekgodlewski.substack.com/p/my-reading-list-of-2024
Great additions! I really enjoyed both of those!
Now I have a reading list for 2026 just of books about books! Thanks.
Oh, my goodness, this essay is so much fun! I collect books on books and have a lot of the titles you mention, but I see that I have some reading to do! Thanks for including
"Books During Wartime". Another excellent book on paperbacks is Two-Bit Culture by Kenneth Davis. Also, The New Lifetime Reading Plan: The Classical Guide to World Literature, Revised and Expanded – Introductions to 130+ Classics for Lovers of Books by Fadiman and Major is a book that has been at my bedside for many, many years.
Thank you for these recommendations.
This is amazing.
I also approach a newbook the way Pooh approached a jar of honey.
Joel, your post raised a question. (And you may have answered this in your book, which I haven't quite finished yet.) You mentioned books chained to pulpits, which was what I had always heard was a symbol of how churches limited access to the Bible and made it accessible only to clergy who would read it aloud to a congregation. But something occurred to me -- could it possibly have been because that Book might have been one of the most valuable (price-wise) objects in the building, and subject to theft?
Latayne, you’re correct. It’s an old Protestant libel against the Catholics. Books, including Bibles, were chained to pulpits, tables, and shelves to prevent them from being stolen. The chains allowed someone to consult the book without giving the freedom wander off with it.
Lex Orandi
Lex Credendi
Lex Vivendi
.....and if course, LECTIO DIVINA! 🕯️📿 📖
Grace and peace to you Amigo,
as always, pray for Translators! 🌐📚🕊️
Amen!
Joel, I'm reading Ivan Illich in Conversation by David Cayley. Illitch had many ideas about books. Do you have any thoughts on Illitch?
I’ve got a book by Illich around here somewhere but haven’t read it and don’t have an opinion. I’ve heard he’s quite interesting. You’ll have to let me know what you think!
I am finding it intriguing and challenging. Here's a little chunk that you can chew on:
In ABC: The Alphabetization of the Popular Mind, Illich and his co-author, Barry Sanders, tried to gain perspective on the catastrophic change they sensed around them by exploring two comparable historical watersheds: the transition from epic or reality to literacy in ancient Greece, and the appearance of a recognizable ancestor of the modern book in 12th century Europe. Such scholars as Millman Perry and Eric Havelock had reflected on the momentous changes in consciousness that occurred when the technique of alphabetic literacy created visible words out of the irretrievable river of speech, and an entirely new kind of thought became possible. Illich’s original research focused on the 12th century, where he studied changes in the appearance of the medieval book. In the manuscripts of the early Middle ages, words were unseparated. In order to tease the words out of a continuous line of letters, it was necessary to read aloud, and numerous accounts agree that the monks and church fathers buzzed and mumbled as they read.
I talk about that in my book The Idea Machine!