The Production Of Books Changed Over The Last Twenty Five Years Essay

Susan Cain tells us her story on a TED talk, which stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design and is a global set of conferences run by the private non-profit Sapling Foundation, under the slogan "Ideas Worth Spreading“. Now ask yourself: What do books represent for you? Could they be the “air you breathe“?

In the New Atlantis, Christine Rosen wrote an article, “People of the Screen.” The article talks about old books that are no longer being printed, that if the books are no longer printed, if we choose to replace the book-what will become of reading and the print culture it fostered? Rosen states, “We have already taken the first steps on our journey to a new form of literacy— “digital literacy.”

Today, no one seems to give much value of literary works or reading. Not because it doesn’t give anything beneficiary, but because not everyone had the urged to at least finish a book. We now live in a world where social medias almost dominates our daily activities. It’s unlikely to have a place for us to consume a non-fiction or fiction book. As absurd as it sounds but that’s how people often think. We now live in an egalitarian society, where everyone is given the freedom and right of its own.

In “How to Mark a Book”, Mortimer J. Adler delves into the importance of active reading. His purpose is to encourage an audience of readers to not be afraid to write in a book because “…the soul of a book can be separated from its body” (Adler 17). Meaning, a book is more than its physical being and deserves to be cherished for what is written inside of it.

A, With the invention of the printing press, the demand for books skyrocketed, and led to the creation of pulp magazines. To some these magazines were not “serious” literature standard, as often times they were printed on low quality paper, sold cheaply (dime magazines), and in locations like drug stores and train stations, instead of the traditional book store.

Editors John Carter and Percy H. Muir wrote Ten Important Works of Classical and Medieval Authors and they state a list of classical and modern works from well-known authors.(Doc 8) The list of classical and modern works began the spread of literature and it was from the years 1467-1502. Thoughts and ideas from the books of these authors would profoundly change society because as they were publicated, knowledge and thoughts scattered. Adding onto the spread of literature, the majority of books spread important information into the minds of modern people. Editors, Carter and H. Muir, wrote Ten Important Works of Early Modern Authors listing the works of authors from the first half of the 16th century.(Doc 9) Many of the listings of works were published during the 1500s and many people agreed with the teachings and ideas from these books. The Printing Press helped the spread of literature grow tremendously over time and this was because as the books were made, the books became available to the general public. The teachings from these books were impactful to society because they included modern and current ideas that were spread on a much larger scale. Not only did the spread of literature become an important consequence but the development of the Printing Press also

Books convey one’s life to another, to a point that it is perceived relatable. These pieces of literature pry open the tiniest crevices of your imagination. Technology has recently taken over the book world by storm, so it may seem from the general audience that books are not at its finest era. However, to a book enthusiast

In the 1600s, critics saw the increased production of books as a threat to society, because they feared that people would not be able to keep up and process the information at the same rate as it became available. Others feared that new books would outshine the classics, and as a result the society would plunge into a primitive state with masses of uncultured people. Ann Blair offers quite the opposite perspective in her article titled “Reading Strategies for Coping with Information Overload ca. 1550–1700,” where she demonstrates that the plethora of books, rather than numbing the minds, in reality cultivated new learning methods while making reading a more personal and intellectually stimulating experience.

Imagine a world without books, without the pieces of literature and knowledge that throughout history have helped shape great minds and influenced the education system. Picture the extent of the effects of a world so insipid, one where socializing is no longer a norm and abstract thought is rare and frowned upon. That is exactly what Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 depicts through the perspective of its protagonist, Guy Montag. Through his eyes, we experience life with the consequences of the extinction of books. History itself has proven the devastating event that is book burning; Nazi Germany’s book burning in the 1940s is exemplary of this. Technology has slowly aided in the plummeting of reading with so much media and trivial information that fills our minds with ideas that lead us astray from anything of intellectual value. Through media political parties have the power to influence society like never before; because of this destructive power ignorant people are prevailing with their trifling thoughts and petty commentary. Although the improvement of technology has facilitated the spread of such things as fashion and gossip, there is evidence that rich culture and heritage is having a harder time surmounting inessential information for example, Kylie Jenner’s lip fad, languages have faded, great authors are of less importance and art is underappreciated. Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 shows us the standpoint of a man battling to save a derailing society that practices book

They take the constructive feedback they receive from customers and apply it to future enhancements. A unique feature is, they hand-pick their books; these books consists of Canadian small presses, national publishers, and international imprints as they echo the diversity of their customer’s interests (BryanPrinceBookseller, 2015). One of the main reasons why this bookstore has been so successful is because of the passion held within the business. The owners are all enthusiastic readers and highly value the art and heritage behind literature. In addition they are always happy to discuss what they are currently reading and are capable of making

Things that used to be printed out on paper such as newspapers and articles can all be found digitally. There is not hope for the things of the past like that. It is only a matter of time before there won’t be any paper books. They will all be digital. A much acclaimed critic writes, “One has only to look at

In an age where the printed novel has been somewhat on the decline, and the necessity of readable fiction has almost faded into obscurity. I believe that literature still harbours a crucial part within our society; from the very foundations of most theatrical adaptations, to preserving the culture and encapsulating the feelings of generations past. In this case literature cements itself as one of the most decisive elements of our civilisation, and combining it with history makes it become a testament to who we are as people, as well as the conservation of both our progression and degradation. I have always enjoyed reading literature, from reading J.R.R Tolkien’s classic ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy within my childhood, to perhaps more sophisticated,

The thin rustic pages scrape past my loose fingers as I sit engaged. My heart pounds harder and faster with every word my eyes pass over. My ears hear nothing, even within booming noise. My complete focus is on the book that lays in my hand with a laminated cover, and I have no choice but to submit to the content. My breath tastes of spearmint and the aroma of fresh paper floats past my nose. I couldn’t resist but delve into the worlds and mysteries that books hold. Once opened, everything around me becomes a distant blur. I am hooked. Books have always created an escape for creativity and fancies to run free. Books are used as a medium for reason. Books are formative to the development of human beings. In my instance, books changed my life.

Literature is an imitation of societal values and is thus a reflection of the human experience of a time period. Written works emphasize the elements of culture, by means of characters, particular events, setting and theme, specific to the time period in which it was composed. Furthermore, literature mirrors the troubles or hardships of society and projects the core values that define said society. Thus, as culture has changed over time, literature has remained a critical facet in representing time periods of the past. Essentially, the culture of a time period is manifested through writing in the projection of society’s values, symbolism of the center of community and literature itself.

As readers and as scholars many of us tend not to identify the organizational layout of print books as evidence of socially valued formats regarding the “proper” forms of narrative, thought, and conveying meaning. To many modern readers print technology is just the natural form for narrative entertainment or study. Although printed texts just seem natural, they reinforce concepts of stability, finality, authority, and even immortality. The pursuit of a final authoritative, authentic text—not unrelated to the final draft students submit in literature courses—is an endeavor of great historical significance, especially in terms of literary history. “It was establishing the original text that the Renaissance scholars thought their main task …,” notes Richard Lanham, “The aim of all this was to fix the text forever” (quoted in Slatin 155). One of the icons of the English literary canon, Shakespeare himself went so far as to praise the immortality of print in his famous sonnet sequence. Many of his sonnets—like 19, 55, and 60—contain references to the lasting quality of art; however, the poet is not simply praising the virtues of poetry, but also of