Items related to A History of Reading
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 reading—despite 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 them—how 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 lover’s 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 Younger’s first lip-synch in history; from the moment when Alexander the Great’s conquering army watched, amazed, as their captain read a letter from his mother—but silently—to himself!—to 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 hypertext—the story of reading is laid open here for our pleasure.
Alberto Manguel is a lover of reading, and he brings a lover’s 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 Younger’s first lip-synch in history; from the moment when Alexander the Great’s conquering army watched, amazed, as their captain read a letter from his mother—but silently—to himself!—to 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 hypertext—the story of reading is laid open here for our pleasure.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Review:
Praise for" A History of Reading: "
"Ingenious...a veritable museum of literacy. One feels envious of his passion...through it, his gift becomes our own."--"The New York Times Book Review"
"Manguel has taken on the daunting subject of our own passion for books and succeeded in turning it into a passionate book of his own."--Michiko Kakutani, "The New York Times"
"No one who follows Manguel's narrative to its conclusion need ever again feel guilty about putting off errands, chores, the bills, the kids, sleep--whatever--and curling up with a good, or even a great, book."--"Newsweek"
"Manguel is a generous companion...he remains, in the proper sense of the word, an 'amateur, ' a lover rather than a specialist."--George Steiner, "the New Yorker"
"Richly detailed and utterly fascinating...what lifts "A History of Reading" above mere charm and idiosyncrasy is Manguel's reader's soul. A few hours passed with [his] book will remind anyone who needs reminding that an astonishing bond exists between word and world."--Sven Birkerts, "Boston Magazine"
"A highly entertaining overview that leaves us with both a new appreciation of our own bibliomania and a deeper understanding of the role that the written word has played throughout history."--"The New York Times"
"""Manguel's digressions are delightful, his anecdotes appealing, and his stories scintillating. What might have been no more than one dammed thing after another turns out to be, at the handsof this splendid raconteur, one divine thing after another....It is all utterly beguiling."--"The Boston Sunday Globe"
"Impressionistic, engrossing."--"Time"
"An entertaining, provocative, and informative book."--"The Washington Post"
"Tickles, surprises, and amuses."--"The Philadelphia Inquirer"
"Impressive, engaging."--"The Washington Times"
"Erudite and original."--"The Miami Herald"
"Enormously entertaining."--"San Francisco Chronicle"
"A wonderful merger of scholarship and personal essay....Manguel writes so beautifully and felicitously that he infects us with enthusiasm again and again."--Philip Lopate
"Manguel's urbane, unpretentious tone recalls that of a friend eager to share his knowledge and enthusiasm. His book, digressive, witty, surprising, is a pleasure."--"Kirkus"
"Highly enjoyable....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
"An eclectic and deeply felt history of reading. It is a history illuminated by an acute sensibility....An unfailingly engaging work."--"School Library Journal"
"Unique, enlightening, and as captivating as a celebration of reading should be."--"Booklist"
"Interesting, intriguing, and entertaining."--"Library Journal"
"Erudition and memoir are beautifully wed in this stimulating and provocative book."--"Virginia Quarterly Review"
Praise for" A History of Reading: "
"Ingenious...a veritable museum of literacy. One feels envious of his passion...through it, his gift becomes our own."--"The New York Times Book Review"
"Manguel has taken on the daunting subject of our own passion for books and succeeded in turning it into a passionate book of his own."--Michiko Kakutani, "The New York Times"
"No one who follows Manguel's narrative to its conclusion need ever again feel guilty about putting off errands, chores, the bills, the kids, sleep--whatever--and curling up with a good, or even a great, book."--"Newsweek"
"Manguel is a generous companion...he remains, in the proper sense of the word, an 'amateur, ' a lover rather than a specialist."--George Steiner, "the New Yorker"
"Richly detailed and utterly fascinating...what lifts "A History of Reading" above mere charm and idiosyncrasy is Manguel's reader's soul. A few hours passed with [his] book will remind anyone who needs reminding that an astonishing bond exists between word and world."--Sven Birkerts, "Boston Magazine"
"A highly entertaining overview that leaves us with both a new appreciation of our own bibliomania and a deeper understanding of the role that the written word has played throughout history."--"The New York Times"
"""Manguel's digressions are delightful, his anecdotes appealing, and his stories scintillating. What might have been no more than one dammed thing after another turns out to be, at the handsof this splendid raconteur, one divine thing after another....It is all utterly beguiling."--"The Boston Sunday Globe"
"Impressionistic, engrossing."--"Time"
"An entertaining, provocative, and informative book."--"The Washington Post"
"Tickles, surprises, and amuses."--"The Philadelphia Inquirer"
"Impressive, engaging."--"The Washington Times"
"Erudite and original."--"The Miami Herald"
"Enormously entertaining."--"San Francisco Chronicle"
"A wonderful merger of scholarship and personal essay....Manguel writes so beautifully and felicitously that he infects us with enthusiasm again and again."--Philip Lopate
"Manguel's urbane, unpretentious tone recalls that of a friend eager to share his knowledge and enthusiasm. His book, digressive, witty, surprising, is a pleasure."--"Kirkus"
"Highly enjoyable....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
"An eclectic and deeply felt history of reading. It is a history illuminated by an acute sensibility....An unfailingly engaging work."--"School Library Journal"
"Unique, enlightening, and as captivating as a celebration of reading should be."--"Booklist"
"Interesting, intriguing, and entertaining."--"Library Journal"
"Erudition and memoir are beautifully wed in this stimulating and provocative book."--"Virginia Quarterly Review"
Praise for A History of Reading:
Ingenious a veritable museum of literacy. One feels envious of his passion through it, his gift becomes our own. The New York Times Book Review
Manguel has taken on the daunting subject of our own passion for books and succeeded in turning it into a passionate book of his own. Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times
No one who follows Manguel s narrative to its conclusion need ever again feel guilty about putting off errands, chores, the bills, the kids, sleep whatever and curling up with a good, or even a great, book. Newsweek
Manguel is a generous companion he remains, in the proper sense of the word, an amateur, a lover rather than a specialist. George Steiner, the New Yorker
Richly detailed and utterly fascinating what lifts A History of Reading above mere charm and idiosyncrasy is Manguel s reader s soul. A few hours passed with [his] book will remind anyone who needs reminding that an astonishing bond exists between word and world. Sven Birkerts, Boston Magazine
A highly entertaining overview that leaves us with both a new appreciation of our own bibliomania and a deeper understanding of the role that the written word has played throughout history. The New York Times
Manguel s digressions are delightful, his anecdotes appealing, and his stories scintillating. What might have been no more than one dammed thing after another turns out to be, at the handsof this splendid raconteur, one divine thing after another .It is all utterly beguiling. The Boston Sunday Globe
Impressionistic, engrossing. Time
An entertaining, provocative, and informative book. The Washington Post
Tickles, surprises, and amuses. The Philadelphia Inquirer
Impressive, engaging. The Washington Times
Erudite and original. The Miami Herald
Enormously entertaining. San Francisco Chronicle
A wonderful merger of scholarship and personal essay .Manguel writes so beautifully and felicitously that he infects us with enthusiasm again and again. Philip Lopate
Manguel s urbane, unpretentious tone recalls that of a friend eager to share his knowledge and enthusiasm. His book, digressive, witty, surprising, is a pleasure. Kirkus
Highly enjoyable .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
An eclectic and deeply felt history of reading. It is a history illuminated by an acute sensibility .An unfailingly engaging work. School Library Journal
Unique, enlightening, and as captivating as a celebration of reading should be. Booklist
Interesting, intriguing, and entertaining. Library Journal
Erudition and memoir are beautifully wed in this stimulating and provocative book. Virginia Quarterly Review"
From the Back Cover:
"Ingenious...a veritable museum of literacy. One feels envious of his passion...through it, his gift becomes our own."--"The New York Times Book Review"
"Manguel has taken on the daunting subject of our own passion for books and succeeded in turning it into a passionate book of his own."--Michiko Kakutani, "The New York Times"
"No one who follows Manguel's narrative to its conclusion need ever again feel guilty about putting off errands, chores, the bills, the kids, sleep--whatever--and curling up with a good, or even a great, book."--"Newsweek"
"Manguel is a generous companion...he remains, in the proper sense of the word, an 'amateur, ' a lover rather than a specialist."--George Steiner, "the New Yorker"
"Richly detailed and utterly fascinating...what lifts "A History of Reading" above mere charm and idiosyncrasy is Manguel's reader's soul. A few hours passed with [his] book will remind anyone who needs reminding that an astonishing bond exists between word and world."--Sven Birkerts, "Boston Magazine"
"A highly entertaining overview that leaves us with both a new appreciation of our own bibliomania and a deeper understanding of the role that the written word has played throughout history."--"The New York Times"
"""Manguel's digressions are delightful, his anecdotes appealing, and his stories scintillating. What might have been no more than one dammed thing after another turns out to be, at the handsof this splendid raconteur, one divine thing after another....It is all utterly beguiling."--"The Boston Sunday Globe"
"Impressionistic, engrossing."--"Time"
"An entertaining, provocative, and informative book."--"The Washington Post"
"Tickles, surprises, and amuses."--"The Philadelphia Inquirer"
"Impressive, engaging."--"The Washington Times"
"Erudite and original."--"The Miami Herald"
"Enormously entertaining."--"San Francisco Chronicle"
"A wonderful merger of scholarship and personal essay....Manguel writes so beautifully and felicitously that he infects us with enthusiasm again and again."--Philip Lopate
"Manguel's urbane, unpretentious tone recalls that of a friend eager to share his knowledge and enthusiasm. His book, digressive, witty, surprising, is a pleasure."--"Kirkus"
"Highly enjoyable....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
"An eclectic and deeply felt history of reading. It is a history illuminated by an acute sensibility....An unfailingly engaging work."--"School Library Journal"
"Unique, enlightening, and as captivating as a celebration of reading should be."--"Booklist"
"Interesting, intriguing, and entertaining."--"Library Journal"
"Erudition and memoir are beautifully wed in this stimulating and provocative book."--"Virginia Quarterly Review"
Praise for" A History of Reading: "
"Ingenious...a veritable museum of literacy. One feels envious of his passion...through it, his gift becomes our own."--"The New York Times Book Review"
"Manguel has taken on the daunting subject of our own passion for books and succeeded in turning it into a passionate book of his own."--Michiko Kakutani, "The New York Times"
"No one who follows Manguel's narrative to its conclusion need ever again feel guilty about putting off errands, chores, the bills, the kids, sleep--whatever--and curling up with a good, or even a great, book."--"Newsweek"
"Manguel is a generous companion...he remains, in the proper sense of the word, an 'amateur, ' a lover rather than a specialist."--George Steiner, "the New Yorker"
"Richly detailed and utterly fascinating...what lifts "A History of Reading" above mere charm and idiosyncrasy is Manguel's reader's soul. A few hours passed with [his] book will remind anyone who needs reminding that an astonishing bond exists between word and world."--Sven Birkerts, "Boston Magazine"
"A highly entertaining overview that leaves us with both a new appreciation of our own bibliomania and a deeper understanding of the role that the written word has played throughout history."--"The New York Times"
"""Manguel's digressions are delightful, his anecdotes appealing, and his stories scintillating. What might have been no more than one dammed thing after another turns out to be, at the handsof this splendid raconteur, one divine thing after another....It is all utterly beguiling."--"The Boston Sunday Globe"
"Impressionistic, engrossing."--"Time"
"An entertaining, provocative, and informative book."--"The Washington Post"
"Tickles, surprises, and amuses."--"The Philadelphia Inquirer"
"Impressive, engaging."--"The Washington Times"
"Erudite and original."--"The Miami Herald"
"Enormously entertaining."--"San Francisco Chronicle"
"A wonderful merger of scholarship and personal essay....Manguel writes so beautifully and felicitously that he infects us with enthusiasm again and again."--Philip Lopate
"Manguel's urbane, unpretentious tone recalls that of a friend eager to share his knowledge and enthusiasm. His book, digressive, witty, surprising, is a pleasure."--"Kirkus"
"Highly enjoyable....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
"An eclectic and deeply felt history of reading. It is a history illuminated by an acute sensibility....An unfailingly engaging work."--"School Library Journal"
"Unique, enlightening, and as captivating as a celebration of reading should be."--"Booklist"
"Interesting, intriguing, and entertaining."--"Library Journal"
"Erudition and memoir are beautifully wed in this stimulating and provocative book."--"Virginia Quarterly Review"
Praise for A History of Reading:
Ingenious a veritable museum of literacy. One feels envious of his passion through it, his gift becomes our own. The New York Times Book Review
Manguel has taken on the daunting subject of our own passion for books and succeeded in turning it into a passionate book of his own. Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times
No one who follows Manguel s narrative to its conclusion need ever again feel guilty about putting off errands, chores, the bills, the kids, sleep whatever and curling up with a good, or even a great, book. Newsweek
Manguel is a generous companion he remains, in the proper sense of the word, an amateur, a lover rather than a specialist. George Steiner, the New Yorker
Richly detailed and utterly fascinating what lifts A History of Reading above mere charm and idiosyncrasy is Manguel s reader s soul. A few hours passed with [his] book will remind anyone who needs reminding that an astonishing bond exists between word and world. Sven Birkerts, Boston Magazine
A highly entertaining overview that leaves us with both a new appreciation of our own bibliomania and a deeper understanding of the role that the written word has played throughout history. The New York Times
Manguel s digressions are delightful, his anecdotes appealing, and his stories scintillating. What might have been no more than one dammed thing after another turns out to be, at the handsof this splendid raconteur, one divine thing after another .It is all utterly beguiling. The Boston Sunday Globe
Impressionistic, engrossing. Time
An entertaining, provocative, and informative book. The Washington Post
Tickles, surprises, and amuses. The Philadelphia Inquirer
Impressive, engaging. The Washington Times
Erudite and original. The Miami Herald
Enormously entertaining. San Francisco Chronicle
A wonderful merger of scholarship and personal essay .Manguel writes so beautifully and felicitously that he infects us with enthusiasm again and again. Philip Lopate
Manguel s urbane, unpretentious tone recalls that of a friend eager to share his knowledge and enthusiasm. His book, digressive, witty, surprising, is a pleasure. Kirkus
Highly enjoyable .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
An eclectic and deeply felt history of reading. It is a history illuminated by an acute sensibility .An unfailingly engaging work. School Library Journal
Unique, enlightening, and as captivating as a celebration of reading should be. Booklist
Interesting, intriguing, and entertaining. Library Journal
Erudition and memoir are beautifully wed in this stimulating and provocative book. Virginia Quarterly Review"
"To read is to fly; it is to soar to a point of vantage which gives a view over wide terrains of history, human variety, ideas, shared experience, and the fruits of many inquiries. A life thus equipped might not be happier – might sometimes be less so, indeed, for to know more can be to feel more, and the ground note of history is a long cry of pain – but it is vastly richer . . .As is inevitable with so self-reflexive an enterprise, much has been written about books and reading. Little of it has been better than this wonderful account, 'A History of Reading', by Alberto Manguel, a judicious magpie of a literatus who has collected a trove of fascinations on the subject, and arranged them brilliantly . . . .almost every page bristles with interest"
A C GRAYLING'Financial Times'
"Wonderful stuff ... A rich and savoury casserole of learning, Manguel’s 'A History of Reading' at first refreshes and soothes the jaded palate and ends with delicious titbits from the lives and works of great authors. "
VICTORIA NEUMARK ' Times Educational Supplement'
"What Alberto Manguel has given us is his personal response to books and reading in the form of an anthology comprising mythology, anecdote, theology, history and autobiography ... in lucid and elegant prose ... highly enjoyable. I finished 'A History of Reading' 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'Sunday Times'
"A charming, old-fashioned, up-to-date, belletristic tribute to the art of reading."
KARL MILLER 'Observer'
"Delightful, written in a lively and lucid prose."
ROGER SCRUTON 'The Times'
"A passionate book ... highly entertaining."
MICHIKO KAKUTANI 'New York Times'
Manguel’s erudition is awe-inspiring"
D J ENRIGHT 'Times Literary Supplement'
"A delightfully wide-ranging, beguiling study of a small daily miracle."
PAUL BAILEY 'Daily Telegraph'
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherVintage Canada
- Publication date1998
- ISBN 10 0676970222
- ISBN 13 9780676970227
- BindingPaperback
- Edition number1
- Number of pages384
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