Describe Epithetical Books A History of Reading
Title | : | A History of Reading |
Author | : | Alberto Manguel |
Book Format | : | Paperback |
Book Edition | : | Anniversary Edition |
Pages | : | Pages: 372 pages |
Published | : | October 1st 1997 by Penguin Books (first published October 1st 1996) |
Categories | : | Nonfiction. History. Writing. Books About Books. Essays. Literature. Philosophy. Language |
Alberto Manguel
Paperback | Pages: 372 pages Rating: 3.98 | 4052 Users | 590 Reviews
Interpretation In Pursuance Of Books A History of Reading
At one magical instant in your early childhood, the page of a book—that string of confused, alien ciphers—shivered into meaning. Words spoke to you, gave up their secrets; at that moment, whole universes opened. You became, irrevocably, a reader. Noted essayist Alberto Manguel moves from this essential moment to explore the 6000-year-old conversation between words and that magician without whom the book would be a lifeless object: the reader. Manguel lingers over reading as seduction, as rebellion, as obsession, and goes on to trace the never-before-told story of the reader's progress from clay tablet to scroll, codex to CD-ROM.
Declare Books As A History of Reading
Original Title: | A History of Reading |
ISBN: | 0140166548 (ISBN13: 9780140166545) |
Edition Language: | English |
Rating Epithetical Books A History of Reading
Ratings: 3.98 From 4052 Users | 590 ReviewsJudge Epithetical Books A History of Reading
please , give me 10 stars so I can fairly rate this marvelous fantastic and exceptionally extraordinary book ❤Manguel, one imagines him writing in library windows that overlook trees planted in old cities, shares moments from the history of reading in a free form structure that goes forwards, backwards, and, sometimes, upwards. Readers who come to this history looking for an eclectic, dreamy few hundred pages of prose on reading may enjoy it more than I did. Please note, however, that if someone had told me that this is an eclectic, dreamy few hundred pages of prose on reading, I would have rushed out
The first half of this mediation about reading is good, nice and strong. Yet the book feels as if it has gone for a tad bit too long. There are some interesting facts and stories crammed into this mediation about reading. The Library at Night, however, was a stronger book.

Reading is, and has been for a long time, a vital part of my life. As Manguel points out, it is a skill that once learned can't be unlearned. And, even more dangerously, it rapidly becomes automatic. When you can read, you just do it. Your brain translates those symbols - the letters - into meanings in an unavoidable process. That is, you can't stop yourself from reading (if you know the language, of course) anymore you can't stop yourself from hearing. Manguel is brilliant at ascribing deepfelt
2 stars = it was okay. A shame, as this was only okay and I thought it should have been great. There was a wealth of information about the history of reading, though none of it felt particularly well organised. I enjoyed some parts, but then found whole sections very dry and laborious to get through. I preferred the paragraphs about famous authors and quotes from their work, which led to me keeping notes of other books I'd like to read. Whereas I was not particularly interested in Manguel's own
Manguel, one imagines him writing in library windows that overlook trees planted in old cities, shares moments from the history of reading in a free form structure that goes forwards, backwards, and, sometimes, upwards. Readers who come to this history looking for an eclectic, dreamy few hundred pages of prose on reading may enjoy it more than I did. Please note, however, that if someone had told me that this is an eclectic, dreamy few hundred pages of prose on reading, I would have rushed out
The problem with all books about reading is that they tend to get somewhat self-regarding, too self-conscious. As for this one, I stopped reading this about halfway through about a year ago. Sometimes Manguel's Joy of Reading passages got too purple for me, despite the interesting facts here and there. There's interesting stuff beneath the goosh, however, and when the book reemerged from my bedside pile, I found the second half quite enjoyable. Still, too much frosting, not enough cake.
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