Eyewitness: Book [Hardcover]

Karen Brookfield (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: DK Eyewitness Books

Discover the story of writing -- from ancient picture scripts to medieval manuscripts and modern printed books.

Here is an original and exciting new guide to writing -- the variety of scripts and the different ways they have been written down. Stunning full-color photographs of ancient clay tablets, pens and inks, printing presses and books offer a unique "eyewitness" view of the written word. See books written on ivory and bamboo, the handwriting of Washington and Napoleon, the earliest printed book and how Chinese calligraphers mix their ink. Learn how medieval librarians stopped people from stealing books, how manuscripts were illuminated, how to write on a clay tablet and why early printing presses had a coffin. Discover which famous inventor used mirror writing, how a bookbinder puts a book together, how the first libraries began and why the Egyptians had three different scripts, and much, much more!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8-Starting with the earliest recorded symbols, Brookfield looks at the evolution of writing and the forms in which it has been recorded. A paragraph for each segment summarizes the method covered while illustrations, such as hieroglyphics, scrolls, and a step-by-step demonstration of typesetting, fill the pages. As with most titles in the series, the pages are so packed with art that they appear cluttered. This assault on the eyes makes it difficult to focus on any single picture or the explanatory paragraph. The writing is clear enough, and the captions are often written with humor; unfortunately, much of the effect gets lost in the visual glut. This title is more suitable for browsing than for research.
Donna L. Scanlon, Lancaster County Library, PA
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

...a mini museum between the covers of a book. [Eyewitness series] -- The New York Times

These books' striking visual impact will draw in even the most casual readers. [Eyewitness series] -- School Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: DK CHILDREN; 1st edition (June 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789458926
• ISBN-13: 978-0789458926
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,294,516 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining book about books!, January 28, 2001

By 

yarden "yarden" (portland, or) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eyewitness: Book (Hardcover)

DK eyewitness books are some of the greatest non-fiction books around. The distinctive white background and high-quality photography gives this book an edge over any other nonfiction picture book. And -- these pictures are real! They're beautiful photos of all things related to books, accompanied by informative captions and text.

Learn about the history of books and bookmaking, books in different cultures, and everything else related to books (augmented by beautiful museum-like photos).

If you know someone (young or old) who loves books, then you must introduce them to this book!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How did the books we have today ever come to be?, April 19, 2009

By 

J. Guild (Toronto,Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Book (Eyewitness Books) (Hardcover)

There have been many books written about early writing forms and how writing was kept ,advanced from simple pictures and marks on cave walls, to the magnificent Illuminated Manuscripts of the Middle Ages up to including the preponderous number of books today.And that doesn't even include the explosion of the electronic storage of the written word that is now advancing at an unimaginable pace.When one reads this book and considers even what has happened in the last couple of centuries---one can only imagine what lies ahead.
As I have said there have been many excellent books on this subject.It's hard to recall any that have covered the history of books so well is so few pages.Even the thought of accomplishing this in only 64 pages is mind boggling;but that is exactly what is done here.The text is rather brief,but the superb photographs and illustrations are such that it would take one all over the world to see;but are presented here in a way that is almost like making a visit to many museums and collections.
Anyone interested in the craft of bookmaking will certainly be impressed with what they will find here.
One does not often find a book that is suitable for people of all ages who are interested in such a complicated subject.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book for a book lover, January 4, 2008

By 

Judy K. Polhemus "Book Collector" (Louisiana) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eyewitness: Book (Hardcover)

My three-year-old niece sits on her Grammy's lap with one of her beloved books and says so wistfully, I wish I was big so I could read these words.

Just one tiny speck in the incredibly long line of people wanting to know those words. Have you ever wondered who created those first words, who created pictures for those words? Who created the first medium for placing those words? And on and on until there sits little Carolina wanting so badly to read them.

Eyewitness creates another "museum between covers" as the New York Times describes the Eyewitness series, and answers the above questions. We don't know who the actual first persons were, but we do know the culture, the race of people, the locations. Archaeology unearths that much. Then again, anthropologists, historians, artists provide more answers. With each successive step, a more advanced symbolism of words is applied all the way to a scholarly outlay. Until we come again to little Carolina trying to decipher the code.

"Book," unsurprisingly begins at the beginning with a first accounting of expressing thoughts on a medium: cave art for a hunting quest, seals for contracts, bills of sale. Then the tools of the trade are illustrated through gorgeous arrays of brushes, inks, calligraphy, materials to write upon. That great translating tool, the Rosetta Stone, is shown and an explanation given for its use.

To have language that goes into a scroll or stone requires ABCs. Similar sets exist for multiple peoples with variations here and there. Precision begins in placing the letters for straightness and practicality, then evolving into works of art, so to speak. Only the best scribes and finest materials were used in creating the Koran and the same with the illuminated manuscripts of the European monks.

Do you ever wonder who thought of pounding the stalks of papyrus to make the first writing material? Or who thought of taking the skin of a young sheep, scraping off flesh and hair to create parchment. Do you know it took one sheep to make one sheet of parchment and an entire flock to make a book? In China someone thought to use mulberry bark and bamboo, in Europe rags were used to make paper.

The second half of the book shows the development of the primitive printing press, then all the rapid advancements and more ways devoted to making books beautiful. Think of all the new branches of human invention that words bring: inks, nibs, vocabulary, handwriting, children's books, typewriters, libraries. It is all so amazing what man can do to communicate not only thoughts, but even setting those thoughts in their own houses of beauty--books. Perhaps that is why we want leather-bound classics--to show we value what is inside.

And there's little Carolina, so anxious to take her place in the procession.