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The History and Power of Writing

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If you, like me, are fascinated by the history of ideas then this is a book for you. This work explains to us, who are accustomed to writing (whether "by hand" or on keyboards), what the change to uniform alphabets and writing skills brought. What was it like to be living through this change? The era when writing became universal (amongst a certain class of society at least) must have been like when email swept through our society. And, of course, that is why this topic is so fascinating -- we can conceptualize this change because we ourselves are living through a similar change. Just as the printing press produced an ocean of information and subsequent societal upheaval, so is the present era of the electronic publisher, that is everyone who has internet access. I recommend this book not only because of its fascinating content but also for the depth of scholarship and research. It is readable yet not patronizing. I am reminded of another book that shines for me -- Lucien Febvre's "The Coming of the Book" -- which was also a feast of ideas and concepts. Another aspect of these books is that they are written on the European mainland where many of the changes described took place and so the authors' scholarship benefits from that viewpoint. A less Anglo-American-centric view of the world is presented and our knowledge is richer for this. Both of these books are fortunate too in their translators which enable non-francophones to delve into the world that was before mass communication.