Marshall McLuhan: The Medium and the Messenger (Paperback)

by Philip Marchand (Author), Neil Postman (Foreword) "I first heard Marshall McLuhan speak when I attended the opening class in his modern poetry course at St. Michael's College at the University of..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, University of Toronto, Understanding Media (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Was media guru Marshall McLuhan a deep thinker, a charlatan, a '60s fad or a bit of all three? "His books will probably be mined for years to come by clever prospectors hunting . . . for bits of invaluable ore," observes Marchand in this first full-scale biography. McLuhan grew up on the Canadian prairie and learned "irrepressible verbal aggressiveness" from his violent-tempered mother. He had a photographic memory and suffered repeated blackouts as an adult. He taught English at Cambridge University in the 1930s, becoming an ardent convert to Catholicism, a cultural conservative steeped in T. S. Eliot, scornful of popular culture. Then, at the University of Toronto, this self-described "intellectual thug" discovered his true metier in the global network of electronic media and communications. Marchand, who catalogued McLuhan's papers for the National Archives in Ottawa, painstakingly reconstructs the evolution of his thought in this revealing biography. Photos.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal
Almost 10 years after his death and 25 years after the publication of his Understanding Media ( LJ 6/1/64) , there is still much curiosity about McLuhan and his theories. These two books, different as they are, have one thing in common--they help to explain the man who claimed that electronic technology in the mass media has reshaped and restructured the patterns of our social and private lives and who gave us such familiar terms as "the global village" and "the medium is the message." The books also complement each other rather nicely. Marchand's is a scholarly, straightforward account of McLuhan's life, with the facts and phases of his career presented in chronological order. The author has drawn in other pertinent material into the narrative, including excerpts of McLuhan's writings and talks, the comments of those who knew him, and this original thinker's emotional reactions to life. The Sanderson and Macdonald book is a representative selection of McLuhan's writings, including some of his famous aphorisms, and a collection of observations and essays about McLuhan by others. Both the McLuhan aficianado and the reader who knows little or nothing about him should be grateful for the opportunity to make his acquaintance in these books. See also McLuhan and Bruce Powers's The Global Village: Transformations in World Life and Media in the 21st Century , reviewed on p. 00.
- A.J. Anderson, G.S.L.I.S., Simmons Coll., Boston
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 322 pages
• Publisher: The MIT Press; Rev Sub edition (May 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0262631865
• ISBN-13: 978-0262631860
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,267,855 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #6 in	Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( M ) > McLuhan, Marshall
  #32 in	Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Communication > Contemporary Issues

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must-read while studying McLuhan, May 5, 2000

By	Rob Vincent "rvincent20" (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews

Marchand and Postman do an excellent job with this biography on an unusual media prophet/quack. Reading about McLuhan's childhood, education, and work helped explain a lot about the man and his ideas. The book reads very well, and puts a lot of his ideas in a context that makes them easier to understand. If you're just starting to study McLuhan, this book is a great starting point. Also check out "McLuhan for Beginners" for a very quick and fun overview.