When Old Technologies Were New: Thinking About Electric Communication in the Late Nineteenth Century [Paperback]

Carolyn Marvin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 24, 1990 | ISBN-10: 0195063414 | ISBN-13: 978-0195063417 | Edition: Reprint

In the history of electronic communication, the last quarter of the nineteenth century holds a special place, for it was during this period that the telephone, phonograph, electric light, wireless, and cinema were all invented. In When old Technologies Were New, Carolyn Marvin explores how two of these new inventions--the telephone and the electric light--were publicly envisioned at the end of the nineteenth century, as seen in specialized engineering journals and popular media. Marvin pays particular attention to the telephone, describing how it disrupted established social relations, unsettling customary ways of dividing the private person and family from the more public setting of the community. On the lighter side, she describes how people spoke louder when calling long distance, and how they worried about catching contagious diseases over the phone. A particularly powerful chapter deals with telephonic precursors of radio broadcasting--the "Telephone Herald" in New York and the "Telefon Hirmondo" of Hungary--and the conflict between the technological development of broadcasting and the attempt to impose a homogenous, ethnocentric variant of Anglo-Saxon culture on the public. While focusing on the way professionals in the electronics field tried to control the new media, Marvin also illuminates the broader social impact, presenting a wide-ranging, informative, and entertaining account of the early years of electronic media.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Late last century a series of electrical innovations drastically altered the social order and economies of industrial nations. This book uses two innovations, the telephone and the electric light, to show how technology reshaped social relations. Quotations and anecdotes from the popular press illustrate how professionals struggled to control the new media and preserve the social order by excluding "outsiders," particularly the lower classes and women. This is a solidly researched study; more lighthearted commentary could have also made it entertaining nonfiction. For larger academic collections. Donald J. Marion, Univ. of Minnesota Inst. of Technology Libs., Minneapolis
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Deserves close reading by historians of the modern media. Drawing on contemporary popular and professional sources, Carolyn Marvin challenges the traditional view of the social origins of electric media....An important addition."--Journal of American History

"The originality of her analysis and thoughtful questions provide a valuable perspective on this critically important period in the history of American technology."--American Historical Review

"Marvin's work is substantial, and her exploration of primary sources laudable. Her collection of anecdotes and significant historical residues is itself rewarding. Add to that her provocative theoretical discussions and you have a work worthy of a scholar's attention."--Journalism History

"This most informative book helps the modern reader to comprehend the speed at which electricity-dependent technologies have altered human perceptions of humankind and the world."--Choice

"A wide-ranging, informative, and entertaining account of the early years of electric and electronic development, this book re-thinks the traditional artifactual and institutional approaches to media history."--Electrical Review

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; Reprint edition (May 24, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195063414
• ISBN-13: 978-0195063417
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.7 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #505,513 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #97 in Books > Education & Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Thesauruses

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative and Interesting August 5, 2009

By Albertine

Format:Paperback

Packed with interesting historical information, the book also offers some innovative commentary on technology, media, and culture.

1 of 38 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars $20 ??? October 2, 2008

By Matt

Format:Kindle Edition

This seems like an interesting book and I would buy this book for $10, but I'm sorry, $20 for an ebook?

I know it's not Amazon's fault, it's the publishers fault. I guess I'll go see if the library has it.