Reading: A Very Short Introduction

Nonfiction, Reference & Language, Language Arts, Literacy, History
Cover of the book Reading: A Very Short Introduction by Belinda Jack, OUP Oxford
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Belinda Jack ISBN: 9780192552457
Publisher: OUP Oxford Publication: April 8, 2019
Imprint: OUP Oxford Language: English
Author: Belinda Jack
ISBN: 9780192552457
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Publication: April 8, 2019
Imprint: OUP Oxford
Language: English

Today many people take reading for granted, but we remain some way off from attaining literacy for the global human population. And whilst we think we know what reading is, it remains in many ways a mysterious process, or set of processes. The effects of reading are myriad: it can be informative, distracting, moving, erotically arousing, politically motivating, spiritual, and much, much more. At different times and in different places reading means different things. In this Very Short Introduction Belinda Jack explores the fascinating history of literacy, and the opportunities reading opens. For much of human history reading was the preserve of the elite, and most reading meant being read to. Innovations in printing, paper-making, and transport, combined with the rise of public education from the late eighteenth century on, brought a dramatic rise in literacy in many parts of the world. Established links between a nation's levels of literacy and its economy led to the promotion of reading for political ends. But, equally, reading has been associated with subversive ideas, leading to censorship through multiple channels: denying access to education, controlling publishing, destroying libraries, and even the burning of authors and their works. Indeed, the works of Voltaire were so often burned that an enterprising Parisian publisher produced a fire-proof edition, decorated with a phoenix. But, as Jack demonstrates, reading is a collaborative act between an author and a reader, and one which can never be wholly controlled. Telling the story of reading, from the ancient world to digital reading and restrictions today, Belinda Jack explores why it is such an important aspect of our society. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Today many people take reading for granted, but we remain some way off from attaining literacy for the global human population. And whilst we think we know what reading is, it remains in many ways a mysterious process, or set of processes. The effects of reading are myriad: it can be informative, distracting, moving, erotically arousing, politically motivating, spiritual, and much, much more. At different times and in different places reading means different things. In this Very Short Introduction Belinda Jack explores the fascinating history of literacy, and the opportunities reading opens. For much of human history reading was the preserve of the elite, and most reading meant being read to. Innovations in printing, paper-making, and transport, combined with the rise of public education from the late eighteenth century on, brought a dramatic rise in literacy in many parts of the world. Established links between a nation's levels of literacy and its economy led to the promotion of reading for political ends. But, equally, reading has been associated with subversive ideas, leading to censorship through multiple channels: denying access to education, controlling publishing, destroying libraries, and even the burning of authors and their works. Indeed, the works of Voltaire were so often burned that an enterprising Parisian publisher produced a fire-proof edition, decorated with a phoenix. But, as Jack demonstrates, reading is a collaborative act between an author and a reader, and one which can never be wholly controlled. Telling the story of reading, from the ancient world to digital reading and restrictions today, Belinda Jack explores why it is such an important aspect of our society. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

More books from OUP Oxford

Cover of the book Roman Receptions of Sappho by Belinda Jack
Cover of the book So you want to be a medical mum? by Belinda Jack
Cover of the book Self-assessment for the MCEM Part C by Belinda Jack
Cover of the book Agamemnon in Performance 458 BC to AD 2004 by Belinda Jack
Cover of the book Imagination and Convention by Belinda Jack
Cover of the book Law in Modern Society by Belinda Jack
Cover of the book God and the Atlantic by Belinda Jack
Cover of the book Blackstone's Employment Tribunals Handbook 2014-15 by Belinda Jack
Cover of the book Ancient Philosophy by Belinda Jack
Cover of the book Stalin's Agent by Belinda Jack
Cover of the book Galileo: A Very Short Introduction by Belinda Jack
Cover of the book His Excellency Eugène Rougon by Belinda Jack
Cover of the book Everyday Aesthetics by Belinda Jack
Cover of the book Simon V of Montfort and Baronial Government, 1195-1218 by Belinda Jack
Cover of the book The Life of Charlotte Brontë by Belinda Jack
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy