Books

1
Chapter 2

• Books

2
Books are a powerful cultural source

• Books are agents of social and cultural change.
• Books are an important cultural repository.
• Books are our window on the past.
• Books are important sources of personal
  development.

3
Books ? powerful cultural source

• Books are wonderful sources of entertainment,
  escape, and personal reflection.
• The purchase and reading of a book is a much more
  individual, personal activity than consuming
  advertiser-supported (television, radio,
  newspaper, and magazines).
• Books are a mirror of culture.

4
Ancient History

• Romans had written language
  (Latin).
• China made paper in 105 a.d.
• Persian soldiers learned papermaking from the
  Chinese
• Chinese had primitive wooden printing press in
  175 a.d.
• Rome overtaken by illiterate tribes
• Monks hand-copied thousands of manu scripti
• Book of Kells
• Paper brought to Spain by Moors (12th century)

5
Fear of the power of the printed word

• The Bible part of the Protestant Reformation
• John Wycliffe translated it to English
• William Tynsdale exhumed...

6
Guttenbergs Rediscovery

• Movable Type letters in metal
• Wouldnt wear out
• Took him 20 years!
• Also developed system for pressing paper against
  the inked type.
• Guttenberg Bible
• Library in Oxford1602
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?v4Zqgs4iS76chttp//
  www.youtube.com/watch?v084fECtwxOofeaturerelate
  d

http//www.youtube.com/watch?vqexDBgWM2X8
7
Printing in the New World

• Juan Pablo 1539
• Breve y Mass Compendiosa Doctrina Cristiana
• Harvard College in Cambridge, Mass.
• 1640 The Whole Book of Psalms or Bay Psalm
  Book
• Printing controlled by King George II
• Stamp Act (!)

8
Books Inspire Social Change

• Revolutionary War
• Abolition of Slavery

9
Contemporary Books
Banned Books

• The Color Purple
• Julie of the Wolves
• Beloved
• The Outsider
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• Flowers for Algernon
• The Boy Who Lost His Face
• Whats Happening To My Body?
• Scary Stories in the Dark

• Harry Potter
• Of Mice and Men
• The Catcher in the Rye
• Forever, Blubber Deenie (Judy Blume)
• A Day No Pigs Would Die
• Heather Has Two Mommies
• Bumps in the Night
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

10
Banning Banned Books

• Rather than accepting a censors argument that
  certain voices require silencing for the good of
  the culture, publishers in a democracy have an
  obligation to make the stronger argument that
  free speech be protected and encouraged.

11
Contemporary BooksE-Publishing

• D-books
• Books downloaded to a PDA or computer
• Instant publication
• Higher royalties
• POD Print On Demand
• Printed, Bound Sent Instantly
• Probably here to stay

12
Contemporary BooksE-Publishing

• E-Books
• Can be PDAs, Cell Phones, Desktop Laptop
  Computers
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vg0tcPVOrm_Q
• DENs Digital Epistolary Novels
• Serially unfold via email
• Interactive
• Amazon.com
• Search inside the book

13
Conglomeration Issues in Book Industry

• Bottom line
• Blockbuster Mentality
• Subsidiary Rights
• Hypercommercialism
• May 2000 Advertisment Placement in Books?!?!

14
Last ThoughtAliteracy

• The success and profitability of this
  well-written, thoughtful, high quality content
  stands in stark contrast to what is otherwise a
  steady decline in the quality of other media
  Broadcasters respond to falling viewership by not
  improving content, but by lowering its
  intelligence and worth. Whereas Harry Potter
  books, by comparison, get better and longer in
  response to reader enthusiasm, network television
  dumbs down by giving its audience Fear Factor and
  Survivor and other so-called reality
  programming.