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Our once and now relationship with the book
Our once and now relationship with
w the book w
boc w bocian w boek w buch w beech
The etymology references function
and physical material.
The Dead Sea Scrolls: National Geographic, Photograph by Baz Ratner, Reuters
Mesopotamian Tablet, circa 4000 BC at the British Museum. Source: news.au.com, Photo/Sang Tan, AP
The Dead Sea Scrolls: National Geographic, Photo/Baz Ratner, Reuters
Clay tablet with cuneiform letter and envelope, circa 1900 BC at the British Museum. Source: British Museum, britishmuseum.org
Codex: trunk of tree, block of wood
“A codex is composed of many books (librorum); a book is of one scroll (voluminis). It is called codex by way of metaphor from the trunks (caudex) of trees or vines, as if it were a wooden stock, because it contains in itself a multitude of books, as it were of branches…”
- Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae (VI.13)
w Margins w Footnotes w Illustration w Tables of contents w Bookmarks w Index w Thumb tabs w Edge color w Spine printing
advent of the codex moveable type scrolling desktop screens, ereaders, tablets
tablets, scrolls
3,000 BC 100 – 300 1370s - 1440 1990s
w 2D, linear w Fragile w Manual Production w Low portability w Limited re-use w Inefficient use of materials w Difficult to store w Scrolls: two handed usage
w 3D, non-linear w Durable w Manual Production w Highly Portable w Easily shared w Efficient use of materials w Easily stored: side-by-side, shelf w Single handed use
w Mass Production w 2D, non-linear w Format Wars w Mass Production w Highly Portable w Easily shared w Efficient use of materials w Mass storage w Single handed use
books as bodies: head, tail and spine
to crack the spine of a book...
to crack the spine of a book, to crave, to devour…
to judge a book by its cover…
bookshelves as a reflection of ourselves
books as nourishment: to crave, to devour...
books as art: writers, illustrators, typographers, designers
to crack the spine of a book, to crave, to devour…
books as memory: building patina, a living history
books as ideas: book burnings are symbolic acts of destruction, the annihilation of culture, the silencing of voices
the advent of digital
Kindle: “The instruction we find in books is like fire. We fetch it from our neighbours, kindle it at home, communicate it to others and it becomes the property of all.” - Voltaire
Nook: Comfortable place to read, some
conjecture as to “new book”; rhymes with Book
Kobo: Anagram of Book; the rearrangement
of the book as we know it, a fundamental shift, yet a nod to the historical
The etymology references function
and evolution.
from precious objects to disposable consumables penny dreadfuls - 19th century dime novels - 19th century pulp fiction - 20th century viral content - 21st century
What do we lose?
Tactility Sound & Smell Visual Appeal Haptic Perception Patina The Codex
to crack the spine of a book, to crave, to devour…
is our focus fading?
to crack the spine of a book, to crave, to devour…
the tyranny of replication
What do we gain?
Enriched Experiences New forms of Art New Ways of Storytelling Big Data More efficient learning Access + Storage
Thank You
