The Case for Books: Past, Present, and Future
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'In this lucid and erudite collection of essays, Darnton argues that new technology should be used in the spirit of the Enlightenment - to encourage wider access to knowledge - and not just to enrich one company.'
--The Guardian
--The Guardian
Product Description
Renowned historian Robert Darnton - a pioneering scholar in the history of the book, and a leading voice in the debate about the digital future of books and knowledge - distils his experience and insight. The era of the book as the unrivalled source and vehicle for knowledge is coming to an end. Digitisation makes the physical properties of books disposable; e-book readers and mobile phones render them portable and accessible almost everywhere. Google and Amazon could command near monopolistic positions as sellers and dispensers of digital information relatively unfiltered by the traditional caucus of book experts: editors, proof-readers, and expert retailers. This is the moment when books could both spring free of the limitations of production processes that have constrained them for 500 years and could also shatter into smithereens, shards of scattered knowledge no longer bound and made meaningful by context, cover and care. Robert Darnton is a unique authority, whose work on this subject for more than a decade has helped invent the discipline of the "History of the Book". An essayist, expert witness and commentator, he is a leading voice on the significance of the changes that are taking place in the world of books and digitization. As the Librarian at Harvard (the world's most prestigious book collection), he is intellectually responsible for the status and functioning of the world's largest university library. He is the author of many books, monographs and contributions to public knowledge. This timely book assembles the writings Darnton has done on this subject for a range of publications including the "New York Review of Books", where he is a regular contributor.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A real pleasure to read!,
By
This review is from: The Case for Books: Past, Present, and Future (Hardcover)
This book offered a great insight into the world of digitised books, as well as exploring the history and importance of "old" books and Libraries amongst other things (as the cover states past, present and future) The way in which Darnton has put his thoughts and work together made it a pleasure to read. I had originally planned to just skip through the pages very briefly in order to add some quotes/ info to an Essay I have to write on the subject, but I have to say that I was surprised to find that i couldn't stop myself from reading it properly. I didn't know anything about this subject area and I felt that this book is a great introduction to the field.Although this is irrelevant to the content of the book, i have to comment on the cover which I just love.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not to be missed if you are in publishing!,
By Ravi Butalia (Bristol, UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Case for Books: Past, Present and Future: 256 (Paperback)
I did not know about Robert Darnton (much to my regret) until I came across the book and it was purely because of the cover! it is beautiful and very, very apt, considering the ongoing debate about books and eBooks. Its a collection of 11 essays, all very engaging, informative and thought provoking. Not to be overlooked if one has anything whatsoever to do with publishing. Some of the ideas people are just beginning to broach about the possibilities of eBooks, Robert had them all figured out way back in the XX century.While he is optimistic, encouraging and open to eBooks and eBook technology, he is an unashamed lover of the printed word!
2 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Preachy stuff...,
This review is from: The Case for Books: Past, Present and Future: 256 (Paperback)
There was the beginning, covering details of the Google Book Settlement, fine, that was OK, then it was pages and pages of boring writing repeatedly deploring how we are now threatened by the Google Book Monopoly, literally a whinge about how the Rebulic of Letters didn't work in the C18th, and how Google owning so much of the book world through digitalising it all is a direct threat to public freedom to access information. You could have argued that just as well in 4 pages.Finally on pg 37 we get to how exactly Google might be a weaker form of book-archiving than is generally believed - I have to read the rest of it, but given the title I was expecting something much more cooly written and much less sentimental, like adult level writing is. We'll see if it improves by the end.
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