A History of Reading (Globalities) and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more

Quantity:

More Buying Choices

Have one to sell? Sell yours here

Sorry, this item is not available in

Image not available for
Colour:

Image not available

Share your own customer images

Publisher: learn how customers can search inside this book.

Start reading A History of Reading (Globalities) on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

A History of Reading (Globalities) [Hardcover]

Steven R. Fischer (Author)

5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)

RRP:	�19.95
Price:	�17.12 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
Deal Price:
You Save:	�2.83 (14%)
	o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Usually dispatched within 1 to 2 months.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon. Gift-wrap available.

	Amazon Price	New from	Used from
Kindle Edition	�6.52	--	--
Hardcover	�17.12	--	--
Show # more hardcovers
Show fewer hardcovers
Paperback	�6.86	--	--
Show # more paperbacks
Show fewer paperbacks

Amazon.co.uk Trade-In Store
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Special Offer until June 30, 2013: Receive an additional £5 promotional Gift Certificate, when you trade-in at least £10 worth of books. Learn more.

› See more product promotions

Book Description

Publication Date: 28 Mar 2003 | ISBN-10: 1861891601 | ISBN-13: 978-1861891600

Steven Roger Fischer's book traces the complete story of reading from the time when symbol first became sign through to the electronic texts of the present day. Describing ancient forms of reading and the various modes that were necessary to read different writing systems and scripts, Fischer turns to Asia and the Americas and discusses the forms and developments of completely divergent dimensions of reading. With the Middle Ages in Europe and the Middle East, innovative re-inventions of reading emerged - silent and liturgical reading; the custom of lectors; reading's focus in general education - whereupon printing transformed society's entire attitude to reading. Fischer charts the explosion of the book trade in this era, its increased audience and radically changed subject-matter; describes the emergence of broadsheets, newspapers and public readings; and traces the effect of new font designs on general legibility. Fischer discusses society's dedication to public literacy in the sweeping educational reforms of the 18th and 19th centuries, and notes the appearance of free libraries, gender differences in reading matter, public advertising and the "forbidden" lists of Church, State and the unemancipated. Finally, he assesses the future, in which it is likely that read communication will soon exceed oral communication through the use of the personal computer and the internet, and looks at "visual language" and modern theories of how reading is processed in the human brain. Asking how the new reader can reshape reading's future, he suggests a radical new definition of what reading could be.

#outer_postBodyPS { display: none; } #psGradient { display: none; } #psPlaceHolder { display: none; } #psExpand { display: none; } Steven Roger Fischer's book traces the complete story of reading from the time when symbol first became sign through to the electronic texts of the present day. Describing ancient forms of reading and the various modes that were necessary to read different writing systems and scripts, Fischer turns to Asia and the Americas and discusses the forms and developments of completely divergent dimensions of reading. With the Middle Ages in Europe and the Middle East, innovative re-inventions of reading emerged - silent and liturgical reading; the custom of lectors; reading's focus in general education - whereupon printing transformed society's entire attitude to reading. Fischer charts the explosion of the book trade in this era, its increased audience and radically changed subject-matter; describes the emergence of broadsheets, newspapers and public readings; and traces the effect of new font designs on general legibility. Fischer discusses society's dedication to public literacy in the sweeping educational reforms of the 18th and 19th centuries, and notes the appearance of free libraries, gender differences in reading matter, public advertising and the "forbidden" lists of Church, State and the unemancipated. Finally, he assesses the future, in which it is likely that read communication will soon exceed oral communication through the use of the personal computer and the internet, and looks at "visual language" and modern theories of how reading is processed in the human brain. Asking how the new reader can reshape reading's future, he suggests a radical new definition of what reading could be.

Customers Who Viewed This Item Also Viewed

A History of Reading
› Alberto Manguel

4.8 out of 5 stars (5)

Paperback

�13.99
A History of Language (Globalities)
Steven R. Fischer

4.2 out of 5 stars (4)

Hardcover
A History of Writing (Globalities)
Steven R. Fischer

5.0 out of 5 stars (2)

Paperback

�7.56
The Story of Writing: Alphabets, Hieroglyphs …
› Andrew Robinson

4.2 out of 5 stars (5)

Paperback
A History of Reading in the West
Guglielmo Cavallo

4.0 out of 5 stars (2)

Paperback

�19.99
The Library at Night
› Alberto Manguel

4.6 out of 5 stars (9)

Hardcover

�17.60

Product details

Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Reaktion Books (28 Mar 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1861891601
ISBN-13: 978-1861891600
Product Dimensions: 23.5 x 14.8 x 3.3 cm

Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)

Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 659,291 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

More About the Author

› Visit Amazon's Steven Roger Fischer Page

Discover books, learn about writers, and more.

Product Description

Review

Of the three volumes in Steven Roger Fischer's hugely ambitious and sedulously executed trilogy, the first two dealt with language and writing. This one, however, is the most suggestive and open, dedicated not only to the technicalities of his subject but to the everyday experience of communication... Fischer lets his historical readers speak for themselves, ceaselessly seduced by textual magic The Independent Starting from the Bronze Age and ending with modern emails and a possible future of e-books, Steven Fischer's A History of Reading takes in a wonderful diversity of things Nature It's an exciting story, which the author tells clearly and chronologically Daily Telegraph --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Steven Roger Fischer is Director of the Institute of Polynesian Languages and Literatures in Auckland, New Zealand. A History of Reading is the final book in Fischer's trilogy which also includes A History of Language and A History of Writing, as well as Island at the End of the World: The Turbulent History of Easter Island, all available from Reaktion Books. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?

Books: A Living History by Martyn Lyons Hardcover
4.5 out of 5 stars (2)

�12.76

A History of Reading by Alberto Manguel Paperback
4.8 out of 5 stars (5)

�13.99

A History of Language (Globalities) by Steven R. Fischer Hardcover
4.2 out of 5 stars (4)

A History of Writing (Globalities) by Steven R. Fischer Paperback
5.0 out of 5 stars (2)

�7.56

› Explore similar items

Customer Reviews

5 star

4 star

3 star

2 star

1 star

5.0 out of 5 stars

1 review

5.0 out of 5 stars

Write a customer review

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Downlkoad in seconds 11 April 2013

By One Line Shopper

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Delivered to my Kindle with no technical problems or need to do any more than order it on line form Amazon.

Comment |

Was this review helpful to you?

Yes

› See the customer review

Write a customer review

.jsOffDisplayBlock { display: block; } .jsOffDisplayInline { display: inline; } .jsOffVisibility { visibility: visible; } .jsOnDisplayBlock { display: none; } .jsOnDisplayNoneBlock { display: block; } .jsOnDisplayNoneInline { display: inline; } .jsOnDisplayInline { display: none; } .jsOnVisibility { visibility: hidden; } .jqOnDisplayBlock { display: none; } .jqOnDisplayInline { display: none; } .jqOnVisibility { visibility: hidden; } .jqOnDisplayNoneBlock { display: block; } .jqOnDisplayNoneInline { display: inline; }