#tim carmody

[austinkleon]

We're all waiting for something new to come through that door. And nothing is newer, nothing is less expected, than the impossibly old.

Tim Carmody

[pearlmuststudy]

The Transformation of Reading

In the article, 10 Reading Revolutions Before E-books, Tim Carmody discusses the transformation of reading over many centuries. To start the well ordered list, Carmody addresses the popular “reading revolution” that was invented by a German historian. While he ends with his favourite revolution created by Walter Benjamin.

The Lesenrevolution, by Rolf Engelsing, according to Camody, compares extensive reading to intensive reading.

 “ Engelsing was trying to describe something he saw in the 18th century: a shift from "intensive" reading and re-reading of very few texts to "extensive" reading of many, often only once.”

He uses the Bible and the newspaper to contrast how intensive reading, (while it still exists), transformed greatly in the 18th century to extensive reading. In my opinion, it is truly what makes us modern readers, with a hint of old fashion.

Additionally, I believe that Walter Benjamin’s reading revolution is the most significant, yet the most subtle. It is simply the change from “reading vertically, to horizontally, to vertically once again”.

An example of reading vertically would be reading on scrolls, the fourth revolution (rolled scroll to folded codex). He explains how this revolution revolves around the whole history of the book, which is quite agreeable. The fact that there were scrolls then bound paper sheets and then e-books proves this theory of a revolution that is continuous. We can flip pages while laying our Kindles flat down on a desk and in contrast hold up the Kindle and read in bed. 

I never would have thought that there was such a significant difference between reading now and reading ‘yesterday’. This article was very insightful and educational. I anticipate whatever is coming next.

[biglisbonnews]

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[biglisbonnews]

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