What is the future of the book?

This post from if:book fits well with the last class discussion about the future of the book. Basically, the post discusses the trend toward publishing sections of books rather than whole books. The idea is similar to purchasing mp3s instead of a whole album. I had no idea that Amazon already provides a by-the-page or by-the-chapter option. This ability to purchase only the selections you want will probably be very popular. Just look at the popularity of mp3s and the increasing subscription to RSS feeds. Bloglines–as well as other feed readers– has completely revolutionized the way I read on the internet. I think the ability to purchase sections of books could be very useful. Many times when I am working on a paper, I will find a book that has one really great chapter. Yet, the rest of the book is of no use. Purchasing pages or chapters of books would also be especially useful for collections of short stories, poetry, or essays. This new way of reading and purchasing books does not signal the inevitable death of “the book.” There are many works which function best as a complete whole, and people will still continue to novels and other complete texts. Rather, the page or chapter selections provide the reader with more options and flexibility. The emergence of the mp3 did not stop consumers from purchasing albums, just as the emergence of by-the-page or by-the-chapter options will not stop readers from purchasing books.

A blogroll of sorts

Since we are going to be talking about blogs, BookTV, and other electronic media in class I thought I would discuss my uses of these various mediums. I read a lot of blogs. The majority of the blogs I read are litblogs–book new, book reviews–or music blogs–artist interviews, mp3s, concert and album reviews. Some of my favorite litblogs are Bookshelves of Doom, The Millions, Bookdwarf, Conversational Reading, and Edward Champion’s Return of the Reluctant. I find that many of the literary blogs offer reviews that are just as insightful –if not more insightful–than some of the established literary reviews. Blogs are an easy way to keep up with information as it becomes available. Many blogs are updated several times a day, and they always cite their news sources.

Understanding McLuhan

I didn’t find McLuhan that difficult to read, but I’m not sure if I buy what he is selling (so to speak). Instead of trying to convince us that everything is media (and that all media is classified as hot or cold), it would have been more interesting to read about the way specific mediums affect the individual and society. McLuhan obviously discusses these themes, but they are obscured by some of his other theories. I have not read a lot of mass media theory, but I feel like McLuhan was sort of making stuff up. I think he has become this sort of seminal figure because Understanding Media is full of short, easy to remember, “profound,” pronouncements. In other words, McLuhan is quotable. It seems like we do not discuss his ideas and theories so much as throw around his catchphrases.

Despite my misgivings, I found some of his statements particularly interesting. One on which I would like to comment is an observation about television. McLuhan writes

But the need to use the senses that are available is as insistent as breathing–a fact that makes sense of the urge to keep radio and TV going more or less continuously. The urge to continuous use is quite independent of the “content” of public programs or of the private sense life…

My own TV watching habits confirm the compulsion to keep the TV on regardless of my interest in the program. I often find myself wasting time by watching rather dumb TV programs for no reason that I can discern. I’m not sure if the urge to leave the TV on is testament to the fact that “technology is part of our bodies” (68). Perhaps, technology as extension of the body is part of the reason for leaving the TV on. I also think there is something to be said for the intimacy and the sense of entrancement that comes with watching TV. McLuhan touches on the fact that TV fans identify with characters rather than actors. TV creates this odd intimacy with the people onscreen so that the characters start to seem like real people. Maybe, we can’t turn off the TV because we feel like we are abandoning these characters.

The other interesting observation McLuhan makes about television is the tendency for the viewer’s eyes to follow reactions instead of actions. I’m really not sure that this is always the case, and I wish McLuhan had cited more than one study which supported his conclusion. My own TV viewing suggests I prefer character-driven programs in which the actors convey meaning with their reactions rather than their words or behavior. The American version of The Office is one television show which makes really effective use of the reaction shot. Yet, sometimes it is the action which captivates the viewer. Battlestar Galactica is a good example of this sort of captivation. It is very much a character-driven drama, yet it contains many action sequences. I always find myself paying attention to the action sequences not only because of the dramatic tension of the scene, but also because the scenes are shot in an interesting, sometimes beautiful, way. Before Battlestar Galactica, I had never realized that a space battle could be beautiful

I finally had time to read a book that was not for class

I just read John Green’s Looking for Alaska, and it is excellent. It won the Printz award so I should have expected it to be great. The story follows Miles Halter, a high school junior, who loves last words. He decides to go to boarding school outside of Birmingham, Alabama to search for the “Great Perhaps.” I don’t want to spoil the story, but I should warn you that you will cry. However, I can’t recommend this novel enough.

History of Reading

I loved Manguel’s A History of Reading. It was interesting how he divided the book into short chapters which focused on one example to clarify the point. Manguel managed to transform a long, complex history into an engaging story.

I have sentences underlined everywhere in the book, so I’ll start with one which made me pause because it challenges my assumptions as a (future) librarian. Manguel notes, “Whatever classifications have been chose, every library tyrannizes the act of reading, and forces the reader–the curious reader, the alert reader–to rescue the book from the category to which it has been condemned” (199). The strong language of this statement caught me off guard. Librarians think of classification systems as one of their greatest contributions to readers. We take huge amounts of information and organize it so that readers/patrons/users can find what they need. We see classification as a service to readers. Yet Manguel indicates our classification is an act of condemnation. I understand the point being made is that the way we read a book is influenced by the category to which it is assigned–these categories or classifications shape reader’s expectations of the text. Part of me even wants to agree with Manguel; however, agreement implies that one of the fundamental services of libraries is not only obsolete, but is also more of an impediment than a service.

Another interesting chapter was “The Translator as Reader,” specifically the discussion about translations of the Bible. Before reading this chapter, I had no idea who introduced which particular, memorable phrases or words to the Bible. I grew up in a religious tradition which literally interpreted the Bible. I was always puzzled how the King James translation came to be considered the authoritative edition. This chapter helped clear up a little of that confusion for me. I have also always wondered how the Bible can be interpreted as God’s actual words if it was written by so many different people–each with their own biases and motivations–and translated so many times. I wonder how this issue is addressed in seminary for those studying to be ministers or if it is even addressed at all. I do not have any great insights into this issue. Rather, I found Manguel’s discussion interesting and worthy of further research to answer my own personal questions.

I also found the exploration of glasses and the way glasses were used to indicate intelligence to be fascinating. As an avid reader with poor eyesight, I have always wondered how people managed before the invention of glasses. I didn’t realize that difficulty reading was not such an issue because of the limited availability of books as well as limited literacy. It is pretty funny how glasses were added to paintings to make the subjects seem wiser. I find it strange that eyeglasses continue to have a double connotation of wisdom/intelligence and the idle bookworm or the nerd. In a way it is comforting to know that readers with eyeglasses have been nerds since the fifteenth century. Even with the widespread use of contacts, the association of glasses with intelligence and nerdiness is persistent.

Invention of Copyright

Unfortunately, Authors and Owners induced unpleasant flashbacks to an eighteenth-century literature course I took as an undergraduate. When I read about Alexander Pope struggling to suppress pirate editions of The Dunciad, I would get distracted remembering how much I hated that poetic work (and I didn’t even have to read the whole thing). I had the same reaction to mentions of James Boswell and Samuel Johnson; I have read Boswell’s Life of Johnson and I don’t remember anything about copyright. All in all, it is a semester of my life that I would rather forget.

Anyways…it was useful to read about the invention of copyright because struggles over authorship, fair use, etc. continue today. I thought the discussion in the last chapter about privacy vs. property was particularly interesting. The move to discuss copyright within the framework to a right to privacy is problematic, because the right to privacy does not exist in the Constitution (at least in the United States). The “right” to privacy is completely based on judicial precedent; it has no basis in the written law.

The discussion about the writer “fathering” his text raises some questions. I am going to have to dig out my Gilbert and Gubar to study this further and articulate a response.

Project Update

I haven’t been able to get anything new accomplished since I outlined my project on Monday. Last week I filled out a trace card for a book that seems to be essential for my project, but the book has apparently disappeared into the ether. For those classmates who were either confused or skeptical of the challenges confronting modern African libraries, here is an excerpt of a report on Kenyan libraries which succinctly outlines the issues:

“The situation in Kenya is such that about 90% of the nation’s book requirements has to be imported. It is hoped that with the establishment of the Kenya Literature Bureau, many local writers will be encouraged to publish relevant and suitable material. Another problem facing the book production is that the bulk of published books are in English. There is a need to produce books in languages that will be understood by the new literates.”

Even though this report is from the 1980s many of these issues are still a challenge for Kenyan libraries–almost all of which are in Nairobi. The situation outlined above applies to other African nations such as Nigeria and Ghana. However, it is not all bad news. There are some cool projects going on with the Kenya National Library Service, such as the camel “bookmobiles.”

Ng’ang’a, J.M. (1982). “Libraries and librarianship in Kenya: a background paper.” International Library Review, 14, 303-315.

Living Folklore

This text provides an introduction to the study of folklore. Now that I know the basics, I definitely want to follow Dr. Tidline’s recommendation and read Barre Toelken’s Dynamics of Folklore. According to Sims and Stephens, “Folklore is a way of understanding people and the wide-ranging creative ways we express who we are and what we value and believe” (xi). Immediately, the authors establish that folklore includes “verbal (oral and written texts), customary (behaviors, rituals), or material (physical objects)” communication (2). They discredit the popular notion that folklore is untrue or old-fashioned. The authors’ assertion that studying folklore is a way of investigating “how we communicate and make meaning” seems to relate to Ong’s discussion about the ways orality and literacy shape identity and the way people think about the world.

 

Sims, Martha C., and Martine Stephens. Living Folklore: An Introduction to the Study of People and Their Traditions. Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press, 2005. xi-29.

The Bones of Story

I really like the analogy of the skeleton that Betsy Hearne uses in “The Bones of Story.” I found her discussion of the spaces between the bones, the importance of silence in the story, to be particularly illuminating. The silence in the story refers not only to what is left out, but also refers to the active silence in which listeners engage to co-create the story. I wholeheartedly agree with Hearne’s assertion that “what’s left out is as important as what’s put in.” My undergraduate study involved reading lots of Ernest Hemingway—the master of only revealing the tip of the iceberg. Interesting stuff always happens in the pauses. A way to indicate these pauses on the page would be ellipses, page breaks, etc. F. Scott Fitzgerald, for example, conveys silence and things that cannot be said through ellipses in The Great Gatsby. I also identified with the analogy “silence is to story as space is to image.” I was the editor of my high school literary magazine and the design editor of an undergraduate literary magazine. Through these design experiences I learned about the importance of balancing image with white space.

The Story Factor

Annette Simmons’ The Story Factor is particularly interesting because it brings the significance of storytelling in the business environment. Simmons explains that “story is your path to creating faith” (3). In other words, telling a story can inspire listeners to trust you. Inspiring trust is an important skill in the business world, especially for managers, because people are defensive when it comes to money, power, authority, and political advantage. People have a tendency to distrust those in authority. This distrust may be due to a belief that one can perform better than the authority figure or the distrust may result from the fact that the authority figure holds the jobs and livelihoods of people in his/her hands. According to Simmons, the way you can overcome this distrust is telling a meaningful story which sustains listeners’ faith in your character and capabilities. Simmons discusses in detail the six types of stories which will serve businesspeople well in their efforts to influence others.

1. “Who I Am” Stories
2. “Why I Am Here” Stories
3. “The Vision” Stories
4. “Teaching” Stories
5. “Values-in-Action” Stories
6. “I Know What You Are Thinking” Stories

I completely buy Simmons’ premise that storytelling is a significant method for cultivating influence in the business world. At this point in time, I do not think I have the capability to develop such stories. My life experience is rather limited, and I do not think I categorize all of my life experiences according to lessons learned. There is also a moral concern with using such tactics. While Simmons differentiates storytelling from manipulation, I find that using stories for the purpose of inspiring trust is manipulative. Using such tactics may be effective and even necessary for success in business, but I am uncomfortable with consciously utilizing storytelling tactics.

The class discussion over the excerpt from Simmons’ book was rather heated. While I agree that purposely telling stories to gain people’s faith is manipulative, I find some of my classmates’ surprised anger at the strategy to be a little naive. I think it is pretty obvious that the world, and the business world in particular, requires adept maneuvering to get ahead. Simmons is absolutely correct in her observation that working smoothly with people requires winning their trust. Of course, maybe I had an easier time accepting The Story Factor because I am currently taking a management course. Furthermore, my special libraries course has also required mostly business reading, including an article about when it is appropriate to lie.

Simmons, Annette. The Story Factor: Secrets of Influence from the Art of Storytelling. New York: Basic Books, 2001. xv-81.