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A Universal History of the Destruction of Books: From Ancient Sumer to Modern-Day Iraq

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A Universal History of the Destruction of Books: From Ancient Sumer to Modern-Day Iraq Cover

 

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

A best-seller in Spain, Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina, and Brazil: the first-ever world history of the destruction of books.

A product of ten years of research and support from leading American and European universities, A Universal History of the Destruction of Books traces a tragic story: the smashed tablets of ancient Sumer, the widespread looting of libraries in post-war Iraq, the leveling of the Library of Alexandria, book burnings by Crusaders and Nazis, and censorship against authors past and present.

With diligence and grace, Báez mounts a compelling investigation into the motives behind the destruction of books, reading man's violence against writing as a perverse anti-creation. "By destroying," Báez argues, "man ratifies this ritual of permanence, purification and consecration; by destroying, man brings to the surface a behavior originating in the depth of his personality." His findings ultimately attest to the lasting power of books as the great human repository of knowledge and memory, fragile yet vital bulwarks against the intransigence and barbarity of every age.

Review:

"This book begins and ends with a description of the looting of books, manuscripts and artworks in Iraq's National Library in 2003, a destruction abetted, says Bez, by the inaction of American leaders. This episode poses an 'enigma' for the author: 'Why should this murder of memory have occurred in the place where the book was born?' Beginning with ancient Mesopotamia, Venezuelan historian Bez (The History of the Ancient Library of Alexandria) considers the wide-ranging reasons why books are destroyed: the desire of conquerors to eradicate their predecessors or foreign cultures, religious intolerance, fire and other natural or man-made disasters. Other books were lost because they were no longer considered important, and we know of them only through references in other works. Bez includes a fascinating chapter on fictional bibliocasts (book destroyers), from Don Quixote to Fahrenheit 451. He sometimes overwhelms the reader with authors, titles and statistics. Still, this marvelously informative, sometimes depressing, occasionally entertaining work should appeal to bibliophiles." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

About the Author

Fernando Báez is the author of The History of the Ancient Library of Alexandria, The Cultural Destruction of Iraq, and The Cambridge Translator, a novel. He lives in Venezuela. Alfred MacAdam is the translator of Mario Vargas Llosa, Alejo Carpentier, Julio Cortázar, and Carlos Fuentes. He teaches at Barnard College.

Product Details

ISBN:
9781934633014
Author:
Baez, Fernando
Publisher:
Atlas & Co.
Translator:
Mac Adam, Alfred
Author:
Mac Adam, Alfred
Subject:
World - General
Subject:
Books & Reading
Subject:
World
Subject:
History
Subject:
Censorship
Subject:
Censorship -- History.
Subject:
Prohibited books -- History.
Subject:
World History-General
Copyright:
Publication Date:
20080831
Binding:
Hardcover
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Y
Pages:
354
Dimensions:
7 x 5 in

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Related Subjects

History and Social Science » World History » General
Humanities » Literary Criticism » General
Reference » Books on Books

A Universal History of the Destruction of Books: From Ancient Sumer to Modern-Day Iraq New Hardcover
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Product details 354 pages Atlas Books - English 9781934633014 Reviews:
"Publishers Weekly Review" by , "This book begins and ends with a description of the looting of books, manuscripts and artworks in Iraq's National Library in 2003, a destruction abetted, says Bez, by the inaction of American leaders. This episode poses an 'enigma' for the author: 'Why should this murder of memory have occurred in the place where the book was born?' Beginning with ancient Mesopotamia, Venezuelan historian Bez (The History of the Ancient Library of Alexandria) considers the wide-ranging reasons why books are destroyed: the desire of conquerors to eradicate their predecessors or foreign cultures, religious intolerance, fire and other natural or man-made disasters. Other books were lost because they were no longer considered important, and we know of them only through references in other works. Bez includes a fascinating chapter on fictional bibliocasts (book destroyers), from Don Quixote to Fahrenheit 451. He sometimes overwhelms the reader with authors, titles and statistics. Still, this marvelously informative, sometimes depressing, occasionally entertaining work should appeal to bibliophiles." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)
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