Staff Pick
This is less of a commentary on the power of the written word and more of a love story dedicated to the history of physical books. I personally prefer holding an actual book in my hands and flipping through pages, so finding out how books evolved from scrolls to mass market paperbacks is super fascinating. Thoroughly researched and well written, I had so much fun learning all the different ways the book has taken shape throughout time. Recommended By Rose H., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
A history of one of humankind's most resilient and influential technologies over the past millennium — the book.
Stephen King once said that books are "a uniquely portable magic." Here, Emma Smith takes readers on a literary adventure that spans centuries and circles the globe to uncover the reasons behind our obsession with this captivating object.
From disrupting the Western myth that the Gutenberg Press was the original printing project, to the decorative gift books that radicalized women to join the anti-slavery movement, to paperbacks being weaponized during World War II, to a book made entirely of plastic-wrapped slices of American cheese, Portable Magic explores how, when, and why books became so iconic. And it's not just the content inside that compels, it's the physical material itself, what Smith calls "bookhood" the smell, the feel of the pages, the margins to scribble in, the illustrations on the jacket, its solid heft. Every book is designed to influence our reading experience — to enchant, enrage, delight, and disturb us - and our longstanding love affair with books in turn has had direct, momentous consequences across time.
Revelatory and entertaining in equal measure, Portable Magic will charm and challenge literature lovers of all kinds as it illuminates the transformative power and eternal appeal of the printed word.
Review
"Entertaining...With wit and verve, Smith concludes that a book becomes a book 'in the hands of its readers...a book that is not handled and read is not really a book at all.' Readers should make space on their shelves for this dazzling and provocative study." — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
Review
"Smith's work is a delight for bibliophiles, historians, and curious readers craving an unconventional piece of nonfiction....A fascinating material history of the book told through a geopolitical lens." — Kirkus
About the Author
EMMA SMITH is Professor of Shakespeare Studies at Oxford University, and the author of This Is Shakespeare (2020). She lives in Oxford, England.