The Story of the Book

Catalog description

This course explores the history of the book and its timeless presence as one of the world's greatest and enduring inventions. From the perspectives of the disciplines of English, History, and Library Science, a holistic emphasis is placed on the book, which extends from its materiality and its cultural and historical impact, to concepts of textual originality and authenticity. Students will examine and learn about the earliest examples of portable writing-from scrolls and Roman codices-to the early days of Gutenberg and onward to new developments such as the graphic novel and the artist book. This course fulfills the Interdisciplinary Perspectives General Education Requirement.