Bibliomania: Books that Transform You (An Introduction to the NY Public Rare Books Library)

Catalog description

Throughout history, books have been thought to corrupt minds, save souls, heal bodies, and incite riots. In this course we will consider the dynamic functions that have been attributed to books from classical times to the present, with a particular emphasis on works from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. We will examine the power of texts to transform the reader physically, emotionally, and spiritually - analyzing books that have been deemed "dangerous" as well as those written with a didactic or moral purpose. This course will also allow students to work directly with original archival materials in the NYC Public Library.