Chapter 4Books:

The Birth of the Mass Media

Development of Writing

• Approx. 3500 BC: Writing originates in Egypt or Mesopotamia

• Earliest writing was pictographs and ideographs; symbols that stand for ideas

• Approx. 2000 BC: Phonography begins; symbols stand for sounds

• 1700 – 1500 BC: Alphabets developed; letters stand for sounds

Development of Paper

• 3100 BC: Egyptians develop papyrus, writing surface made from papyrus reed.

• Parchment – Writing surface from skin of goats and sheep; much less fragile than papyrus.

• 240- 105 BC: Paper developed by Chinese; moves to Europe in mid-11th century.

Development of Books

• Earliest books were papyrus scrolls• 400-800 AD: Religious books hand-copied by

monks in rooms called scriptoria.• 1200s: Licensed publishers distribute hand-

copied books such as The Canterbury Tales.

The Invention of Mass Culture

• 1455: Gutenberg develops movable metal type, makes printing feasible.

• First mass-produced written word.

Consequences of Gutenberg

• Standardized books and language• Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation• Made possible transferring ideas beyond

community where they originated

Books in the New World

• 1539: First New World printing press in Mexico City.

• 1640: Printing begins in North America with Whole Booke of Psalmes. Book became early export for colonies.

• 1731: Benjamin Franklin establishes early circulating (subscription) libraries. Went on to become popular author.

Mass Produced Books

• 1814: Steam-powered rotary press• 1830s–1840s: Popularity of serial novels• Civil War era: Popularity of paperback dime

novels• Growth of inexpensive books, magazines, and

newspapers fuels growth of mass literacy

The Book Business

• Publishers• Authors• Booksellers

Publishers

• Major commercial publishers• University and small presses• Vanity presses and self-publishing• Government Printing Office

Authors

• Not everyone is a star.• Many books have limited promotion.

Book Writing Process

Booksellers

• Wholesalers/distributors—Ingram Book Group• Major bookstore chains—Barnes & Noble is

largest bookseller• Independent booksellers—American

Bookseller’s Association• Mail-order book clubs

Textbook Business

• Barnes & Noble has major campus bookstore division

• GAO estimates on the average, a student spends $900 a year on textbooks

• Schools try variety of ways to lower costs• Schools experimenting with e-book readers• Authors/publishers make nothing on used

books

Great Books vs. Popular Books

• Nathaniel Hawthorne vs. the “scribblers”• Popularity of domestic novels• Stephen King —“The literary equivalent of a

Big Mac and a large fries.”• Vampires, wizards, and the NYT Best Seller list

Books and Censorship

• Book banning in the United States is generally local and involves taking books out of libraries or off school reading lists

• Globally, authors can have works banned, threats of violence and death

• Salman Rushdie—The Satanic Verses• Sherry Jones—The Jewel of Medina

Books and the Long Tail

• Amazon.com—Offering all books rather than a selection of books

• Electronic publishing and print-on-demand• Importance of e-book readers such as the

Kindle, Nook, or iPad