
Papyrus
The Invention of Books in the Ancient World
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Narrated by:
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Sophie Roberts
A "masterly" (Economist), prize-winning, internationally bestselling history of books in the ancient world
"Exquisite. . . . Beautifully translated into English by Charlotte Whittle, who is able to convey both Vallejo’s passionate narrative presence and her synthesising intelligence.” —The Guardian
Long before books were mass-produced, hand-copied scrolls made from Nile River reeds were the treasures of the ancient world. Emperors and pharaohs, determined to possess them, dispatched emissaries to the edges of the known world to bring them back. Exploring the deep and fascinating history of the written word, from the oral tradition to scrolls to codices, internationally bestselling author Irene Vallejo shows that books have always been a precious and precarious vehicle for civilization.
Through fascinating stories from history, insightful readings of the classics, and poignant personal reflection, Vallejo traces the dramatic history of the book and the fight for its survival. At its heart a spirited love letter to language itself, Papyrus takes listeners on a journey across the centuries to discover how a simple reed grown along the banks of the Nile would give birth to a rich and cherished culture.
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Critic reviews
A Times (UK) Book of the Year • An Economist Best Book on Culture and Ideas
“Irene Vallejo has a writer's passion for books and a classicist's fascination with the way they came to be. She is also imaginative, lively and contemporary. In her hands written texts are not only a sensual pleasure, but living and frequently disruptive. . . . Ms Vallejo has a notable talent for evoking ancient scenes. Her description, for example, of the poet Martial returning to Spain from Rome, near the end of the book, is masterly.”―Economist
“A generous, sprawling work. . . . As much as a history of books, Papyrus is also a history of reading. . . . Include[s] harrowing accounts of how survivors in the gulag and the concentration camps learned to write whole books in their heads, priming themselves for the moment when they would have access to writing materials to tell their stories. . . . Exquisite. . . . Beautifully translated into English by Charlotte Whittle, who is able to convey both Vallejo’s passionate narrative presence and her synthesising intelligence.”—The Guardian
“Evocative. . . . On one level, Papyrus is the story of the invention of books . . . but on another, it is a memoir, a love song, a confessional and a manifesto. Vallejo fuses these strands seamlessly and polishes the surface until it shines. . . . Papyrus has been a surprise bestseller. It’s easy to see why: Vallejo is a novelist and she has a storyteller’s ability to animate her subjects. . . . Impressively rip-roaring. . . . She draws a six-thousand-year line from the clay tablets of Mesopotamia to the e-reader tablets of today and leaves her readers inspired, invigorated and sincerely grateful for the invention of the book.”—Telegraph (UK)
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Great view into ancient history
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Egotistical author sabotages great work
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Someday I’ll listen to this book again. It’s such a grand exploration with wonderful nuggets of knowledge along the way.
Incredible research
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A bridge between the past and future
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History of books!
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An enlightened and charming read
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Great read
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A Little Spacey
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I was constantly going back to the beginning (of the book or a particular chapter) to catch again the subtle nuances and implications. Outside of the Bible and other select works, I rate this book among the greatest of all time with its combination of brilliant canon insights (dozens and dozens) and scintillating personal metaphors illuminating said canon. Unsurprisingly, the book has been published in about 30 countries. The editors know its brilliance even if the general reading public does yet not. If there's any justice in the world (and there's not much), this will be the book to teach the Western canon.
I finally finished it, but you've never finished this book. Here I go again.
How Could I Ever Finish It?
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Simply terrific.
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