Papyrus: The Invention of Books in the Ancient World: Irene Vallejo, Sarah Ruden & Charlotte Whittle
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For the Love of Books! ‘Papyrus’ by Irene Vallejo
Since I was a very small child I have loved books!
They have been my friends all of my life. They are not judgemental in and of themselves and they do not in and of themselves create evil.
Books impart the thoughts and ideas of men, men that lived long ago or even last year.
Words are like paint! I am an artist and an author and I use both paint and words in the same way.
But words, books and art are not neutral. The thoughts people put in them for all to read can be based on truth and virtue or lies and evil.
Language, words, and books did not come about in a vaccuum. God was involved every step of the way.
From the Fall, when sin entered the world the process of language and words was ongoing (and still is) to present the Gospel to the world so that all might be saved. Books and language are a gift!!
So how did all of this come to pass? Do we know?
Here is an excellent review of the book:
Books and Their Perilous History
"Review: ‘Papyrus’ by Irene Vallejo
Our lives are filled with words. From road signs to billboards to social media feeds, words are everywhere. Though we may not think of the act of reading or buying a book as an adventurous activity today, since their initial invention, books have had the potential to be both highly valued and highly controversial.
Irene Vallejo is a philologist, historian, novelist, and regular columnist for the Spanish periodicals El PaÃs and Heraldo de Aragón. Her book Papyrus: The Invention of Books in the Ancient World takes readers on a historical odyssey exploring how books shape human culture. Amid discussions about book banning, this is a timely and intriguing volume.
Though the subtitle might make the book appear to be a dry academic history, Vallejo’s presentation of history as a story and her vivid prose (brilliantly translated by Charlotte Whittle) create an engaging narrative. Through a series of vibrant anecdotes, Vallejo seeks to recapture the perilous history of the book in order to awaken a new passion for preserving literature..." Books and Their Perilous History