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How Will We Read? – The Book Given
C.M. Rubin interviews the leaders of the major publishers, retailers and e-tailers, as well as the biggest authors, about the age that is redefining how we read.
The book given by Lewis Carroll to Alice Liddell for Christmas
On November 26, 1864, Lewis Carroll gave my relative, Alice Pleasance Liddell, a book he had written for her. He called the book Alice’s Adventures Underground after considering titles such as Alice’s Golden House, Alice Among the Elves, Alice Among the Goblins, and Alice’s Doings In Wonderland. Carroll had spent over two years writing and illustrating the book for Alice. It consisted of ninety-two pages covered with his print like writing as well as thirty-seven of his own pen and ink drawings. The book given to Alice Liddell would change her life forever.
It all began (as Carroll reminded his followers on a number of occasions) because of a 10 year-old girl who had encouraged Carroll’s storytelling for years, and in particular a story he told about Alice in Wonderland during a summer day’s picnic on July 4, 1862. Alice was continuously insistent that Carroll write the story down for her, which he eventually did and ultimately presented to her as an early Christmas gift. The book would also change Carroll’s life forever, but it might never have happened if a young girl had not inspired the previously unpublished children’s book author to write the greatest children’s book of all time.
There are over 20,000 books, films, operas, plays and video games based on Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There. It is estimated that over 8 billion people have read or seen presentations of the “Alice” books. Lewis Carroll is behind only the Bible and Shakespeare in the number of quotations from the “Alice” books that appear in published discourse. In addition to the new adaptations of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Carroll’s and Liddell’s lives continue to inspire numerous new books, works of art, and film projects. And all because of “a book given.”
If the book given to Alice in 1864 was given today, just imagine the variety of different ways a creative chap like Lewis Carroll might have presented it to his Alice. Quantum leaps in technology have completely changed the way we write, illustrate, publish, market, promote and consume books. I find myself (like Alice) constantly curious and excited about discovering all the new products in the digital books wonderland, while at the same time overwhelmed by all the new found freedoms the technology revolution promises to offer me. Is the device simple stupid enough for me to connect with quickly in my already complicated life? Is it time to buy this tablet or this e-reader? Will I look out of date to my bridge pals when the new updated version is released in 6 months time? I also wonder whether any of us will recognize the content of yesterday’s “book” once the revolution settles down. Will writing for Google become such an integral part of the book marketing culture that creative processes are dramatically changed?
Amazon's Kindle Fire (photo courtesy of Amazon)
Between you and me, I yearn for some form of consolidation in all the craziness that would enable me to feel I can comment intelligently on what appears to be the longer term trends in the publishing model. One thing I know for sure: an entertainment business career which kept me moving through the theatrical, television, video, DVD, pay on demand and pay television formats taught me that we don’t stop watching great movies. As a passionate movie lover, I would argue that the changing technology enabled me to watch more great and even not so great movies than ever before, since I was able to do it more often thanks to a variety of formats that accommodated my ever-changing hectic lifestyle. In addition, those great movies that made that unforgettable connection and changed my life forever, I not only watched again and again, but I insisted on owning them in every possible format I could fit onto the living room shelf.
And so I don’t believe that passionate readers, like passionate movie lovers, will ever disappear. The way readers read will of course continue to evolve and change, but certain things about the cultural experience will not. For example, everything will still begin with the written word, and if that written word is to survive the test of time and change lives forever (like the book given to my relative in 1864), it will happen because of rare talent and creativity and innovative thinking in an age that is redefining how we shall read.
In How Will We Read?, join C. M. Rubin and globally renowned thought leaders each week as they explore the future of reading.
C. M. Rubin
C.M. Rubin has more than two decades of professional experience in development, marketing, and art direction for a diverse range of media businesses. She is the author of the widely read on-line series, The Global Search for Education, and is also the author of three bestselling books, including The Real Alice in Wonderland.
Follow C. M. Rubin on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@cmrubinworld
Wednesday
October 26th, 2011
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Comments
This is a great follow up article on Finland, truly a phenomenon in our world. Great teaching, great approaches to learning, education inclusive for all residents, even high percentages of “immigrants.”
Hi Susan – do join us on my Finnish story with Pasi Sahlberg.
I do think by using Kindle along with other e-readers, books sales will explode.
Great idea to let us see a model school. The program seems so straight forward. Why the US cannot get there is a disgrace.
Hi there: I think you meant to comment on my article with Pasi Sahlberg. My best CMR
Half of my family is from Finland. Not only do you find well-rounded teenagers and young adults, but also people with the utmost integrity. We need to follow their programs far more closely.
Hi Ian – Do join us on our Pasi Sahlberg story.
Please take a moment to read our new story on Public Libraries. Public Libraries need our support. Thank you.
Hi Mobola,Unfortunately at this time, Beyond Organic is only available in the USA. Due to iispphng, this is the only way right now, but the information still applies to everyone! Eating what God created and not what scientists formulated is the way to go. Thanks for your interest be blessed!
It amazes me how teachers can handled the developmental problem children in the same classroom as the normal children. In the US, not only would there be a problem with teachers not being able to cope, but the other students would probably be impatient and unpleasant. Sorry I can’t be more positive about our system here.
It is amazing how many ways you can read a book today, and the options seem to be increasing.
I bought an Ipad last November 2010 which seems so out of date given the features I see in the latest version.
However there is something about a book that was hand written and hand illustrated – for example if you had to give away a book you had purchased in a book store and one that was hand written and hand illustrated….?
I agree with the idea that the decline of paper books and the growth of digital books will still require great authors of the written word, which will continue to be the basis of books in any and all forms.
The challenge to create great content remains the same but you must also respect the medium where that content will be distributed.
Lewis Carroll, the mathematician, would have appreciated digital books, much as he was a leader in photographic technology and one of the great early photographers. His creativity would have fit well with the new digital opportunities for the written word.
Hi: Carroll was a poet and a mathematician. That special blend of left and right brain was probably what helped to create probably the greatest children’s story of all time.
I think the analogy between the evolution of movies and the evolution of books is very apt. There is a great future ahead for books in their digital forms. It is an exciting time for authors, readers, and the business world involved with books.
I am excited by the opportunities to read books in more convenient ways, and look forward to seeing the reading experience grow more interesting thru use of music and visual elements, along with the written word.
This is all about convenience, for me. It’s filling another niche in the market and that’s brilliant. The more readers, the better.
Books will continue to live on always, the only thing that will change will be more technology to bring it to more people.
Hear Hear and everything starts with the written word so you still need the writer!
B) fiscal ravsecnotive social liberalE) fiscal ravsecnotive social moderate smaller less intrusive government better abolish IRS implement ” tax” ( consumption tax ) a flat tax don’t enough common sense vote a tax. progressive tax scheme now nothing short criminal allows government much control ( hence reluctance abolish ) tax dollars pay IRS 6 billion a year steal money form .. insane!
I believe that this can only increase readership and bring books to people who otherwise didn’t read much, and I for one think that that’s an excellent thing.
Most definitely, speaking for myself, I just don’t have time to read as much as I used to, but I’m seriously considering a Kindle for Christmas because it’ll be so much more convenient to carry around and read on my way to work, for example. I love the fact that the library of books is so massive, it will allow me to read things that I would never otherwise have known about
This is one of the most beautiful stories about a book that I have read. Fitting for such a monumental work as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
I think that the book revolution is just beginning.
I think with all the new technology when it comes to reading books (e-readers and so on), it’ll spark a massive new interest in reading and also make people nostalgic for real books. There’s something about a physical book that can never be replicated on a computer screen.
That’s pretty much what I saw happen in the motion picture business.
With the launch of these new ways of reading, more and more people are discovering the wonders of reading. It’s really great.
Which reader do you plan on purchasing this Christmas?
These are exciting times for books at the moment. I think with the help of Kindle and other e-readers, books sales will explode.
The written word will never disappear, hence books, whatever form they take, will always be with us.
Short of widespread piracy, “books” will be forever here.
Digital books can be deleted as easily as they can be downloaded. You can’t delete a real book and there’ll always be a passion for them.
Yes but if you have both think of how many more times you could read or quote from your favorite book. Plus you can carry all your favorite books on a tablet.
There are over 20,000 books, films, operas, plays and video games based on Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There. It is estimated that over 8 billion people have read or seen presentations of the “Alice” books. Lewis Carroll is behind only the Bible and Shakespeare in the number of quotations from the “gemstone jewelry” books that appear in published discourse. In addition to the new adaptations of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Carroll’s and Liddell’s lives continue to inspire numerous new books, works of art, and film projects. And all because of “a book given.”
a good site…
http://www.aimengsilver.com
James Daunt HOW WILL WE READ IN BOOK CHAINS mentions that Waterstone’s are launching their reader early Spring 2012. He also has interesting things to say about the future of book chains.
[...] C.M. Rubin ponders this question in her fascinating article “How Will We Read? – The Book Given”. She writes: “On November 26, 1864, Lewis Carroll gave my relative, Alice Pleasance Liddell, a book he had written for her… If the book given to Alice in 1864 was given today, just imagine the variety of different ways a creative chap like Lewis Carroll might have presented it to his Alice. Quantum leaps in technology have completely changed the way we write, illustrate, publish, market, promote and consume books.” Read the full article. [...]
There is a fabulous exhibition at the Tate in Liverpool which I hope to write about next week. For Alice fans!
The exhibition at the Tate travels around Europe during the spring months – I am hearing great things about it.
Kiki Smith, Max Ernst, William Richmond, Nalini Malani,Luc Tuymans – I’m in!
Alice in Wonderland exhibit is at the Tate in England through end of January.
[...] http://www.educationnews.org/technology/how-will-we-read-the-book-given/ [...]