La quarta rivoluzione. Sei lezioni sul futuro del libro

Abstract

The passage from orality to written texts, the slow transition from scroll to codex, the Gutenberg revolution, are three key moments in the history of literacy culture. And today we are on the verge of a new, fourth revolution: e-books, and their use on reading devices such as Amazon’s Kindle, Barnes & Noble’s Nook, Apple’s iPad, might change our interaction with written texts – and the very nature of such texts – in an unprecedented and radical way.

In ‘The Fourth Revolution – Six Lessons on the Future of the Book’, Gino Roncaglia deals with the future of the book and with the new and fascinating perspectives of e-books, merging scholarly competence with a clear and captivating narrative. From ancient Roman inscriptions to e-books in Science Fiction, from a discussion of Google’s mammoth digitization project to hypertexts and interactive fiction, from the curious history of the first digital reading devices to the latest development in fields such as electronic paper and smartphone screens, from a discussion of disintermediation and self-publishing to the complex world of Digital Rights Management, from Umberto Eco’s idea that books are as perfect for reading as spoons are for eating soup, to the Magical Book described by E.T. Hoffman in one of his classic tales, this book offers an original and encompassing presentation of the new frontiers of digital reading. With a clear standpoint: the point of view of the reader.

I libri: siamo abituati a vederli, toccarli, annusarli. Sono compagni di vita, un piacere e insieme una necessità. Ma oggi, fra e-book e libri in rete, il mondo dei testi e della lettura sta vivendo una rivoluzione. La quarta, dopo il passaggio da oralità a scrittura, da rotolo a libro paginato, da manoscritto a libro a stampa.

Una rivoluzione non inattesa, ma dalle caratteristiche per molti versi ancora incerte. Sei lezioni alla scoperta del futuro del libro nel mondo digitale, delle nuove frontiere di questa ‘quarta rivoluzione’, e dei sorprendenti strumenti che ci aiuteranno a continuare a leggere.