Another very quick 'fill in' post, because I'm cramming madly to get an assignment in, but also because my librarian friend posted this on Facebook and it cracked me up, so I had to share it. Enjoy:
Do you know this fascinating book by noted historian, philosopher, educator and social critic, Ivan Illich? In the Vineyard of the Text (University of Chicago Press, 1993) is a commentary to medieval theologian Hugh of St Victor’s Didascalicon, the first book written on the art of reading.
Ivan Illich’s commentary to Hugh’s Didascalicon is an examination of reading at the time of the 12th century move from meditative (monastic) to scholastic reading. Hugh is on the verge of the period “just before lectio divina [holy reading] splits up into lectio spiritualis, which is prayer, and [reading as] studium, which comes to be the acquisition of knowledge.”
Significantly, Illich now addresses reading at the time of another shift – from the printed page, to picture and caption, text box and graph; the screen and multi-media presentations. I realise I’ve been waiting for this book for a very long time. It is a book full of insights; its lessons are not simply antiquarian, but provoke examination of how our contemporaries now engage with what lies behind Hugh’s first words, “Of all things to be sought, the first is wisdom.”
Hi Martin, Sounds like something that's right up my alley - i look forward to reading your copy when you don't need it. Might even do a review and post it!
Do you know this fascinating book by noted historian, philosopher, educator and social critic, Ivan Illich? In the Vineyard of the Text (University of Chicago Press, 1993) is a commentary to medieval theologian Hugh of St Victor’s Didascalicon, the first book written on the art of reading.
ReplyDeleteIvan Illich’s commentary to Hugh’s Didascalicon is an examination of reading at the time of the 12th century move from meditative (monastic) to scholastic reading. Hugh is on the verge of the period “just before lectio divina [holy reading] splits up into lectio spiritualis, which is prayer, and [reading as] studium, which comes to be the acquisition of knowledge.”
Significantly, Illich now addresses reading at the time of another shift – from the printed page, to picture and caption, text box and graph; the screen and multi-media presentations. I realise I’ve been waiting for this book for a very long time. It is a book full of insights; its lessons are not simply antiquarian, but provoke examination of how our contemporaries now engage with what lies behind Hugh’s first words, “Of all things to be sought, the first is wisdom.”
Hi Martin,
DeleteSounds like something that's right up my alley - i look forward to reading your copy when you don't need it. Might even do a review and post it!