Considering the question posed this week, it was
difficult to remember the many books I have read. I certainly have never
thought about a book’s form affecting its meaning, yet one intriguing example
comes to mind. I have little experience with digital books; as a result, my story
shall be told through a printed item.
Recently, I was in the Robarts Library researching a
paper. I wanted to learn more about the American Museum and its founder P.T.
Barnum. I was not sure what I was expecting to find, but rummaging through the
aisles one particular book struck my eye. Bound within a crossed black ribbon
and clasp, the Life of P.T. Barnum was
contained between a dark leather hardcover. It was an autobiography written in 1855
and likely the oldest book I have held. The manner in which it was stored and
the condition it was in affected the meaning of the contents.
Even though it was in the library and available for
public use, not being an extremely rare book, there was still a sense of care
and caution in holding it. The act of warily untying the ribbon and slowly
creaking the cover open was influential to how I would perceive the subject
matter within. The unfamiliar process was quite interesting and immediately one
realizes the age. While the book was not too old, it was very worn; the paper
that it was written in was rather musty and coarse. The rough edges and the old
medium commanded a certain sense of authenticity. I felt that the form helped
make me appreciate the content as a primary document. I could interpret right
away that this was antiquated, yet valuable, knowledge.
Overall, the general appearance and condition had an
effect on its meaning. The form directly caught my attention from the onset and
shaped the experience in a way. While I may not have been completely enthralled
by the story, this example was only the most recent in my memory. Regardless, it
is not too often one holds a 160 year old book and the words were to a degree made
more engaging.
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