futureofthebook.com
preservation and persistence of the changing book

Introduction

Commentary

Reports

Workshops

Store

Links

Bookbinding & Reading

There is not that much difference between sewing a book and reading a book. Both involve maintaining a tension. There is also the manipulation of pages related to the manipulations of mind. Finally there is a covering that relates one book with another. Is there meaning in these coincidental qualities?

a larger infrastructure

Maybe there is a larger infrastructure that encompasses both binding and reading of books. The counterpoise of hands prompting the mind and mind prompting the hands would be a component of that premise. The premise is based on a scenario of hominid evolution in which dexterity, manipulated investigation and a rock throwing defense prompted socialization and an increasing mental capacity of the species. (see e-essay)

There is also the factor that reading is a wide ranging behavior. Various reading modes and various combinations of modes are utilized. Similarly, cultures and technologies have developed a diversity of bookbinding structures that have layers of both continuities and innovation. Early bookbinding was accomplished by hand held constructions. Later work used the sewing frame and workshop equipment such as the plow and press. Today the processes are largely mechanized. This increasing interplay of technological support characterizes both modes of reading and modes of bookbinding. Further the steps of development of the complexity are similar. The historical narratives of oral/verbal, writing, print and composite reading modes are echoed by parallels such as the initial chain stitch sewing, subsequent sewing onto supports at the sewing frame and mechanized adhesive leaf attachment.

The factor of tension or concentration is an interesting one. Books may be bound or read well or less well. Actually the range of accomplishment or lack of accomplishment is extreme, although almost all the books are bound and almost all the books are read. Perhaps the interesting part is that reading and binding can be learned to a degree that enables shifts in attention from preemptive concentration to more generative concentration. Covering or completion of the book is important too. This is the step in the process that relates one book to others.

So what is the larger infrastructure that accounts for coincidental similarities of binding and reading? Perhaps the larger infrastructure is the physical book itself. The book may be an artifact of all our engagements, both manual and mental.