penandpatience

WRITERS WORDS: “Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill.” – Barbara W. Tuchman

MARCH 2022 MONTHLY MUSING

BOOKS – THE MORE YOU READ, THE MORE YOU KNOW!

How could humanity survive in a world without words? Without language and scribed words, communications would not exist.  Written and verbal communications in various languages are the greatest tools in the universe from the earliest documented histories to today.  “The earliest history of books actually predates what would conventionally be called “books” today and began with tablets, scrolls and sheets of papyrus. Then hand-bound expensive and elaborate manuscripts known as codices appeared. These gave way to press-printed volumes and eventually lead to the mass printed tomes prevalent today.” – (Wikipedia)

Historically, scrolls were a rolled manuscript made from the papyrus plant. It was the Romans who developed the codex made from wood and animal skins, opened like a book and featured real pages. The first actual book written on paper is said to have been made in China. Fast forward to around 1440, Johannes Gutenberg’s development of the printing press marked the entry of the book into the industrial age.  Abundant and recorded historical writing and book development data abounds in world libraries, very old books and, at present, through computerized information.

Readers: Do you remember Encyclopedias?  Many households in the 20th century had bookcases with a large set of books filled with informational and historical data for adults and students. And…most households had an A-to-Z dictionary to assure the correct spelling of words for written assignments.  I opine. Books are knowledge. Knowledge is the power for success.

Textbooks from mandatory grade school studies and further education develop learning foundations. Nursery rhymes, children’s stories and former, popular comics play important roles in fostering the love and learning of words – reading books. Throughout life, written words educate, entertain and “show and tell” the know-how to pursue hobbies, career paths and to repair that leaky kitchen faucet.

I muse…I grew up with books. Mom’s credo with her children was this, “if you can read, you can do anything.” Although I note “curse words” have, sadly, become more prevalent in society today, “swearing” was not allowed in our family, with perhaps a few exceptions from Dad when the bathroom toilet overflowed😊

Literacy promotes ability. The ability to learn other languages along with the prevalent English language, is beneficial for expanding understanding and friendships. Many schools in the United States and other countries teach English and many other languages. “Parlez vous francais? Non? C’est dommage.” (Do you speak French? No? What a pity.)  Three years of high school French -No knowledge is ever lost.

Think about curling up in your favorite chair on a cold winter evening with a glass of favorite beverage in one hand and a book by a favorite author in the other. We relax, we learn new verbiage subliminally, we laugh, we cry, and sometimes enjoyment and learning produce universal skills to move and shape the world for future generations.

Although early literacies began centuries ago with what we now perceive as rudimentary methods, we have progressed to mind-boggling accomplishments. Land-line telephones (Still in existence-thank you😊) to cellphones faster than a speeding bullet. Hard copy books expanded into electronic and audio books. Braille assists vision deficit individuals with reading despite diseases. We type and read computerized information on a daily basis.

. HAIL to the old, the present and what books and reading will become in the future!

P.S.: Perhaps we may find an old literary remnant on Mars someday…

 READ ON!