Today knowledge and information are shared in many different ways but for centuries books were the depositories of everything.
Perhaps the oldest written language is Chinese (archaic Chinese/Oracle bone script) dating back more than 6,000 years ago. Chinese characters were found on turtle shells from the Shang dynasty (1600 to 1050 BC). The Egyptians also had a written language over 5,000 years ago. The hieroglyphics found on carved stone date to more than 5,000 years. The Phoenicians from the Sinai region discovered hieroglyphics and created their own alphabet, a much simpler form than Egyptian hieroglyphics and Mesopotamian cuneiform.
Navigating through the ages of history we are reminded of famous repositories of “books” or written documents, such as what is considered the first library in the world, The Library of Ashurbanipal, or perhaps the most famous oldest library, the Great Library of Alexandria. Today we are thankful that in the United States and in developed countries we can find a library close by. These are places that store books and offer so much more.
But going back to books, no matter how much websites and digital media have penetrated, books are still here to stay. So grab a book and take some time out of your day to get comfortable and read. The world is full of books. I wish your home be full of books. If not, perhaps, your nearest library. Libraries where all stories are stored. Stuart Kells says it best in The Library: A Catalogue of Wonders, “Libraries are full of stories. Stories of life and death, lust and loss, keeping faith and breaking faith. Stories of every possible human drama. And via complex, fractal, inter-generational threads, all the stories are connected.”
Welcome to my tiny corner dedicated to books. I hope you find something you like and that I can offer interesting posts, Book Briefs, interviews, or guides to libraries around the country, maybe other parts of the world. Come often and open a few doors!
See you soon, Ann.