[PW] Negative reactions to the invention of printing

[Bill Davis]

About 30 years ago there was a BBC documentary about the Library of 
Congress, and the host Lew Grade told Daniel Boorstin, the Librarian of the 
Congress, that he didn't like the new computerized card catalog, that 
fishing through the physical cards was aesthetic experience that would be 
lost with the computer card catalog.  Boorstin compared that criticism to 
those who didn't like the new Gutenberg printing methods, who thought all 
the beauty and artistry of the handwritten books would be lost.   But I 
don't know if Boorstin had specific criticisms in mind when he made that 
response.

Bill Davis



At 07:41 AM 5/27/2008, you wrote:

>This should be easy, but it isn't. I am looking for early post-Gutenberg
>examples of negative reactions to the invention of printing and the
>proliferation of printed books, especially in context of clinging to
>handwritten books as the only authentic method.
>
>Any help on this will be greatly appreciated.
>
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