Proust and the Squid
The Story and Science of the Reading Brain
HarperCollins · Print & ebook · August 26, 2008
“Wolf restores our awe of the human brain—its adaptability, its creativity, and its ability to connect with other minds through a procession of silly squiggles.” — San Francisco Chronicle How do people learn to read and write—and how has the development of these skills transformed the brain and the world itself ?
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- Who it’s for
- Trace how reading and writing reshape the brain, from early literacy to today’s screen-filled world.
- Themes
- Reading and brain development, Written language across history, Technology and literacy
- Genres
- Brain & Behavior, Psycholinguistics, Cognitive Neuroscience
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“Wolf restores our awe of the human brain—its adaptability, its creativity, and its ability to connect with other minds through a procession of silly squiggles.” — San Francisco Chronicle How do people learn to read and write—and how has the development of these skills transformed the brain and the world itself ?
Continue reading
Neuropsychologist and child development expert Maryann Wolf answers these questions in this ambitious and provocative book that chronicles the remarkable journey of written language not only throughout our evolution but also over the course of a single child’s life, showing why a growing percentage have difficulty mastering these abilities. With fascinating down-to-earth examples and lively personal anecdotes, Wolf asserts that the brain that examined the tiny clay tablets of the Sumerians is a very different brain from the one that is immersed in today’s technology-driven literacy, in which visual images on the screen are paving the way for a reduced need for written language—with potentially profound consequences for our future.
Reading, Rewired
Trace how reading and writing reshape the brain, from early literacy to today’s screen-filled world.
Come here for
- A clear-eyed look at the brain’s remarkable adaptability
- The long arc from ancient writing to digital literacy
Expect
- Down-to-earth examples alongside lively personal anecdotes
- Questions about what changing literacy may mean for the future
Where it sits
| Psycholinguistics | 33% |
|---|---|
| Brain & Behavior | 29% |
| Cognitive Neuroscience | 23% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Teaching Reading & Phonics
- Professional Development
- Writing as a Career
- Fiction Writing
Show all 8 publisher categories
- Writing Nonfiction & Memoir
- Linguistics
- Study & Teaching
- Occupational Therapy
- Authors
- Maryanne Wolf
- Publisher
- HarperCollins
- Published
- August 26, 2008
- Format
- Print & ebook
- Theme
- Reading and brain development · Written language across history · Technology and literacy
- Reading lane
- Teaching Reading & Phonics