Paper

March 28, 2016
Kurlansky (Salt: A World History) yet again tackles world history via another object often taken for granted in modern society. In straightforward, no-nonsense prose, he traces the narrative of paper—and related inventions such as writing and the printing press—from antiquity to the 21st century. Throughout, Kurlansky operates from the premise that technological change is a symptom of societal change rather than its cause, using the invention of the printing press and developments in paper technology as examples. Unfortunately, having made such a strong claim about history and historical development, he does not adequately cultivate it as a working hypothesis. The book’s real highlights arrive at the end, when Kurlansky examines the contemporary paper industry, addressing environmental concerns and solutions being explored in response. He concludes by arguing not to fear new technology or the disappearance of paper. “This is evolution, not revolution,” he says, pointing out that such arguments against new inventions, including paper, have been around as long as humans. Despite what is both a fascinating topic, as proven by other titles on the history of paper, and a metaphysical experience (for readers of the print edition), Kurlansky’s dull writing style and haphazard employment of his technological thesis make this an unsatisfying work.

May 1, 2016
Kurlansky (City Beasts: Fourteen Stories of Uninvited Wildlife, 2015, etc.), who chronicles world history and human advancement via one telling topic at a time, chooses paper for his latest undertaking."Wood, bark, grasses, cotton, silk, seaweed"--different societies at similar stages of intellectual development have all found substances, all containing cellulose, to fit their needs for the creation of writing materials. The widespread development of paper, though, came long after written language and the inventions of papyrus, parchment, and vellum. Kurlansky has a lot of history to sift through before he even gets to paper. Regarding paper's significance, the author states his opinion fiercely: "improved writing material had to be found, because the needs of society demanded it." This informs another aspect of his thesis, which is to disprove a "technological fallacy: the idea that technology changes society." The narrative moves from ancient China to the Middle East, to Europe and then across the Atlantic, chronicling advancements from cuneiform to calligraphy, accounting systems to movable type, the Industrial Revolution to the modern digital age, all with a focus on proving that changes in society brought about the need for these advancements. To express the need for writing materials for the abstract thinkers of ancient Greece, Kurlansky straightforwardly states, "the memory devices of oral literature simply could not express what they wanted to say." Or to reason why Europe developed printing technology much faster than Asian or Middle Eastern cultures: "they were societies in decline and didn't really need printing." The author effectively introduces the movement from one advancement to the next within the confines of a strong argument that never wavers, but the effect lacks personality. The most successful moments are specific stories of how paper and its relevant technologies became part of daily life--e.g., the "masterful drawings" of Michelangelo, which "were [found] folded up, with notes about the banal ephemera of everyday life jotted on the reverse side." Kurlansky has been breezier in the past, a better stylistic choice for books with this level of detail to become absorbing reads.

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Starred review from April 15, 2016
Curious, vital, prolific, and witty, Kurlansky first made his mark with best-selling, material-oriented nonfiction succinctly titled Cod (1997) and Salt (2002), solid ground he revisits in Paper. Delighting in technical and historical facts, he follows the paper trail from its birthplace, China, across East Asia to Mesoamerica, Europe, and America, thoughtfully and entertainingly reporting on the development of alphabets and writing and the quest for a versatile, lasting substance on which to apply them. Kurlansky enjoys explaining evolving papermaking techniques on up to today's massive operations and detailing paper's use in such items as lanterns, gun cartridges, and currency, but it is the printed page's role in religion, commerce, art, science, and politics that yields the most fascinating and provocative true tales. As he reports on the rapid proliferation of paper in China and the Islamic empire, the world's first truly literate society; on its slow, often controversial adoption in Europe; and on the escalating demand in the American colonies in sync with the world's growing appetite for books and newspapers, Kurlansky profiles key individuals, from inventors to master printers, writers, artists, and revolutionaries, while incisively parsing technological breakthroughs and social conundrums. A fluidly narrative alternative to NicholasBasbanes' superbly comprehensive On Paper (2013), Kurlansky's work makes brilliant use of paper as a key to civilization.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

April 1, 2016

A prolific author of both fiction and nonfiction, most notably the critically acclaimed Cod and Salt, Kurlansky has done considerable research to produce this illuminating work. His main thesis is that paper didn't cause change; it reflected change. He attests that the appearance of paper, writing, and printing in various societies and times reflected emerging cultural and intellectual needs. In places, Kurlansky's narrative reads more like hastily assembled historical facts, presented in long listings. Despite these shortcomings, for readers interested in exploring how paper emerged and what impact it has had on people across the globe, Kurlansky is a graceful writer and an industrious researcher, presenting a useful start toward further research on the subject. VERDICT While Alexander Monro's The Paper Trail [reviewed below] is the more substantial account, Kurlansky's focus on the role paper has played in our modern world offers a necessary discussion. [See Prepub Alert, 11/2/15]--David Keymer, Modesto, CA

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2015

Paper has been around for two millennia, helping with the spread of literacy, religion, commerce, and art. Now that it will supposedly be cashiered by technology, here's a study by the man who has made cod, salt, and more sparkling and focused reading in his previous titles. And, no, he doesn't think those bendable sheets of pulped cellulose are going anywhere soon.

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.