紙的輓歌

by Ian Sansom, 王惟芬 (Translator)

有史以來最棒的論紙之書！
深入探詢紙的意義與內涵，窮究紙的功能與類型
看似輕薄的紙張，卻承載著人類的歷史、生死與智慧……
誰說以紙書寫的璀璨文明即將告終？
在以悲愴樂曲哀悼紙的美麗與哀愁之際，
發現它竟如幽靈一般神出鬼沒、如影隨形……

「紙的末日即將來臨」？數位化時代，不時耳聞這樣的預言。周遭的一切不斷提醒我們，紙的時代就快走到了盡頭，如今電子書比實體書暢銷、電子機票取代了紙本機票、典藏資料庫也都在數位化。我們所認識的世界原是由紙構成的，但現在放眼所及之處，紙似乎都在消失中。

試想，如果全世界的紙都消失了，我們會失去什麼？在我們的世界裡，到處都是紙，除了書籍、信件和日記外，還有紙箱、名片、存摺、出生證明、圖板遊戲、鞭炮、標籤吊卡、照片、紙牌、香菸、門票和茶包等。基本上，我們就是一種紙人。我們所在乎的一切都發生在紙上，沒有紙，我們什麼都不是。沒有紙的生活，令人不敢想像；沒有紙的世界，我們將失去一切。

《紙的輓歌》是一座館藏豐富的紙博物館，全書共分12章，從造紙術、紙的原料談起，廣納地圖、鈔票、廣告、建築藍圖、紙玩具和紙上遊戲、摺紙與剪紙、二戰時期的紙，以及紙與影片、流行服飾、香菸、宗教、科學的關連。
法國哲學家德希達曾說：「今日宣告向紙道別，就像是因為學會寫字，便隨便挑了一個日子決定不再說話一樣。」桑塞姆將帶領我們一同探究紙這個由人類創造出來的絕佳材料，分析無紙化的迷思，探討人類如此依賴紙的原因和緣由，呈現出紙是如何變得和我們的生活密不可分，成為人類生命中不可或缺的一部分。

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Science, Technology, Books About Books, Historical

288 pages

First published October 25, 2012

Reviews

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the sort of book my wife rolls her eyes at when I bring it home. "Really Ed, a book about paper?" Yes, a book about paper. A fascinating and entertaining mix of cultural studies, history, and personal reflection on the indispensableness of paper.

[Nhischarnun Nunthadsirisorn · Rating 3 out of 5]

รวบรวมข้อมูลได้น่าสนใจ แต่หากใครต้องการอยากรู้รายละเอียดเกี่ยวกับประเภทของกระดาษ ความหนา ขนาดกระดาษ ร้านกระดาษ หรืออะไรเหล่านี้ก็จะไม่ได้ความรู้ไปหรอกนะ เพราะในเล่มนี้เน้นที่กระดาษที่กลายมาเป็นสิ่งสำคัญต่างๆในวัฒนธรรมมนุษย์ เช่น แผนที่ ธนบัตร หนังสือ เกม อะไรทำนองนั้นน่ะนะ

แต่โดยรวมก็เห็นความตั้งใจค้นคว้าเรียบเรียงของผู้เขียนอยู่อะนะ

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sansom pinpoints how dependent our lives still are on paper in the modern age. It’s not just our ongoing addiction to paper books that keeps us chained to Industrial Revolution processes of wood supply and paper production, but also maps, paper money, stamps, advertisements, architectural plans, art, board games, playing cards, puzzles, origami, and important documents. The final chapter is full of delightful paper trivia, documenting the history of everything from cigarette papers and story boards to toilet paper (with a very funny Rabelaisian scatological discussion). Perhaps my favorite tidbit concerned the creative use of some recycled romance novels:

there was perhaps a certain poetic justice in the use of 2,500,000 remaindered Mills & Boon romantic novels to help make the top layer of asphalt of the M6 [highway] in England in 2003. The pulped novels apparently helped to absorb sound – the endless silent crushing of romantic hopes and dreams.

Sansom recognizes that paper-based work is dying out (this is an elegy, after all); he feels that as we increasingly turn to digital forms we are losing something that is precious but somehow still difficult to defend in the face of general decline and change. “Is paper art a waste of time? Yes, absolutely. Of course. What isn’t?”

(This review formed part of an article about the lost art of letter writing on Bookkaholic.)

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

In contrast to a couple of similar books I've read in the past few months (see my goodreads feed), THIS was a first-rate book on the culture of paper and its total embeddedness in our way of life. Ian Sansom is a brilliantly elegant writer, moving effortlessly from erudite to informal in the blink of an eye -- the effect is having a friendly chat with your buddy who happens to be incredibly well read. I learned a lot of history, and a lot of trivia, from this book, in a Bill Bryson kind of way, but I think I just enjoyed his prose more than anything. Highly recommended for anyone who likes cultural history at all. I will definitely go read Sansom's novels now.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful little book celebrating the material that is paper.

This is the type of book that the English do best, quirky, a single subject, and by someone with an obsession boarding on OCD!

It covers all sorts of subjects, from money to origami, it is a book that allows the author to describe his passion for this now ubiquitous material. There are lots of anecdotes and stories, and it is written in a pleasant style, with a moderate number of diagrams.

Great little book. If you liked Just My Type, you'll like this

[Richard · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some bits of it was good. Of course, I thought more thought would be about paper and it was to some degree. The first chapter was how paper was made ( in China ) and how it is still made the same process. One chapter was devoted to ' paper money ' and the history of that and then it delves into other subjects, such as advertising and whatnot. Note: the pages of the book was a very nice cardstock, almost cardboard like somewhat thicker sheets than one would expect. I, guess if your going to write a book on paper, then use a thicker quality ?

[Scribe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bought this because I'm a big paper fan - letters, photos, and all that. I feel bad giving it 2 stars as it's an interesting romp, but it just felt more like a miscellanea, like a coffee table book but without all the nice photos. More of an intriguing collection of tales and facts, than a particular thread.

[Peveril · Rating 1 out of 5]

Increibly disappointing. A random grab-bag of facts, quotes and comments often only vaguely paper-related. Worse than the poorest website trawling search engines.

[Ramona Cantaragiu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book because the cover promised a deep incursion into the history of paper and an exercise of imagination related to a world without paper. However, what I got was an eclectic collection of the author's musings on particular topics such as the uses of paper in art, politics etc. Some of its trivia was interesting, but I felt that no topic was explored in an orderly fashion and, in the end, this left me with the impression of a coffee table book that was missing the beautiful pictures.

[LibraryCin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a history of paper. Not just paper, including how its made (pretty much the same as it has been for hundreds of years, except now by machines instead of by hand), but it also looks at the histories of various items made with paper: books, games and puzzles, origami, art, and more.

The intro started off really interesting, also taking us through a day without paper. The rest of the book – though it had some interesting tidbits -- just wasn’t quite as good. There was a lot of references to literature and art, and that kind of lost my interest there. Overall, though, I’m rating it “ok”, but I feel like that might be a bit generous.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

fascinating (if you're a paper nerd)

[Antonio Gallo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sono un dinosauro nato cartaceo, diventato digitale ...

[Pharlap · Rating 1 out of 5]

Elegy for paper - very difficult task.
I respect the author for taking the challenge and all hard work. Unfortunately, at least in my case, he lost.
Already at the start of the first chapter I raised brows - idyllic description how paper was produced from the bark of mulberry tree... in Japan.
It puzzled me, I always thought that paper was a Chinese invention. Two pages later my thoughts were confirmed. Yes - China was a correct answer. So why Japan in the opening paragraph?
Another big and unexpected surprise - I was used to the idea, that paper is made from trees. The opening phrases about mulberry tree confirmed my view, and then a shock - at the beginning of XIX century there were problems with paper production because of shortage of rags.
Rags? There is no mention in the book since when and why rags were used for paper production.
Someone may say I that I am picking on the author.
Well, the problem is, that the book contains hundreds of associations of various events and writings. Majority of them unknown (and irrelevant) to me. I read them with some reserve - what for are they in the book? In many cases I got impression, that only to demonstrate author's knowledge and writing skills.
And again to the facts. Author mentions book burning in Nazi Germany in May 1933. He mentions some authors whose books were burnt.
Among them - Thomas Mann.
WRONG! These were books of his brother Heinrich.
Another point - author devoted few pages to the 1937 Munich agreement signed by Chamberlain and Hitler. Why just this, and only this, document has been treated in such detail?
Similarly, there is quite elaborate story about building of Natural History Museum in London. It ends with sort of congratulations - paper made it possible. Same conclusion as in the previous case.

[Yooperprof · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a meandering paper trail of reflections, not a well-organized research project. Which has its charms. I don't really think that Ian Sansom has made a true Elegy - paper isn't going anywhere.

One of the things I learned from this book: an etched or cut impression of a human, animal, or object is called a "silhouette," which comes from Étienne de Silhouette (1709-1767), French Finance Minister during the Seven Years War. He struggled to find a way to pay for France's costly global war against its rivals, especially England. Silhouette came to be identified with things that were inexpensive, that were less costly imitations of more expensive, more finely crafted originals. Ya learn something new every day!

[Roberto/Isairon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Comincio dal voto, ho dato due stelle perché 1,5 è impossibile assegnarlo.
Una tesi di laurea sulla carta. Forse interessante, all'inizio, ma su 285 pagine cartacee di una noia impensabile.
Lo ammetto dopo aver letto circa un 30% del libro con il restante 70% mi sono limitato a sfogliarlo soffermandomi principalmente sul titolo dei vari capitoli.
Su vari siti lo definiscono anche un libro divertente, spassoso da sbellicarsi dalle risate. Per me l'unica cosa divertente è stato aver "letto" questo elogio alla carta, materiale pressoché insostituibile, non su di un libro cartaceo ma informatico cioè in ebook dove appunto il materiale carta non viene utilizzato. 😂

[Stephanie Franklin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the take on the history of paper this book follows, in which it looks at the different ways paper impacts our lives, rather than being a straight history of paper. It's a broad approach, covering multiple areas that could probably be their own books on their own, but only touches on them lightly. The last chapter in particular puts a lot of elements together and just barely scratches the surface, leaving the reader wanting more information and analysis. Overall, though, a solid view on how paper impacts our day to day lives.

[Tracey Sinclair · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this years ago - mainly because it's a lovely hardback - then it has sat on my shelves as I often thought, do I really care that much about paper? But it's a delight - thoroughly researched, written with dry humour and an obvious love for the subject, and far more entertaining that you would expect.

[Жанна Пояркова · Rating 4 out of 5]

Книга далека от исчерпывающей истории бумаги, но автор ловко соскакивает со сложных щей - он просто пишет об областях использования бумаги, которые ему дороги. Это действительно элегия. Ну и, скажу честно, меня очень подкупила нескрываемая любовь и завороженность бумагой и книгами, которая буквально льется со страниц. Это как найти брата по "книгобесию" )

[Trina Talma · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable, informative and interesting read. My main complaint would be that in some areas it's too superficial; I would have happily read it even at twice the length, if it could have been more in-depth on some of its subjects. Overall, though, definitely one of the best pieces of non-fiction I've read lately.

[Cinnamon · Rating 3 out of 5]

อ่านเพลินดี ไม่ได้มาแนวประวัติศาสตร์จ๋า แต่เหมือนฟังเพื่อนเล่าเรื่องให้ฟัง แบ่งเป็นหมวดตามส่วนทึ่เกี่ยว อ่านแล้วก็ตื่นตาตื่นใจว่ากระดาษนี่มีส่วนเกี่ยวข้องกับคนเรามากมาย ไม่ได้มีแค่หนังสือ หรือกระดาษพิมพ์งาน แต่ก็ไม่ได้เล่าประวัติศาสตร์ความเป็นมาตั้งแต่เริ่มต้นคิดค้นทำกระดาษอะไรแบบนั้นนะ

[Charlou · Rating 4 out of 5]

If anything, read for the introduction and the feel of the paper. Nice.

[Pauline · Rating 2 out of 5]

States the obvious, paper is part of our lives.

[Lucy Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting subject but the actual prose is quite meandering and the author has too much of a taste for extremely long lists. Felt like it had been written by the water rat.

[Jeffrey Dickerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paper is eveywhere

An easy to read historical account of the production and importance of paper. You will read how paper has affected humanity throughout history.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Colin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the sort of quirky, fact-filled, 'well I never knew that' type of book that I find it hard to resist. Ian Sansom, novelist, academic and enthusiast takes the reader on a whistle-stop tour of all things paper, or should I say, most things paper, because as he points out very early on, paper is everywhere and a constituent part of more things than you could ever imagine, has played a major part in history, culture, science, technology, and isn't going away any time soon.
Paper: an elegy encompasses everything from great art to toilet paper, great novels to advertising handbills and has a cast of fascinating characters, most strikingly in the chapter on origami and paper cutting. Time and gain I found myself turning to my iPad to find out more about people mentioned in passing in the text, or to look up some of the objects the author describes. Which brings me to my major reservation: this is a book crying out for more illustrations. Many of those in the book are only passingly relevant, and the things you really want to see are not there. Perhaps readers of the hardback edition are better served.

[John Ashline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paper, by Ian Sansom, isn't a history of paper--so he says in the beginning of the book. Rather, Paper is a look at how something as taken-for-granted as paper is, it remains one of the most important substances mankind has created on this Earth.

In the first chapter of Paper, Sansom describes creation of paper at it's beginning, then goes on to outline how paper was created then and now. It's a remarkably similar process, just...updated.

After the discussion of how paper is created, each chapter of Paper is based on one of it's myriad uses. Uses that the average person--i.e. me, the reader--mightn't know existed in the paper world. I mean, who knew that there was a paper clothing phase in the US? I knew that some Japanese wear, even through today, are sometimes made of paper. But here? Interesting.

Paper does more than just tell the reader about the uses of paper. It also stresses the importance of paper. How you, the human being is as much paper, as paper is you. If that makes sense. If not, it basically means you exist on paper--and because paper says so, as proof--and this paper is you. It contains everything about you, more or less.

Many people believe that this digital age we live in spells the death of paper, but Sansom does not. I tend to believe along the same lines as he does. Paper is as important now as it ever was, it's just... as I said before... taken for granted.

Anyone who is interested in reading about the importance of such an innocuous product as paper, should think about picking up Ian Sansom's book. Paper was an interesting read, and should not be passes by because it seems to be a "boring" subject.

[Gail McConnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an utter delight. I read it in five sittings, over weekday breakfasts of coffee and toast. I tried to keep my fingers clean as I turned the pages. Paper: An Elegy is a thing of beauty: a cultural history of paper, thoughtfully crafted (Sansom connects sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph, chapter to chapter – seemingly an obvious aspect of the craft of writing, but not one I come across as frequently as you might think), and bound into a gorgeous material object. From the red hardback cover, the embossed jacket (emblazoned with a glorious variety of roman, bold and italicised typefaces), and the quality of the paper (relished with the turn of every page), to the reproductions of labels, maps, woodcuts, posters, diagrams, wallpapers and photographs of origami dragons, Paper: An Elegy is a book fetishist’s wet dream.

It is a love song to our paper world: its delights and curiosities, its utility and embellishment, its durability and fragility, its inventiveness and simplicity. Sansom offers us a history of paper’s playful and practical value to celebrate this simple material’s sheer variety. Deleuze, Sansom tells us, imagines a way of ‘reading with love’. But Sansom goes one better: writing with love about the material upon which his life – and ours – is built.

[Damaskcat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a totally fascinating exploration of paper and the ways it is woven into the fabric of our lives in ways we may not even realise. It isn’t a chronological history of paper though there are plenty of historical asides in the book. Throughout the book the author’s love of paper in all its forms shines through and it seems to have been a labour of love to write it. I found it an interesting and well written book and I came across a great many snippets of information of which I was not previously aware.

Books – both printed and hand written are discussed as is paper money, which has been around a lot longer than you might think. Labels and packaging are explored by way of Charles Dickens and his job in a blacking factory and Nick Drake provides the title for the final chapter ‘Five Leaves Left’. Origami merits a chapter to itself – anyone remember Robert Harbin and his fascinating children’s programmes? Paper’s use in art is explored not just as the surface to which paint is applied but also to make three dimensional models.

The book is beautifully produced and designed. It has a comprehensive bibliography for those who would like to see the sources of the information contained in the book and there is an index.

[Sarah Coller · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I want to say that a book on paper is just as dull as it sounds. Yet, a book on paper is exactly the sort of nerdy thing that appeals to me. However, in this case---meh.

There were a few interesting parts but, like many of the "biographies of things" I come across, the author includes every bit of every random detail possible and takes lengthy jaunts in odd directions in order to fill pages. So, rather than being exciting and interesting, I found many parts to be dull and droning.

Still, some parts that I did like:

I was especially intrigued by the descriptions and histories of board games. I had no idea that paper board games were so old and that there were games like Monopoly that predate it. I'd love to get a hold of some of these neat Victorian board games!

I also loved his description of how he will go with shoddy clothes and bills owed in order to make sure he's got books. This is true Bibliomania---an ailment I suffer from without much suffering.

...and then there's the part where he used the word "phantasmagoric" by the third page. Anyone who can work that into a sentence deserves a good pat on the back! http://www.belleslibrary.com/2015/06/...