Politics After Literacy (ft. Mary Harrington)

Here Comes Everybody explores how the internet and new communication technologies have significantly reduced the costs and difficulties of forming groups, enabling online communities to perform tasks that traditional organizations might find unprofitable. The book discusses various examples, such as the organization of flash mobs, mass protests, and channels of communication for political activists. Shirky argues that these changes are part of a broader revolution in social organization, challenging existing institutions and transforming how people interact and collaborate.

Published in 1878, 'Anna Karenina' is a novel by Leo Tolstoy that delves into the complexities of Russian society in the late 19th century. The story centers around the extramarital affair between Anna Karenina, a married socialite, and Count Alexei Kirillovich Vronsky, which scandalizes the social circles of Saint Petersburg. The novel also follows the parallel story of Konstantin Levin, a wealthy landowner, and his struggles with marriage, faith, and managing his estate. Tolstoy explores a wide range of themes including love, loyalty, betrayal, hypocrisy, and the differences between rural and urban life. The novel is known for its detailed character development and its profound commentary on the human condition.

In this book, Ivan Illich examines the Didascalicon of Hugh of St. Victor, a medieval work that marks a significant transition in reading practices from vocal to silent reading. Illich discusses the impact of technological innovations on reading habits, comparing the twelfth-century revolution in reading to the changes brought about by the printing press and the computer age. The book delves into the cultural and historical context of reading, highlighting the evolution of 'bookish' reading and its implications for Western society.

Elizabeth Eisenstein's "The Printing Press as an Agent of Change" is a seminal work that explores the transformative impact of the printing press on various aspects of society, including science, religion, and culture.

This book, co-created by Marshall McLuhan and Quentin Fiore, is a graphical and creative representation of McLuhan's 'medium is the message' theory. It features an experimental collage style with text and images, including photographs and historic visuals. The title, which was originally a typo ('The Medium is the Message'), was retained by McLuhan as it aptly describes how media 'massage' or influence human perception and society. The book argues that media are extensions of human senses, shaping our personal, political, economic, aesthetic, psychological, moral, ethical, and social lives. It also discusses the concept of the 'global village' and how new media technologies reshape social and personal interactions.