Books are our first and most lasting form of information technology. Books preserve ideas, yes, but they also provoke new ones— they are true tools for thinking. In The Idea Machine , Joel J. Miller shows that books are one of the most important but overlooked factors in the making of our contemporary world. And they still have lessons to teach us. Polls indicate reading is on the decline, but as we deal with concerns about artificial intelligence and social and political division, the history of the book offers a path of understanding and patterns for engagement. They can even help us navigate what’s coming next. Starting with the surge of book culture in ancient Athens and then moving through the centuries, from monks and militaries to rebellions and the Renaissance, and even to more modern-day implications of books as tools of liberation and the novel’s impact on our humanity, Miller highlights the features and functions that make books indispensable to cultural evolution. Subject to its own periods of technological upheaval and social unrest, the history of the book can point us away from failed past responses and toward more fruitful adaptations that will benefit us all. The Idea Machine  reframes the history of the book as the eye-opening story of humanity’s first mobile information device. Books do more than record thinking; they serve as tools to facilitate it. More than a history of the book as an object or a simple consideration of the literature it has contained, The Idea Machine  is the history of the book as a technology that transformed the peoples and societies that embraced it, and which maintains a vital role in a world where technological advancements seem to render it obsolete and ideological division might render our shared future untenable. “As an avid book lover, I feel like this is the book about books I’ve been waiting for my whole life—and didn’t even know it. The Idea Machine is history, literary criticism, philosophy, and bibliophilia all in one—one fascinating, illuminating, and delightful read.” — Karen Swallow Prior,  author of On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life in Great Books -- Karen Swallow Prior, author of On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life in Great Books ― “As an avid book lover, I feel like this is the book about books I’ve been waiting for m As an avid book lover, I feel like this is the book about books I’ve been waiting for my whole life—and didn’t even know it. The Idea Machine is history, literary criticism, philosophy, and bibliophilia all in one—one fascinating, illuminating, and delightful read.  -- William J. Bennett, New York Times bestselling author, former U.S. Secretary of Education ― “Joel J. Miller shows that books are more than containers of ideas and vessels for words— "From the invention of books to the beginnings of AI, Joel Miller has turned the story of books into a truly informative and fun read.” — Armand D’Angour , Professor of Classics, Oxford University -- Armand D’Angour, Professor of Classics, Oxford University ― "From the invention of books to the beginnings of AI, Joel Miller has turned the story of books into “A love letter and a revelation about the power of books. Compelling and fascinating history written as an adventure story with the book as hero!” — Gregg Hecimovich , prize-winning historian, author of The Life and Times of Hannah Crafts -- Gregg Hecimovich, prize-winning historian, author of The Life and Times of Hannah Crafts ― “A love letter and a revelation about the power of books. Compelling and fascinating history w “A captivating journey through the history of books, libraries, and the written word, and a tribute to the book as one of humanity’s most enduring inventions. This is a celebration of how long-form writing and reading has shaped us—and a warning against leaving it behind.” — Martin Puchner , professor of English and Comparative Literature, Harvard University -- Martin Puchner, professor of English and Comparative Literature, Harvard University ― “A captivating journey through the history of books, libraries, and the written word, and a tr “A compelling and meticulously researched exploration. Miller argues that books are dynamic ‘idea machines’ that have upgraded our cognitive abilities, shaped societal structures, and powered cultural evolution. In the AI era, understanding this history is necessary and urgent.” — Hollis Robbins , professor of English, University of Utah -- Hollis Robbins, professor of English, University of Utah ― “A compelling and meticulously researched exploration. Miller argues that books are dynamic &l “With a scope that extends from ancient times to the present,  The Idea Machine  is a rich, compelling and important investigation of the book as a technology and an instrument of humanism. Miller’s conclusions, including on the importance of books and the futility of banning them, are acutely relevant to today.” — Stuart Kells , prize-winning histor