Alberto Manguel takes us on a fascinating exploration of what it means to be a reader of books. A History of Reading is a brilliant reminder of why we cherish the act of reading — despite distractions throughout the ages, from the Inquisition to the lures of cyberspace. He shows us what happens when we read, who we become and how reading teaches us how to live. He reminds us that we live in books as well as among them — how we find our own stories in books, and traces of our lives. He shows us how our reading habits have developed over the centuries, and how, ever since humans first transcribed their thoughts and deeds on clay and papyrus, the act of reading is itself a part of being human. (From Vintage Canada)