Paper Before Print: The History and Impact of Paper in the Islamic world

Rating:
Summary: Interesting but not captivating
Review: As part of the epic clash between the great cultures of the world, markedly the West and Islam, Westerners have often discredited Islamic civilization's contribution to the global propagation of paper. In his book Paper Before Print, Jonathan Bloom details Islam's contribution to the proliferation of paper from its birth in China and through to Europe. Bloom's argument that Islamic civilization has a major role in the proliferation of paper is extremely plausible and convincing; however, many of his claims about the artistic and intellectual growth resulting from its proliferation are questionably misguided in that they are inferred from Bloom's own logic rather than compelling historical evidence. Nevertheless, Bloom's book makes an interesting reading experience and is very useful in the study of Middle East history.
Bloom's claims about the proliferation of paper through the Muslim world to Europe are both plausible and convincing. He provides an abundance of information and details to prove his points. He details numerous factors, changes, and events, all of which coalesced to create a flourishing of paper throughout the world. His notation of multiple events and his diverse range of evidence converge to form a cogent and logical explanation of the growth of papermaking. The actuality that his claims are based on a variety of different factors make it extremely difficult to refute his argument, since even the successful rebuttal of one or two of his claims would be outshined by a tremendous amount of additional substantiation provided by him.

The subject of the proliferation of paper throughout the world is an extremely important part of Middle Eastern history for a number of reasons. The most simple and obvious of these is that to understand paper is to understand the survival and existence of written records. It is conceivable that in the absence of paper, there would be a significant reduction in written documents that would survive to the present day. Much of the history we know of and study today is derived from primary documents of various time periods. The durability of paper ensures that these documents survive the test of time. Paper is a medium of recording information so that subsequent generations can study the events and tales of that time. Another reason that the study of Islamic civilization's proliferation of paper is important is the increasing acknowledgment of this civilization's achievements among today's scholars. As mentioned by Bloom, many scholars and individuals are reluctant to accept the validity of Islamic civilization as a great and inspirational one. It is important that we understand and value the contribution of Islamic civilization in spreading paper through to Europe and eventually globally, and that we recognize Islamic civilization's impact on the West, especially in a time of increasing hostilities and conflict between the two cultures. If there is ever to be a reconciliation or assimilation of the two cultures, it would have to involve recognition of each other's greatness, if not an outright appreciation and admiration of it. Historical interpretation can be, and often is, the source of many conflicts and death throughout the world. However, it can also serve to advance civilization and bring upon an unprecedented global society in which peace and understanding prevail over war and hatred. Only through understanding the greatness of the various cultures of the world, in addition to their misdeeds, will we be able to improve intercultural affairs and avoid further escalation of violence and hatred.

Jonathan Bloom's book is extremely compelling in its attribution of the proliferation of paper to Islamic civilization. His argument is extremely persuasive and based on good evidence and research. Paper Before Print is interesting, and provides an argument that is seldom discussed in today's history books. The book, however, is not without flaws. Adding to his faulty implications of the proliferation of paper is his incorporation of various uninteresting aspects of the preparation of paper. The book focuses a lot on the manufacture of different kinds of paper, and how it differs from place to place. Although this may be of some interest to such paper-producing corporations as Avery and Kinko's, it is of no interest to me personally. These tedious facts are detrimental to the reader's enjoyment of the book. The book is extremely interesting at times, but it is definitely not captivating. It is very easy to put this book down, and it is quite enjoyable to abstain from reading it for long periods of time. The book is so extremely dry and uninteresting at times, that it may throw the reader into a spiraling descent of deep sleep. It seems somewhat ironic that Bloom, a man who clearly values the contribution of paper to society, would waste so many pieces of it on the dull facts of papermaking. I would not recommend this book to anybody, precisely because a large part of it is unexciting. Rather, I would recommend anybody interested in the subject to visit the historic centers of papermaking mentioned, such as Baghdad, Damascus, Tehran and Cairo. I do realize however, that a trip to these places would require a significant amount of capital. Those who choose to embark on such an enlightening journey may giggle at the thought that the monetary exchange of legal tender for airline tickets is made possible by the contribution of Islamic civilization to the proliferation of paper.

Rating:
Summary: A Vast, Illuminating History
Review: Paper Before Print is a glorious achievement from all perspectives: historically, culturally, and as an impeccable model of how books of this sort should be presented (though too often they do not). Jonathan Bloom's text is revealing and intellectually stimulating without alienating the average reader. His premise, though not a popular one -- that the Middle East played a far more important role in refining and introducing paper to the West than is usually acknowledged -- carefully unfolds with unassailable research and arguments. The illustrations, mostly early Islamic texts (700s-1300s), are tastefully selected and compliment the text perfectly. The typography, layout, and presentation are superb. Anyone interested in history, art, and printing will profit from having this book on their shelves.

Rating:
Summary: A history of paper using peoples
Review: Paper Before Print is very iconoclastic. It suggests the European Renaissance is related to declines in a commodity cost (writing material), rather than the birth of now-familiar geniuses and renewed interest in ancient classics. While the scope of the book outlines a complete history of 'cellulose pulp using people' (paper users), the central theme addresses the cultural transmission of technology. Specifically, it describes the transmission of paper making skills from China to Europe via the Muslim Caliphates. Most of the narrative covers the period between 700 and 1200 AD, but ancient and modern detours intrude regularly. This is entirely appropriate, since most readers will have a difficult time giving credence to commodity prices playing any role in European intellectual development. Bloom seems to have decided to zig-zag back and forth across 3 thousand years of history, hoping to keep the 'big picture' in view.

The book makes an excellent argument for 'cultural' issues dictating technological change. For example, paper emerged in China as a 'wrapping' material. It wasn't until Buddhist influences from India made 'writing' important that it's utility as 'voice recording substrate' was discovered. In other words, until the economic demands for precise and voluminous reproduction of Buddha's voice emerged, 'paper' was only used to bundle things together. The combination of a cultural need (reproducing Buddha's voice) blended with a Chinese skill (making a cheap membrane that happened to soak up ink), what we know as the 'writing' industry never got off the ground. Of real interest is the fact that India ignored the Chinese innovation for 2000 years. Paper was not used frequently there until Muslim culture was imposed on it 2000 years later.

Since Bloom's perspective relies on continually falling paper prices for explaining cultural revolutions, the reader is presented with a sound foundation in the mechanics of paper production. It is advances in these mechanical arts that drives down commodity prices. Equally important are the mechanics of educating 'paper' users and stabilizing an infrastructure for the system's continued existence. In this light, most of Bloom's time is spent describing educational and institutional practices of Muslim bureaucracy. It seems this was a unique interaction between Mediterranean 'mystery writing' (Greek logic plus Jewish/Christian/Muslim truths) and the Chinese (via silk road) paper bureaucracy. Bloom makes it clear that Muslim bureaucracy, and the paper using skills it relied upon, were invented by interaction of Middle East and China. The new technology was not a revolutionary technology discovered when Muslims captured Chinese paper-makers during 8th century military exploits, instead the bureaucratic needs of Muslim authorities saw in 'silk road cellulose membranes' an means to 'better government' during a time when anachronism of Roman government bureaucracy made change (better government) a possibility.

With the expansion of Muslim bureaucracy around the southern half of the Mediterranean basin during the 8th and 9th centuries, paper production skills became available to Germanic peoples of Europe. Unlike the Byzantines to the east, they were less attached to high priced writing membranes such as papyrus and vellum. They showed far less resistance to changing manufacturing and institutional practices. A good example of this is the 11th century 'corporate charter' revolution in Spain. This bureaucratic revolution relied upon cheap paper for incorporating numerous Spanish towns into a cohesive military defense force against Muslims who brought the paper in the first place. At the same time in Byzantium, the institutionalization of vellum record keeping practices retarded development of efficient government practices and an inability to address military threats from the Muslim east.

Bloom goes on to suggest that 3-D perspective as a communication skill emerged as a cultural force only when paper prices and reproduction costs fell to levels where 'mass readership' became possible. Bloom locates this emerging phenomena in the 10th century Caliphates, where mass readership of the Koran was a cultural priority. Bloom goes on to suggest that the Germanic peoples of Europe, who had no institutional focus on reproducing Koran-based beliefs, transmuted the phenomena of 'mass communication' into what we now know as the 'modern world'.

Rating:
Summary: A history of paper using peoples
Review: Paper Before Print is very iconoclastic. It suggests the European Renaissance is related to declines in a commodity cost (writing material), rather than the birth of now-familiar geniuses and renewed interest in ancient classics. While the scope of the book outlines a complete history of 'cellulose pulp using people' (paper users), the central theme addresses the cultural transmission of technology. Specifically, it describes the transmission of paper making skills from China to Europe via the Muslim Caliphates. Most of the narrative covers the period between 700 and 1200 AD, but ancient and modern detours intrude regularly. This is entirely appropriate, since most readers will have a difficult time giving credence to commodity prices playing any role in European intellectual development. Bloom seems to have decided to zig-zag back and forth across 3 thousand years of history, hoping to keep the 'big picture' in view.

The book makes an excellent argument for 'cultural' issues dictating technological change. For example, paper emerged in China as a 'wrapping' material. It wasn't until Buddhist influences from India made 'writing' important that it's utility as 'voice recording substrate' was discovered. In other words, until the economic demands for precise and voluminous reproduction of Buddha's voice emerged, 'paper' was only used to bundle things together. The combination of a cultural need (reproducing Buddha's voice) blended with a Chinese skill (making a cheap membrane that happened to soak up ink), what we know as the 'writing' industry never got off the ground. Of real interest is the fact that India ignored the Chinese innovation for 2000 years. Paper was not used frequently there until Muslim culture was imposed on it 2000 years later.

Since Bloom's perspective relies on continually falling paper prices for explaining cultural revolutions, the reader is presented with a sound foundation in the mechanics of paper production. It is advances in these mechanical arts that drives down commodity prices. Equally important are the mechanics of educating 'paper' users and stabilizing an infrastructure for the system's continued existence. In this light, most of Bloom's time is spent describing educational and institutional practices of Muslim bureaucracy. It seems this was a unique interaction between Mediterranean 'mystery writing' (Greek logic plus Jewish/Christian/Muslim truths) and the Chinese (via silk road) paper bureaucracy. Bloom makes it clear that Muslim bureaucracy, and the paper using skills it relied upon, were invented by interaction of Middle East and China. The new technology was not a revolutionary technology discovered when Muslims captured Chinese paper-makers during 8th century military exploits, instead the bureaucratic needs of Muslim authorities saw in 'silk road cellulose membranes' an means to 'better government' during a time when anachronism of Roman government bureaucracy made change (better government) a possibility.

With the expansion of Muslim bureaucracy around the southern half of the Mediterranean basin during the 8th and 9th centuries, paper production skills became available to Germanic peoples of Europe. Unlike the Byzantines to the east, they were less attached to high priced writing membranes such as papyrus and vellum. They showed far less resistance to changing manufacturing and institutional practices. A good example of this is the 11th century 'corporate charter' revolution in Spain. This bureaucratic revolution relied upon cheap paper for incorporating numerous Spanish towns into a cohesive military defense force against Muslims who brought the paper in the first place. At the same time in Byzantium, the institutionalization of vellum record keeping practices retarded development of efficient government practices and an inability to address military threats from the Muslim east.

Bloom goes on to suggest that 3-D perspective as a communication skill emerged as a cultural force only when paper prices and reproduction costs fell to levels where 'mass readership' became possible. Bloom locates this emerging phenomena in the 10th century Caliphates, where mass readership of the Koran was a cultural priority. Bloom goes on to suggest that the Germanic peoples of Europe, who had no institutional focus on reproducing Koran-based beliefs, transmuted the phenomena of 'mass communication' into what we now know as the 'modern world'.

Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: This book was absolutely great. It tells the history of paper before it reached the Christian world. This is the time before the printing press was invented. Paper had just come from China. This book tells about this time that is sometimes forgotten. This book is the best