On the Burning of Books : How Flames Fail to Destroy the Written Word

In this revealingly illustrated book, the political sage Kenneth Baker records the many times throughout history when books have been burnt for political, religious, or personal reasons. Ranging politically from Ancient China to the Nazis, from Animal Farm to Chairman Mao; religiously, from the Spanish destruction of the Aztec civilisation to Bloody Mary, from Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses to bibles in Islamist strongholds today; personally, from Samuel Pepys and Lord Byron to Dickens’s letters, Hardy’s poems, Burton’s translations, and Philip Larkin’s diaries. Alongside these telling examples are chapters on burning in war, accidental burning, royal burning – and lucky escapes. Baker reveals that while books, diaries and letters can be burnt, as a result of the invention of the printing press in the 16th century, very rarely can their content be expunged from the written record in history - the ‘delete’ button did not delete. Book burning today survives as a symbol, usually by desperate regimes, dictators and religious fanatics to impress the naive, warn the dissenter and rally the faithful. The burning of a book is recognizably powerful actiona fiery rejection of an ideology or a declaration of a texts moral offense. But, since the invention of the printing press in the sixteenth century, the act of burning a book has become mostly symbolicvery rarely can a books content be expunged from the written record. In this heavily illustrated book, Kenneth Baker offers an enlightening history of the practice of book burning, often by desperate regimes, dictators, and religious fanatics eager to suppress revolutionaries, warn dissenters, or rally the faithful. In On the Burning of Books, Baker explores famous moments throughout history when books have been burnt for political, religious, or personal reasons. Included among his investigations are stories from ancient China to the Nazis, from George Orwells Animal Farm to Salman Rushdies The Satanic Verses , from Chairman Mao to the Spanish destruction of the Aztec civilization. Baker describes Samuel Pepys burning an erotic novel, and the personal fires of Lord Byrons memoirs, Dickenss letters, Hardys poems, and Philip Larkins diaries. Alongside these many examples are chapters on accidental book burningand even lucky escapes. A book that celebrates the authority and influence of the written word by examining many instances of societys attempt to suppress it, On the Burning of Books will be a work to be cherishedand kept far from flame. The burning of a book is recognizably powerful action -- a fiery rejection of an ideology or a declaration of a text's moral offense. But, since the invention of the printing press in the sixteenth century, the act of burning a book has become mostly symbolic -- very rarely can a book's content be expunged from the written record. In this illustrated book, Kenneth Baker offers a history of the practice of book burning, often by desperate regimes, dictators, and religious fanatics eager to suppress revolutionaries, warn dissenters, or rally the faithful. In On the Burning of Books, Baker explores famous moments throughout history when books have been burnt for political, religious, or personal reasons. Included among his investigations are stories from ancient China to the Nazis, from George Orwell's Animal Farm to Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses, from Chairman Mao to the Spanish destruction of the Aztec civilization. Baker describes Samuel Pepys burning an erotic novel, and the personal fires of Lord Byron's memoirs, Dickens's letters, Hardy's poems, and Philip Larkin's diaries. Alongside these many examples are chapters on accidental book burning -- and even lucky escapes. In This Revealingly Illustrated Book, The Political Sage Kenneth Baker Records The Many Times Throughout History When Books Have Been Burnt For Political, Religious, Or Personal Reasons. Foreword -- Political Burning -- Religious Burning -- War Burning -- Personal Burning -- Accidental Burning -- Royal Burning -- Lucky Escapes -- Epilogue. Kenneth Baker. Includes Index.