Title: Proust and the Squid Pdf The Story and Science of the Reading Brain
"Human beings were never born to read," writes Tufts University cognitive neuroscientist and child development expert Maryanne Wolf. Reading is a human invention that reflects how the brain rearranges itself to learn something new. In this ambitious, provocative book, Wolf chronicles the remarkable journey of the reading brain not only over the past five thousand years, since writing began, but also over the course of a single child's life, showing in the process why children with dyslexia have reading difficulties and singular gifts.
Lively, erudite, and rich with examples, Proust and the Squid asserts that the brain that examined the tiny clay tablets of the Sumerians was a very different brain from the one that is immersed in today's technology-driven literacy. The potential transformations in this changed reading brain, Wolf argues, have profound implications for every child and for the intellectual development of our species.
Richly informative... Maryanne Wolf has written a richly informative work, which covered a number of areas that I had very limited knowledge of. She is an academic who has made numerous complex subjects and concepts accessible to the non-specialist, yet has not trivialized the material. She never explains when and how she had the inspiration for a very memorable title, which would nag with the question: What could Marcel Proust and a Squid possibly have in common? Ah, like so much in the book, and in real life, it is the connections that our neuro-pathways make.The author has covered three principal topics. As she explains in the first chapter: "This book consists of three areas of knowledge: the early history of how our species learned to read, from the time of the Sumerians to Socrates; the developmental life cycle of humans as they learn to read in ever more sophisticated ways over time; and the story and science of what happens when the brain can't learn to read."Admittedly, rather late in life, I finally read The Odyssey. The version was a new one by Barry B. Powell. In his introduction, he posits the theory that the Greek alphabet was invented around 800 B.C., in order to record the poetic rhythm of Homer's epic tale. Thus I was particularly attentive to Wolf's account of how writing systems evolved, starting with the "bird tracks," of the Sumerians through the Akkadians (a language I have only recently become aware of - apparently there are a few hundred people in the world still trying to keep the language alive) and on to the hieroglyphics of the Egyptians. Each of these languages contained a pictorial element. It was only when the Greeks invented their language, which was largely and directly related to the phonetics of the language, that a true alphabet was established.In human evolution the ability to read has developed only recently. Wolf makes the point that we are not "hard-wired" to read. For each of us, we must learn - sometimes painfully, and with limited success - to develop those neurological pathways that make sense of the small, repetitive shapes on a piece of paper - or now, increasingly, on a digital screen. I found this section fascinating too. For example, she cites the work of three Chinese neurologists in the 1930's who studied the case of a bi-lingual businessman who had a severe stroke. He had completely lost his ability to read Chinese, but could still read English. It required completely different sections of the brain to read a more pictorial based alphabet as opposed to the limited characters in the alphabet used to write English.Another section that strongly resonated concerned re-reading books at different periods in one's life, deriving different meanings depending on the evolving experiences in one's own life. Wolf specifically mentioned George Eliot's Middlemarch (Penguin Classics) which she had read several times, which was precisely the theme of Rebecca Mead's recently published My Life in Middlemarch. I too have been re-reading a number of works first read 30-40 years ago, finding new meaning, and re-assessing.The last third of the book dealt with those who have difficulties reading, and are often labeled dyslexic, a term that Wolf says has no real meaning. She does cover the number of areas in which individuals may have deficiencies in their ability to read fluently. These deficiencies can be unique, or overlapping. And it seems that the brains of these individuals are simply different, with more equality between the left and right hemispheres. And "dyslexics" seem to be more creative. She names numerous historical individuals who appear to have had that problem, and whose names are definitely remembered today, like Einstein. She also reveals it is a personal issue, since her son has had reading problems.I did have some problems with this book. First and foremost, Wolf repeatedly makes the point that Socrates was opposed to the transition from the oral to written medium for conveying knowledge, and attempts to connect that to the transition from knowledge obtained through books to that obtained from the Internet. But she never really develops this theme; she just raises it repeatedly. I felt particular unease - though I admit doing it myself, in deciding a book of Diane Arbus' photographs was not suitable viewing material for my once-upon-a-time seven year old daughter - to Wolf's theme that access to knowledge should be "guided." That concept is right out of the playbook of many a totalitarian state... or, increasingly, wantabees. Who does the "guiding" and with what criteria was another topic she did not address. I also felt she succumbed to a congenital weakness of academics: "plugging" the work of colleagues for no particular purpose, other than, the "plug."Finally, and it is a particular concern of mine. With all the effort that is expended on learning how to read - to obtain that "eureka" moment that Wolf beautifully described in one case, why do so very few people continue to read serious works once the school assignments are finished? Also, unaddressed. Overall, for Wolf's work, a very informative 4-star rating.Still relevant Although Maryanne Wolf has recently (2018) published 'Reader, Come Home', 'Proust and the Squid' published in 2008 is still very relevant. Neuroscience has advanced tremendously, and as 'Reader Come Home' tells us what the advances have been and what is still unknown, 'Proust' tells us what basics we need to know about the origins of literacy - no, we never had a 'reading' gene. The brain constructs micro circuitries in order that it understands the symbols we call the written language. Then adding auditory sense, enables us to understand, and then to memorise. This book explains clearly what causes reading disability and why it need not - and should not be a handicap.
The Cells of the Brain pdf
The Little Book of Stoicism pdf
Poems on the Brain pdf
Functional Neuroanatomy of the Brain pdf
Functional Neuroanatomy of the Brain pdf
Functional Neuroanatomy of the Brain pdf
Functional Neuroanatomy of the Brain pdf
Tags: B00NLL4PFG pdf,Proust and the Squid pdf,The Story and Science of the Reading Brain pdf,ebook,Maryanne Wolf,Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain,Harper Perennial,Neuroscience,Reading Skills,Brain,Brain;Evolution.,Evolution,General Adult,History,LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Linguistics / General,LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Reading Skills,Language Arts & Disciplines/Linguistics - General,Language Arts & Disciplines/Reading Skills,MEDICAL / Neuroscience,Medical,Medical/Neuroscience,NEUROPSYCHOLOGY,NEUROSCIENCE,Neurophysiology,Neurophysiology.,Non-Fiction,PSYCHOLOGY / Neuropsychology,PSYCHOLOGY OF READING,Physiological & neuro-psychology, biopsychology,Psychology,Reading,Reading Skills,Reading;History.,SCI/TECH,SCIENCE / General,United States,LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Linguistics / General,LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Reading Skills,Language Arts & Disciplines/Linguistics - General,Language Arts & Disciplines/Reading Skills,MEDICAL / Neuroscience,Medical/Neuroscience,PSYCHOLOGY / Neuropsychology,SCIENCE / General,LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES: Linguistics / General,Psychology,Neuropsychology,Brain,Evolution,History,Neurophysiology,Reading,Medical,Physiological & neuro-psychology, biopsychology
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.