| SES # | TOPICS | KEY DATES |
|---|---|---|
| 0. Prologue | ||
| 1 | Introduction and preliminaries. What are media? What is a book? | |
| 1. How to Read a Book | ||
| 2-3 | In class: Introduction to book handling (half-class in Special Collecions) | |
| 2. Mesopotamia – Cuneiform tablet – Malafouris ("Extended Cognition") | ||
| 4-5 | In class: Cuneiform tablet | Session 5: First of three position paper due-dates |
| 3. Reading in the West – Gutenberg, Nuremberg Chronicle – Clanchy, Eisenstein | ||
| 6-7 | In class: Gutenberg Bible leaves, Nuremberg Chronicle, Prof. Frampton's linotype | |
| 4. Grammatology – Eliot Algonquin Bible | ||
| 8–9 | In class: Eliot Bible and other Bibles | Session 9: Second of three position paper due-dates |
| 5. McLuhan Medium is the Message – Textual Ephemera | ||
| 10–11 | In class: Letters from the MIT Archives | |
| 6. Mythologies – Emily Dickinson's Gorgeous Nothings – Letterlocking | ||
| 12–13 | In class: Letterlocking workshop with Jana Dambrogio | Session 13: Third of three position paper due-dates |
| 7. Quixote – Print Shops – Diderot | ||
| 14–15 | In class: Diderot's Encyclopedia illustrations of printing | |
| 8. If on a winter's night a traveler... | ||
| 16–17 | Calvino | |
| 9. Special Collections presentations | ||
| 18 | In class: Special Collections presentations of initial findings | Revision of position paper due four days after Session 18 |
| 10. Kirschenbaum – Cloud Atlas | ||
| 19-20 | In class: Digital literature and legacy computing workshop | |
| 11. Cloud Altas – Workshop | ||
| 21 | In class: Workshopping day | |
| 12. Cloud Atlas cont. | ||
| 22-23 | Cloud Atlas cont. | Special Collections project due two days after Session 23 |
| 13. Epilogue | ||
| 24 |
In class: Informal presentations of projects in Special Collections library Discussion and wrap-up | Distribution of long essay question for final exam |
