Assignment #1:

Biography of a Book
DUE: Thursday, September 27th 2018
4-5 pages/ 1000-1250 words

For our first unit, “Reading Books,” we have been exploring the format (its physical features)
impact acts of reading. For this assignment, choose a text that you are familiar with (and have
preferably read) that has been printed more than once. Once you have chosen your book,
research how its format has changed over time (think about: cover, title page, type, colophon,
binding, colors, etc…) A good way to start researching is to conduct a Google image search
using the title of the book. If you are looking at a book in the public domain (published in the US
prior to 1923), I strongly suggest archive.org.

As you are looking at different editions, consider how these changes might reflect:
--different markets (for example: US, British, Canadian, etc.)
--different imagined audiences
--different time periods, especially for books published some time ago;
--the fame of a book, (for example: awards, reviews, and so on.)
--printing technologies over time
--different potential genres (for example: is Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein science fiction?
A “classic”? How do the different format’s communicate different potential genres?)

**Grab images of the books (an easy way is to use screen capture when you are doing online
research; you can also, of course, take photographs in bookstores or libraries).

Once you have conducted your research, write a 4-5 page account that discusses:
--what you have found in the form of description a the covers and their changes
--how these changes might appeal to different reading audiences
--how these changes create different expectations and reading experiences
--how these changes enhance or detract from the content

Reading and Writing Schedule

Date Reading Writing

T-Sept. 4 n/a n/a
Th-Sept 6 http://www.earlyprintedbooks.com/ & Journal #1: What is your
http://shelleygodwinarchive.org/contents/frankenstein/ experience with
Frankenstein? What
expectations/ associations
do you have with it?
T-Sept 11 1.preface from Nicole Howard, The Book: The Life Journal #2: Nicole
Story of a Technology Howard defines the book
as a “technology.” What
2. Mary Shelley, Frankenstein Introduction, Preface, does this mean to you?
CH. 1-2 (up to page 29) How does this relate to
Frankenstein so far?
 **choose three potential
books to write about for
assignment #1
Th- Sept 13 Donald Murray, “All Writing is Autobiography Journal #3: In what ways
is Frankenstein a
biography or
autobiography?
T- Sept 18 Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, CH. 3-6 (29-56) ** finalize your book
choice for assignment #1
Th-Sept 20 Malcolm X, “Learning to Read” Journal #4: How does
Malcolm X’s and/or Susan
Susan Stryker, “My Words to Victor Frankenstein Stryker’s autobiographies
above the Village of Chamounix” relate to Frankenstein?

**outline the possible

answers to the questions
posed for assignment #1
T- Sept 25 n/a Bring in your book
object, or a picture of it.
Bring in a rough draft of
Assignment #1
Th-Sept 27 n/a Assignment #1 DUE