The Legacies of Literacy: Continuities and Contradictions in Western Culture and Society

"This book will be a monumental contribution to the topic and a staple of scholarship for decades." —Michael B. Katz"A remarkable volume of critical synthesis and passionate revisionism." —Journal of Economic History"... ambitious and stimulating... required reading not only for social historians but also for policy-makers and activists." —Histoire Sociale"Clearly an important book... marks a significant point in the history of literacy studies." —History of Education Quarterly"A stimulating challenge to traditional assumptions and scholarly commonplaces." —Journal of Communication