The Middle Bit

Previewing The King and the Swarm, week 3

Over the coming weeks, as I bring book-writing to its close, I’ll be previewing my forthcoming book The King and the Swarm here, in chapter-by-chapter summary form.

Then, a couple of times a month, I’ll hold a subscriber-only AMA salon, to discuss the previews or any other themes you want to bring. The next AMA salon will take place on Thursday 30 August at 19.00. Link to follow!

Week 1 is here, in which I set out the book’s over-arching thesis. In week 2, I previewed the chapter which explores the very first Singularity: the Greek alphabet. Now, it’s time to delve into the hybrid cultures of literacy, memory, and the spoken word that took hold in the long stretch between the ancient world and the printing press.

The next Preview Salon will be on Thursday 30 July at 19:00 UK time, 14:00 EST / 11:00 PST.

A medieval scriptorium. Image credit: Dartmouth