Description
Book SynopsisAddressing an exciting aspect of Middle Eastern history as well as the power of the printed word itself, Reading Palestine describes how the sudden rise of literacy in Palestine intensified the role of literacy in every sphere of community life.
Trade Review"Superb... Ayalon's work is not a fresh look at an old topic, but is a successful innovative product portraying how and when Palestinians used and read printed texts and the pace with which those texts influenced multiple aspects of Arab society in Palestine. It is masterfully presented." Kenneth W. Stein, William E. Schatten Professor of Contemporary Middle Eastern History and Israeli Studies, Emory University
Table of Contents
- Preface
- Introduction
- Palestine in the First Half of the Twentieth Century
- Recapturing Past Reading
- Chapter 1. Literacy and Education
- Education: Phases of Development
- The Impact of Education: Profile of the "Literate" Community
- Chapter 2. Texts: Imported, Produced, Viewed
- Traditional Stocks: The Augury of Change
- Impact of the Neighborhood
- Local Production
- Texts in the Public Domain
- Chapter 3. Texts Accessed and Afforded
- Conduits of Dissemination
- Buying One's Own Book
- Accessing without Buying: Libraries, Clubs, Reading Rooms
- Accessing without Buying: Open Public Places
- Chapter 4. Individual Reading
- Individual Reading: Past Legacy
- Mutala`ah in Twentieth-Century Palestine: The Comfort of Home
- Private Reading in Public
- Chapter 5. Collective Reading
- The Old, Familiar Conduits
- Vocal Reading: Bridging across Illiteracy
- Vocal Reading: The Extra Benefit of the Collective Experience
- Conclusion
- Notes
- Sources
- Index
