Papyrus : THE MILLION-COPY GLOBAL BESTSELLER - Irene Vallejo

Papyrus

THE MILLION-COPY GLOBAL BESTSELLER

By: Irene Vallejo

Paperback | 29 August 2023 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Paperback


RRP $26.99

$25.75

or 4 interest-free payments of $6.44 with

In Stock and Aims to ship in 1-2 business days
Best Books of 2022 Financial Times

Long before books were mass produced, those made of reeds from along the Nile were worth fighting and dying for. Journeying along the battlefields of Alexander the Great, beneath the eruptions of Mount Vesuvius, at Cleopatra's palaces and the scene of Hypatia's murder, award-winning author Irene Vallejo chronicles the excitement of literary culture in the ancient world, and the heroic efforts that ensured this impressive tradition would continue.

Weaved throughout are fascinating stories about the spies, scribes, illuminators, librarians, booksellers, authors, and statesmen whose rich and sometimes complicated engagement with the written word bears remarkable similarities to the world today: Aristophanes and the censorship of the humourists, Sappho and the empowerment of women's voices, Seneca and the problem of a post-truth world.

Vallejo takes us to mountainous landscapes and the roaring sea, to the capitals where culture flourished and the furthest reaches where knowledge found refuge in chaotic times. In this sweeping tour of the history of books, the wonder of the ancient world comes alive and along the way we discover the singular power of the written word.

About the Author

Irene Vallejo earned her European Doctorate from the Universities of Zaragoza and Florence.Papyrus was awarded the National Essay Prize, the Critical Eye Prize for Narrative and the Bookstore Recommendation Award, and will be published in thirty countries. She is a regular columnist for El Pais and Heraldo de Aragon, and is the author of two children's books, two novels, and three collections of essays, articles, and short fiction.
Industry Reviews
An outstanding, universal and unique book. - The New York Times

One can be a masterful philologist and at the same time write like the angels... a true literary feast. - ABC

An incredible, universal, and unique book which will no doubt become a classic. - El Periodico de Aragon

It's a joy to read Irene Vallejo's prose, she is such a brilliant creator and full of sensitivity.

'[A] masterpiece . . . I am absolutely sure that it will continue to be read when its readers today are already in the afterlife.'

A fascinating and profound, yet delightfully personal take on books in the ancient world, with many illuminating insights into more modern literature and life. - Paul Strathern, author of Ten Cities that Led the World

'In this fabulous, anecdote-filled history, award-winning Spanish writer Vallejo charts the fates and fortunes of books and libraries in the ancient world, from the battlefields of Alexander the Great and the eruptions of Mount Vesuvius to Cleopatra's palaces and the scenes of Hypatia's murder. As well as chronicling the thrills and spills of literary culture, she celebrates those whose heroic efforts ensured the continuity of the written word. A long-time Spanish bestseller, Papyrus has won numerous prizes and is set to be published around the world.' - The Bookseller, November Non-Fiction Editor s Choice

'A literary phenomenon . . . didactic and daring . . . elegant and richly digressive.' - Times Literary Supplement

More in Classical History & Civilisation

Ancient Egypt : The Definitive Visual History - DK

RRP $59.99

$41.25

31%
OFF
Rubicon : The Triumph and Tragedy of the Roman Republic - Tom Holland
SPQR : A History of Ancient Rome - Mary Beard

RRP $27.99

$21.95

22%
OFF
Hellenistic Astrology : The Study of Fate and Fortune - Chris Brennan
Ghost Empire - Richard Fidler

Paperback

RRP $34.99

$31.75

Ancient Rome : The Definitive Visual History - DK

RRP $65.00

$44.25

32%
OFF
World History : From the Ancient World to the Information Age - DK
Papyrus : THE MILLION-COPY GLOBAL BESTSELLER - Irene Vallejo
Dynasty : The Rise and Fall of the House of Caesar - Tom Holland
Ancient Greek Philosophers : Leather-bound Classics - Editors of Canterbury Classics
The Romans For Dummies : For Dummies - Guy de la Bedoyere

RRP $32.95

$30.25

Herodotus : Book III - Georgina Longley

RRP $190.00

$138.90

27%
OFF
Herodotus : Book III - Georgina Longley

RRP $61.99

$50.75

18%
OFF
Heracles and Athenian Propaganda : Politics, Imagery and Drama - Sofia Frade
Strabo : Understanding Classics - Jessica Lightfoot
Strabo : Understanding Classics - Jessica Lightfoot

RRP $120.00

$90.50

25%
OFF