In the Blink of an Eye
A Cultural History of Spectacles
Published on 12. July 2021
Book
Hardback
112 pages
978-1-78914-463-5 (ISBN)
Description
This book examines those who wore glasses through history, art and literature, from the green emerald through which Emperor Nero watched gladiator fights to Benjamin Franklin's homemade bifocals, and from Marilyn Monroe's cat-eye glasses to Emma Bovary and Harry Potter.
Spectacles are objects that seem commonplace, but this book shows that because they fundamentally changed people's lives, glasses were the wellspring of a quiet social, cultural and economic revolution. Indeed, one can argue that modernity itself began with the paradigm shift that transformed poor eyesight from a severely limiting disease, treated with pomades and tinctures, into a minor impairment that can be remedied with mechanisms constructed from lenses and wire.
Spectacles are objects that seem commonplace, but this book shows that because they fundamentally changed people's lives, glasses were the wellspring of a quiet social, cultural and economic revolution. Indeed, one can argue that modernity itself began with the paradigm shift that transformed poor eyesight from a severely limiting disease, treated with pomades and tinctures, into a minor impairment that can be remedied with mechanisms constructed from lenses and wire.
Reviews / Votes
a short cultural vignette * Canberra Times * A fascinating account of the cultural significance of spectacles . . . Clearly written, full of tidbits of literary historical value, In the Blink of an Eye makes a pleasant, informative read, all the more so for the generous illustrations accompanying the text. * Hong Kong Review of Books * Spectacles not only enhance our vision; they contribute to our understanding of reality. Sabin's charming history-in-miniature reveals how history, culture, and politics have been shaped over centuries by paired discs of polished glass, and why, every once in a while, they inspire such unease, such contempt, and even, sometimes, fear. * Simon Ings, author of 'The Eye: A Natural History' (2007) and 'The Smoke' (2018) *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Illustrations
45 illustrations, 30 in colour
Dimensions
Height: 128 mm
Width: 204 mm
Thickness: 16 mm
Weight
308 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78914-463-5 (9781789144635)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
07/2021
Reaktion Books
€14.99
Available for download
Person
Stefana Sabin has written for the Neue Zuercher Zeitung, edited several anthologies of contemporary prose and published biographies of Andy Warhol and Gertrude Stein, among others. She lives in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.