This is a forum where students can discuss and evaluate literature, film and writing.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
The Magical Technology of the Book
Here is a very interesting statement by Carl Sagan, a famous American astronomer. It just shows how impressive the human mind is and witnesses the absolute importance of books to the continuing of our world.
I'm not surprised that I don't know Carl Sagan, because I don't know a lot of famous people. What I don't understand is what this astronomer is trying to say, and why he's not talking about astronomy.
@Ryan I think you misunderstood what Carl Sagan was trying to say, regardless of the fact that he's an astronomer. For example, Carl Sagan is telling us of the value and meaning of books, which essentially bind us together because books can take ypou into other times and other people's minds. Therefore, Carl Sagan was expressing his wonder of the "greatest of human inventions".
That was a very interesting statement. And it was almost 100% true. It does show how impressive and fasinating the human mind is. It also allows us to witness the importance of books. Books are what make us what we are today. And just like in the quote, even though a book is only part of a tree with black squiggles on it, it may just be what made us what we are today.
I disagree. This is because that was not the question that Horvath was asking. It doesn't matter if you don't know a lot of famous people. And I find it hard to believe that you couldn't figure out what Carl Sagan was trying to say. Horvath clearly summed it up in the blog description. It makes no sense that you would think that an astronomer will ALWAYS talk about astronomy. What he says didn't have to be about astronomy. It was a deep thoughtful statement about the human mind and books. That is why I disagree with your post.
I think Carl Sagan was trying to tell us about how a book can show us the world through another set of unique eyes or bind together people who have never met and how it is truelly the best technology mankind has at its disposal because a book can communicate what some words can not and will show us how someone is right or wrong and not just tell us. he seemed to bring across the point that books are true magic of mankind.
This is a very VERY interesting quote because it shows that books are another world, another life, or even another dimension ( I mean the magic part). He is telling us that when your into a book you lose track of time or as he said it 'Books break the shackles of time'.
i loved this statement because if made me think and i wold have never thought of books being part of a tree or tiny dark sqiggles on a page this is why i loved this quote.
i agree with ryant because you dont have to even talk about astronomy in some statement if you are an astronemer. and the statement was clearly in black and white so i do not understand how you couldnt interpret it.
I think that books are amazing things. When I am in a good book, I am in the book! I feel the character's feelings, I see what they are feeling. I think Carl Sagan is very smart because he recognized that and phrased it so beautifully. Books really do link the author to the reader; if the author is feeling happy, the reader feels happy through his writing, and if the author is feeling annoyed, so will the reader and so on and so forth.
@Kotonashi I agree with you that the quote is very interesting. The magic of books is that no matter who you are or where you are, a great book can make you escape your location or identity and fall in love, go on an adventure or just about anything, but only if you read.
The most powerful thing humans have is the power of expression. Being able to unleash the powers of the human mind and the inner thoughts of people throughout any media, writing, art and music are all door ways to the inner thoughts of people. Communicating and showing the way the personal mind works is exceptional and Carl Sagan expresses this on the topic of books and how the inner thoughts of writers will live on and even after they pass away. I hope that books continue to be printed and written so that not only our history and lives can be documented but, our inner feelings
I feel like all you got form the quote was that books are made of trees and they're squiggles on paper. I think Carl Sagan was going more into how the author can voice this thoughts his heart and his mind to you and those words can live on for ever hit the simple promise of ink.
One part of this quote that I liked was "But one glance at it and you’re inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years" It really shows that authors can put you inside the characters' feelings and feel like you too are experiencing it all. The other part that I liked was "A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic." Books are a whole different level of imagination and creativity. They're all completely different from one another.
The part of the quote that i liked the most was this," Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you." I found this so interesting because that is really what a book is. The author is telling you story that he or she wrote and youo are reading it in your head and learning something new.
The poem or statement he wrote was pretty weird I understood when he said a book is very flat and that the pages are very flexible and the rest was pretty hard to understand but I really didnt hear any astronomy in the whole statement.
"A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic." She found this part of the quote very interesting. I agree with her i found this part interesting too. It show you that writing takes you out of the real world and lets you imagination run wild.
I agree with what Carl Sagan is saying because books are one of the most amazing man-made things. This is because when you read a book, you can go places while you're siting on the couch: places that exist but are far away, places that exist and are near, even places that don't exist! They can show you anything, even without pictures, even things that exist or don't. Without literature none of this would be available to you, which is why I agree with Carl Sagan.
@Simeong The quote wasn't about astronomy because it was about the wonder that is a book. Carl Sagan was trying to explain how a book can travel through time, take you amazing places and show you the mind of someone else. It has nothing to do with astronomy, true, but you don't have to be an English professor to talk about books. This is why you weren't supposed to hear any astronomy in the statement.
I think that what Carl Sagan is saying is true, like the part about a book is seeing into another person's mind. I think that is soo cool, because that is what a book, a story in a mind of the author. Why i think this is because well its true and a story is a world created in the mind of the author and when you are reading that book, your in the mind of the author.
I think that what Carl Sagan is saying is true, like the part about a book is seeing into another person's mind. I think that is soo cool, because that is what a book, a story in a mind of the author. Why i think this is because well its true and a story is a world created in the mind of the author and when you are reading that book, your in the mind of the author.
@Pandanut12 I agree with you that a book is one of the most amazing man made objects. It is also a great invention of the mind as well because when you are reading a book you are in the mind of the author.
I agree with Carl Sagan's saying how he said the books are a mazing things. I think this because books books are just "made of trees and squiggles", as he said in his very own quote. Books can take you into a different time, place, or life. I think that a book is a movie but, its script and a movie is acting out a book. Books have evolved over the time now with colored covers when before they were just one color and the title name. Books are amazing things and they always will be.
I agree with Carl Sagan's saying how he said the books are a mazing things. I think this because books books are just "made of trees and squiggles", as he said in his very own quote. Books can take you into a different time, place, or life. I think that a book is a movie but, its script and a movie is acting out a book. Books have evolved over the time now with colored covers when before they were just one color and the title name. Books are amazing things and they always will be.
I agree with Carl Sagan's saying how he said the books are a mazing things. I think this because books books are just "made of trees and squiggles", as he said in his very own quote. Books can take you into a different time, place, or life. I think that a book is a movie but, its script and a movie is acting out a book. Books have evolved over the time now with colored covers when before they were just one color and the title name. Books are amazing things and they always will be.
@Pandanut12 I agree with how you said how books are one of the most amazing man-made things. I agree with you because lie you said yourself, it takes you on a journey to different places that are close or far away, places that do not exist. I think that just paper and ink could do that to somebody. That is the reason why I agree with your comment on how books are the most amazing man-made things.
I Think that ts statement is both completely true and mind opening. I have never thought of how complex of a task our writing system has . It needs to be understood by every on,easy to read and write, and it needs to have a word for every thing we can think up. This all makes books possible. Think of all the thinks we wouldn't know without book. I fully agree with Carl Sagan that writing may be one of the greatest human invention.
I agree with Anonymous because i also think that humans expression is really an amazing thing. Like he said a book is just a broken down pieces of a tree with squiggles on it but the way we express ourselves with them is truly outstanding. A book is only what the author makes it and that is why there are so many different types of books. Each will show you a glance inside the authors head almost like a window.
I think that this quote from Carl is very true. This is because books are not only a piece of writing, but they are someones delicate thoughts and a chunk of history in the palm of your hand. This is why I think books are an amazing invention.
I think that this quote is very accurate and I agree completely. The book is just a ton of squiggles on a thin piece of tree that is a portal to the minds of other people in our time, and those of another world. The concept of magic caught on paper is something that amuses me. I read a lot of books about magic and impossible things so the idea that writers are making magic with words is an idea that I can grasp. That is because some of the books I have read took me into another world and showed me amazing things with so much detail and clarity it felt like I was actually there. I could really imagine being in the shoes of the character, and to me that is magic in its own way. So this quote is extremely truthful in my eyes and it sums up this whole post in a couple of sentences.
@Grace S. I agree that authors make you feel a connection to the character. Good authors have a way with words and readers. They know just what/how to write to make the reader feel a certain way about a character. They can persuade a reader with words to make them feel a certain way. Also authors can write so you feel as though the character is your sibling or best friend. You feel a true connection to the character. I think that is why people like to read so much. They can escape everyday life and go to a new one with a character they love and feel connected to. Therefore I agree that authors can bond a true connection from the reader to the character.
@ YouJustGotCerved I agree that a book could be a chunk of history in your hand and in my view it could also be a chunk of another world just waiting to be read and discovered in the amazing thing called your imagination.
@mnm I agree with you that it is like looking through someone else"s eyes.The reason I agree is because I have read books that made me feel like I was the character.
I agree with you Bookworm That reading is like going to a different world.The reason I agree is because I have read this book about this town with fairy tail characters in it and I felt like I was in that town.
I think that reading is like watching a movie in your head. I think that because every time I read Percy Jackson and the Olympian Series I feel like I am in there world. I also think that reading a book is like being in the Authors world.
@Emma I liked that quite too but for a different reason. I liked it because it is true, when I am reading a book I create a voice for the author and characters and read the book in that tone. This happens especially when I read Percy Jackson and the Olympian Series.
I liked this quote for many different reasons. One reason is because it is actually a very true statement. I think this because writing really is one of the greatest human inventions because it lets an author talk about other characters, and as Carl Sagan says, "Books break the shackle of time." which I very much agree with. This is why I think this quote is very true, and also why I like this quote.
@Emma. I also agree with your favorite part of the quote because mine was the same. "Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you." I liked this part of the quote the most because it talked about how the author thinks, and gets inside the readers mind, which is actually very interesting. This is why I agree with you that this was the best part about this very interesting quote.
I enjoyed this quote because it really made me think of the significance about a book. I could also relate to it because in some books, when I’m really interested, it does feel like I’m watching a movie or that the author is talking to me. “But one glance at it and you’re inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years.” This is really cool to think about and a book is more than just a few pages and a couple of words.
I agree with what you said @mnm. “I think Carl Sagan was trying to tell us about how a book can show us the world through another set of unique eyes.” I agree with that because a book is way different from movies or videos because you are reading it through your perspective and it’s like the author is talking directly to you.
I think that Carl Sagan was a very smart man because he thought about how someone could read someone else's writing, and relate to them in a way never before possible, and how someone could understand a person long ago dead.
@Nonstop I agree with you; When you read a book, you can see into another world, and maybe see into the past or future. This is like what Carl Sagan stated on how books can bring you back to see someone else's point of view.
I think that books are very important. Carl was trying to tell us how books truly are one of the most amazing human inventions, and one of the most important ones, too. Without them, we wouldn't be able to record information, and communicate with people that maybe died 1000 years ago, or maybe with people that are in Spain. Books bring us into another world. That is why I think that books are important.
I agree with you. When I read books, I also see a movie playing in my mind, only if it's a good book though. I think that when you read a book, you should be taken into a whole other world, not just read the words and not process anything. A book really isn't just pages and words. That is why I agree with you.
I think what Carl Sagan is trying to say is that books are what people truly need to understand things. I also think that as an astronomer, he has a different outlook to things like books because of his passion. I think this because he has more opportunities to see and do things that normal people don't have.
@ Stephanie Z I agree because the engineering of books does effect human life. This also effects human traits and actions. And since Carl is an astronomer, it is not unlikely that he has more chances to look into something like the effect of books on humans.
This statement is very interesting, because I would've never looked at a book this way. Carl Sagan said that the author is basically speaking to us. Also, he said that we are getting to experience the thoughts in the mind of someone else, that could've been alive 1,000,000 years ago. This is a very unique, creative, and interesting way to say the importance of a book, and also makes me look at the true meaning of a book in a different way. Therefore, now thinking about it, I completely agree with Carl Sagon, and that a book is truly an amazing thing created by humen.
@StephanieZ I agree that books are really important because of how Carl Sagan made me look at them. He stated, "A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic," and also he said, "Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions..." Therefore, books are a very important thing to the human race, because like Carl said, they are one of the greatest inventions ever created by humans.
I think what Carl Sagan said show true value in reading. Now most of us take reading as just another school assignment, and some of us don't, but Carl Sagan, he took reading as the key to knowledge. He is saying by reading, you could almost be the author, like your going into their mind, weather they are down the street, or across the nation, you go into their mind.
I think the fact that an astronomer talking about a reading and how it helped him so much is very powerful. The fact that this astronomer, who probably does much more intricate things than read, said this shows how important and vital reading really is. Like he said, when you read a book, you kind of are like the author, you think of what might happen next, imagine the scene and play it out in your mind and so much more. It is magic when you think of it how just one idea can turn into hundreds of pages. This astronomer shows that reading is the key to any getaway, and a vital skill to have in any path you take.
@sethblog, I agree with you! When you talk about how most of us take reading as just an easy grade in class, I do that all the time. It's not like I don't like to read, I just can't fit it in any more. But Carl changed my mind about it. He really described the feelings you get when you read a book. You have a mind of someone else, and for a while, that's all you need to escape from something that could be bothering you for the longest time. All in all, i think this quote put reading int a whole different light for the both of us.
I think that Carl Sagan means to get through that with books you can outlast time and tell somebody in the future of what you were thinking or to share a story. We would not know much of our past if it weren't for books and documented happenings.
I think that he means is that books are an important part of life that we use them everyday to get information or to give information. It lets us see now what somebody was thinking years ago, it tells a story to keep entertained, and it informs us of happings of the times before us like the mistakes and victory's that make us what we are today.
I think that the statement by Carl Sagan is true and it makes you think. Up until now, I have never truly understood just how complex the system of writing is. A single piece of writing needs to be understood by every person on this planet, even if it is read to some people. A piece of writing needs to be easy to read and write at the same time and for everything we can think about, that piece will need a word and a description for that specific object. I completely agree with Carl Sagan that writing is the greatest human invention because writing a book, making millions of copies, then shipping those around the world is a lot easier than people going around the world, telling other people a story, then expecting those people to spread the story to every corner of the world.
@Sethblog I agree with you because you said " I think what Carl Sagan said shows true value in reading." Most of us really do just take reading as another assignment, not as a way to understand the vision of people long dead or not even as a hobby. By reading you become even more full of knowledge, you can travel across the author's mind, even if they're long dead, across the nation, or even halfway across the world.
Even though this quote is about books, I think this also shows how far the human race has developed.A "flat object made from a tree with flexible parts on which are imprinted lots of funny dark squiggles" is now something that can put you "inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years." Imagine how mankind took a tree, made it into paper, put a bunch of dark squiggles on it that people can now understand, and now it is "proof that humans are capable of working magic." Therefore, I think this quote broke down books and showed how far mankind had to go just to make a book.
@ sethblog I agree with you that Carl Hagan is trying to get across the true point in reading. Most people will take reading as just a regular assignment in school, however Carl Hagan shows the true meaning. He claims that books are the greatest of human inventions, which binds together people who never knew each other. He also says reading a book can put you inside the mind of another person, even someone who has been dead for thousands of years. Therefore, I think Carl Hagan is trying to show how important reading is.
@ sethblog I agree with you that Carl Hagan is trying to get across the true point in reading. Most people will take reading as just a regular assignment in school, however Carl Hagan shows the true meaning. He claims that books are the greatest of human inventions, which binds together people who never knew each other. He also says reading a book can put you inside the mind of another person, even someone who has been dead for thousands of years. Therefore, I think Carl Hagan is trying to show how important reading is.
I agree with Sagan and believe that books are invaluable because they not only provide entertainment and information but they link two people together. When writing a book you put yourself into your writing, your fantasies, your fears, your beliefs. By reading someone's writing you really learn so much about who the person is. In this way, a book can link a reader to the writer who as Sagan said may be dead for a thousand years. Books are one of the best ways to find out about another time period, to connect the past with the present. You can learn as much about someone from reading a piece of fiction they wrote as if you read their biographhy. Books are man's greatest invention and are invaluable because they can link two people from distant ages as well as provide entertainment and or information.
@Anonymous (first one) I totally agree that the most powerful things humans have is the power to share our inner expressions. No matter how much technology we have what is most imporatnt in life is to connect with others and to share ideas and beliefs. These kinds of things are done through all forms of media: writing, music, film, art, etc. Language and writing are the greatest inventiosn ever created because they are how communicate with eachother and with the future. Through books we can communicate with the past and share ourselves with the future to come. I too hope that as long as man exists he will write and share his thoughts with the rest of the world, he will share his life through his literature. The most powerful thing we have is self expression, it should be used to the fullest capacity.
I agree with Sagan. Books are an amazing invention. They can make someone laugh, cry, or change their view on the world forever. They can educate people, or just be there for entertainment. And literally, books are just paper with black squiggles on them. But they do so much, which is why I think Sagan was right by saying books capable of working magic.
I agree with Kotonashi, who said that the quote was very interesting. It was. We often don't appreciate how much books are capable of. They just exist, and people read them. That quote makes people think outside the box of what we usually think of, therefore its a very interesting quote.
I agree with Emma when you said you like the quote," Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you." I also like this quote because it's really interesting to think that people from hundreds of years ago that we have never met, are still able to connect with us through their stories.
I agree with Emma when you said you like the quote," Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you." I also like this quote because it's really interesting to think that people from hundreds of years ago that we have never met, are still able to connect with us through their stories.
I like this quote because He is saying how incredible the invention of the book is. People from hundreds of years ago created characters and stories and the lessons they created a long time ago can still be learned by people today. People are still reading the books they wrote and can connect to them. That's why I liked this quote.
I think this quote is very thought provoking because Carl Sagan talks about being inside the mind of another person. "But one glance at it and you're inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you." This made me think about how I am reading someone else's thoughts which, I have never thought about before. I enjoy reading classic books from the past to see the difference in writing styles and connections between back then, and modern day. This quote, especially the part about being inside an authors mind was really thought provoking to me and made me come up with many questions.
@Kotonashi I absolutely agree with you. Carl Sagen is explaining that books open a new world, a portal, in our minds where anything could happen. Either 100 years ago or 100 years from now, the author is making us use our imagination when we read.
I think what Carl Sagan is saying is that reading isn't another job, assignment, or more work. It is the way of knowledge. It is a way of knowledge because we exceed in vocabulary and we learn how to solve problems by the theme and moral of stories, we can learn about feelings, and actions. Its all a base of the common sense learning skills. Therefore, I think his statements are about learning vocabulary and gaining common sense.
@Kotonashi I agree with you because reading makes our imagination vast and full of excitement. Whether the setting is from BC or based in the future. Our mind is developing a mythical happening also known as out imagination. Therefore, I agree with you because reading sets an imagination base and build off of that by every book we read.
I don't think thats reading a book is the most important invention because there are so much more important things in life than just reading a plane book if you think about it its not that fun, to just sit read words and read action that you cant even see its just not there to entertain you.
I think that Carl Sagan is right about his quote. Books are just made from trees with dark squiggles imprinted on it. But those squiggles stand for letters. It is a written way of communication where one's thoughts are written down for another to read and ponder about. Books let our mind to leave our world and enter another. We learn about the author's way of looking at the world, in another perspective. That's why I think that Carl Sagan's statement is true.
@blah blah blah I agree with you that Carl Sagan was telling us the value in books. We both think that he meant that books are a way for the author and reader to communicate without talking. It tells the reader what the author is thinking. That's why I agree with you.
I think Carl Sagan is trying to say that the knowledge we have today to be writing and authors communicating without talking to us through books is astonishing.
I think that Carl Sagan is trying to say that the human mind is more important than most people think because he said," But one glance at it and you're inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years." This means that the brain can translate these scribbles into letters that we understand. That's why Carl Sagan is saying that the brain is very important.
@Unknown 7 I agree with you because the words we write might seem like random squiggles to other people. The brain can understand the scribbles and translate them into words. That's why I agree with you.
I think this article was showing us that books are what makes humans special. We are the only species who documents things. With this ability, we are pretty much able to go anywhere, we can learn from our ancestors, and communicate.
@Kotonashi I agree with you that this was an interesting quote because it says that you can go anywhere and to any time period. You can learn so much a bunch of squiggles that are letters. It is crazy that these can help you learn so much about the world.
I think this article is about how the human race is special. We document things and learn from them like our ancestors. When we do this we are pretty much able to go anywhere, we can learn, and communicate.
@ Peter P I agree with you because like the quote we can translate the scribbles and translate them to something we understand. Also I agree with you about the human mind is more important than people think.
I agree that books are connections to other time periods in life because people documented what had happened during that time period. "Books are one of the best ways to find out about another time period, to connect the past with the present." For example, in Anne Frank, we could connect to the writing and emotions that she had during the time period of World War II. This is just one example of how a book can connect people from different time periods, but there are many others out there that inform you and show you how it was like to live in different time periods. As you can see I agree that books can connect our present day world to what has happened in the past!
I don't think this statement is very effective because if people always read books in silence and seclusion then how could technology progress how could mankind continue to develop?
I thought that, that quote was very interesting because it told that we human are in a way magical. It is true that writing can bring people together in so many ways. Books are one of the humans best ideas yet. It is also cool how it said that books can talk to you in your head, directly to you. Books are one of the greatest inventions in the world.
I know I'm not alone in saying that books are important to the continuing of our world. Technology may be great, but it won't be lasting for thousands of years. It will become outdated and forgotten quickly, the next thing taking its place. But a book won't be updated, remastered or redone. It will remain the same and, as Sagan said, "…break the shackles of time." That is why books are so important.
@mnm I agree with you that Sagan was trying to say how important the technology of a book is. They blend many different time periods together and connect cultures. The technology of a book truly is a great thing and Sagan has just stated it. That is why I agree with you.
I think books are great things. You can feel, see and hear the character. I think Carl Sagan is a very wise man because he recognized that and made it into a short easy quote that everybody understands. I do think books link the author and the reader. If the character in the book is happy, you'll feel happy and so on.
I agree with what Carl Sagan is saying. You can read a book about someone who lived thousands of years ago yet feel like you're their best friend. Writing allows us to do so many things like create books and other stuff. If their were no books or if there was no writing life would be missing something.
@ Ryan, I disagree with you. I think misunderstood what Horvath said. You mentioned you don't know a lot of famous people, which doesn't matter if you know famous people or not. I don't believe you couldn't figure out what Carl Sagan said. Plus Horvath did mention in the post what Sagan was saying. This is why I disagree with you, I just think you got a little confused.
@Logan S. I agree with you. The quote tells us in a way that we are all magical and different in our own way. You can have someone that is really arrogant yet still be magical and you could have someone very caring and still be magical.
One part of the quote that I thought was very interesting was, "Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you," because it really made me think more about what authors do. With this part of the quote, I realized that it was true, that authors are pretty much speaking to you from their story. With a story, an author is basically painting a picture or movie for your mind to conjure up. Therefore, the reason why I thought that this part of the quote was interesting because it gives you another perspective on thinking about how authors work.
@Grace S. i agree with with your comment because you said that a part of the quote you like was "But one glance at it and you’re inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years" You said that, "It really shows that authors can put you inside the characters' feelings and feel like you too are experiencing it all." Therefore, since this was also another part of the quote that made me think more about what authors do, I agree with you.
Carl Sagan says that books are magic and I agree. They can make you feel that you are miles away from home, in situations that are amazing or frightening and they can make you feel what characters feel. Sometimes when I read, I can picture places, people and situations in my head. They have color and action and feel very real. It is great to get lost in a book when you are sad, bored or need a break from your brothers.
I never thought about books being permanent and technology being quick to change, but I get what you are saying. In just the past 5 years, computers, the internet and other technologies have changed a great deal. A book is a book. For example, Harry Potter will always be a wonderful wizard series. Book that are favorites and speak to many people become classics. They can be enjoyed by many generations of people, because they never stop being understood by people.
I agree with Carl Sagan. I really like how he says, "A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic." Something about books reminds me of fairy tales. I can't imagine a world without books. I feel like books have a weird tranquil way of changing thinking. They offer a simple escape into other places.
I think Carl Sagan is trying to tell us that although a book is just words on paper, it's truly more than that because it allows us to see life through a different perspective.When an author writes a book they use past experiences and real emotions, this allows us to see how other people feel at the slightest of things. A book lets us feel pain we never knew existed and touch our hearts in a way we never thought possible. Even though they're just words, they mean a lot and can affect us in a way we didn't think possible.
@G-MAN, I agree with you that books are invaluable because you can't put a price on a human's thoughts. What we think is never the same as somebody else, it's always altered in some way. This means that books are invaluable because all they are are a persons feelings and thoughts on paper.
I think that Carl Sagen is trying to say that words on paper can open a whole new world of imagination. books can also be a way to travel trough time and see what life was like centuries ago.
@Hayley M i agree with you that books are more than words on paper. i think this is because they can really open your eyes to a new realm of creativity and imagination. Carl Sagan is really trying to tell us that books are more than just words.
I feel that this statement is very interesting because it made me go back and think about it over and over again. I have read a great deal of books, and connected with many of them. However it never occurred to me that I was connecting with the author as well. This is someone who doesn't even know I exist, and who I wouldn't recognize if I passed them on the street, yet through these written words we are able to connect so well, depending on the book. Therefore, since I realized that through reading and understanding books well, I am connecting with the author, I thought this statement was fascinating.
I feel that Carl Sagan is trying to say that books are more than what they seem to be. He says, "It’s a flat object made from a tree with flexible parts on which are imprinted lots of funny dark squiggles. But one glance at it and you’re inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years." He is trying to tell us, that sure, a book may be a piece of wood or plastic with words inside, but once you start reading it, you are communicating and seeing things through the eyes of someone else. You could be looking at life through the eyes of a bullied middle schooler, or an old man from the 1800s. Either way this new perspective of life are possible because of books. Therefore, since books may be a wooden object with ink in it, the stories and views inside it, is what makes it more than it seems.
I thought that Carl Sagan's quote was a little odd, because he was describing the look of a book as if it was garbage, or useless. And then he described the book the complete opposite from what he said before.
@Ryan I agree that I don't know a lot of famous people. I don't know a lot of famous people because I haven't seen a lot of TV back then and even now. That is why I don't know a lot of famous people.
101 comments:
I'm not surprised that I don't know Carl Sagan, because I don't know a lot of famous people. What I don't understand is what this astronomer is trying to say, and why he's not talking about astronomy.
@Ryan
I think you misunderstood what Carl Sagan was trying to say, regardless of the fact that he's an astronomer. For example, Carl Sagan is telling us of the value and meaning of books, which essentially bind us together because books can take ypou into other times and other people's minds. Therefore, Carl Sagan was expressing his wonder of the "greatest of human inventions".
That was a very interesting statement. And it was almost 100% true. It does show how impressive and fasinating the human mind is. It also allows us to witness the importance of books. Books are what make us what we are today. And just like in the quote, even though a book is only part of a tree with black squiggles on it, it may just be what made us what we are today.
@Ryan
I disagree. This is because that was not the question that Horvath was asking. It doesn't matter if you don't know a lot of famous people. And I find it hard to believe that you couldn't figure out what Carl Sagan was trying to say. Horvath clearly summed it up in the blog description. It makes no sense that you would think that an astronomer will ALWAYS talk about astronomy. What he says didn't have to be about astronomy. It was a deep thoughtful statement about the human mind and books. That is why I disagree with your post.
I think Carl Sagan was trying to tell us about how a book can show us the world through another set of unique eyes or bind together people who have never met and how it is truelly the best technology mankind has at its disposal because a book can communicate what some words can not and will show us how someone is right or wrong and not just tell us. he seemed to bring across the point that books are true magic of mankind.
This is a very VERY interesting quote because it shows that books are another world, another life, or even another dimension ( I mean the magic part). He is telling us that when your into a book you lose track of time or as he said it 'Books break the shackles of time'.
i loved this statement because if made me think and i wold have never thought of books being part of a tree or tiny dark sqiggles on a page this is why i loved this quote.
i agree with ryant because you dont have to even talk about astronomy in some statement if you are an astronemer. and the statement was clearly in black and white so i do not understand how you couldnt interpret it.
I think that books are amazing things. When I am in a good book, I am in the book! I feel the character's feelings, I see what they are feeling. I think Carl Sagan is very smart because he recognized that and phrased it so beautifully. Books really do link the author to the reader; if the author is feeling happy, the reader feels happy through his writing, and if the author is feeling annoyed, so will the reader and so on and so forth.
@Kotonashi I agree with you that the quote is very interesting. The magic of books is that no matter who you are or where you are, a great book can make you escape your location or identity and fall in love, go on an adventure or just about anything, but only if you read.
The most powerful thing humans have is the power of expression. Being able to unleash the powers of the human mind and the inner thoughts of people throughout any media, writing, art and music are all door ways to the inner thoughts of people. Communicating and showing the way the personal mind works is exceptional and Carl Sagan expresses this on the topic of books and how the inner thoughts of writers will live on and even after they pass away. I hope that books continue to be printed and written so that not only our history and lives can be documented but, our inner feelings
@ chris g
I feel like all you got form the quote was that books are made of trees and they're squiggles on paper. I think Carl Sagan was going more into how the author can voice this thoughts his heart and his mind to you and those words can live on for ever hit the simple promise of ink.
One part of this quote that I liked was "But one glance at it and you’re inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years" It really shows that authors can put you inside the characters' feelings and feel like you too are experiencing it all. The other part that I liked was "A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic." Books are a whole different level of imagination and creativity. They're all completely different from one another.
The part of the quote that i liked the most was this," Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you." I found this so interesting because that is really what a book is. The author is telling you story that he or she wrote and youo are reading it in your head and learning something new.
The poem or statement he wrote was pretty weird I understood when he said a book is very flat and that the pages are very flexible and the rest was pretty hard to understand but I really didnt hear any astronomy in the whole statement.
"A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic." She found this part of the quote very interesting. I agree with her i found this part interesting too. It show you that writing takes you out of the real world and lets you imagination run wild.
I agree with what Carl Sagan is saying because books are one of the most amazing man-made things. This is because when you read a book, you can go places while you're siting on the couch: places that exist but are far away, places that exist and are near, even places that don't exist! They can show you anything, even without pictures, even things that exist or don't. Without literature none of this would be available to you, which is why I agree with Carl Sagan.
@Simeong
The quote wasn't about astronomy because it was about the wonder that is a book. Carl Sagan was trying to explain how a book can travel through time, take you amazing places and show you the mind of someone else. It has nothing to do with astronomy, true, but you don't have to be an English professor to talk about books. This is why you weren't supposed to hear any astronomy in the statement.
I think that what Carl Sagan is saying is true, like the part about a book is seeing into another person's mind. I think that is soo cool, because that is what a book, a story in a mind of the author. Why i think this is because well its true and a story is a world created in the mind of the author and when you are reading that book, your in the mind of the author.
I think that what Carl Sagan is saying is true, like the part about a book is seeing into another person's mind. I think that is soo cool, because that is what a book, a story in a mind of the author. Why i think this is because well its true and a story is a world created in the mind of the author and when you are reading that book, your in the mind of the author.
@Pandanut12 I agree with you that a book is one of the most amazing man made objects. It is also a great invention of the mind as well because when you are reading a book you are in the mind of the author.
I agree with Carl Sagan's saying how he said the books are a mazing things. I think this because books books are just "made of trees and squiggles", as he said in his very own quote. Books can take you into a different time, place, or life. I think that a book is a movie but, its script and a movie is acting out a book. Books have evolved over the time now with colored covers when before they were just one color and the title name. Books are amazing things and they always will be.
I agree with Carl Sagan's saying how he said the books are a mazing things. I think this because books books are just "made of trees and squiggles", as he said in his very own quote. Books can take you into a different time, place, or life. I think that a book is a movie but, its script and a movie is acting out a book. Books have evolved over the time now with colored covers when before they were just one color and the title name. Books are amazing things and they always will be.
I agree with Carl Sagan's saying how he said the books are a mazing things. I think this because books books are just "made of trees and squiggles", as he said in his very own quote. Books can take you into a different time, place, or life. I think that a book is a movie but, its script and a movie is acting out a book. Books have evolved over the time now with colored covers when before they were just one color and the title name. Books are amazing things and they always will be.
@Pandanut12
I agree with how you said how books are one of the most amazing man-made things. I agree with you because lie you said yourself, it takes you on a journey to different places that are close or far away, places that do not exist. I think that just paper and ink could do that to somebody. That is the reason why I agree with your comment on how books are the most amazing man-made things.
I Think that ts statement is both completely true and mind opening. I have never thought of how complex of a task our writing system has . It needs to be understood by every on,easy to read and write, and it needs to have a word for every thing we can think up. This all makes books possible. Think of all the thinks we wouldn't know without book. I fully agree with Carl Sagan that writing may be one of the greatest human invention.
I agree with Anonymous because i also think that humans expression is really an amazing thing. Like he said a book is just a broken down pieces of a tree with squiggles on it but the way we express ourselves with them is truly outstanding. A book is only what the author makes it and that is why there are so many different types of books. Each will show you a glance inside the authors head almost like a window.
I think that this quote from Carl is very true. This is because books are not only a piece of writing, but they are someones delicate thoughts and a chunk of history in the palm of your hand. This is why I think books are an amazing invention.
@Grace S.
I agree with you. This is because I also think that books are an amazing part of history.
I think that this quote is very accurate and I agree completely. The book is just a ton of squiggles on a thin piece of tree that is a portal to the minds of other people in our time, and those of another world. The concept of magic caught on paper is something that amuses me. I read a lot of books about magic and impossible things so the idea that writers are making magic with words is an idea that I can grasp. That is because some of the books I have read took me into another world and showed me amazing things with so much detail and clarity it felt like I was actually there. I could really imagine being in the shoes of the character, and to me that is magic in its own way. So this quote is extremely truthful in my eyes and it sums up this whole post in a couple of sentences.
@Grace S.
I agree that authors make you feel a connection to the character. Good authors have a way with words and readers. They know just what/how to write to make the reader feel a certain way about a character. They can persuade a reader with words to make them feel a certain way. Also authors can write so you feel as though the character is your sibling or best friend. You feel a true connection to the character. I think that is why people like to read so much. They can escape everyday life and go to a new one with a character they love and feel connected to. Therefore I agree that authors can bond a true connection from the reader to the character.
@ YouJustGotCerved
I agree that a book could be a chunk of history in your hand and in my view it could also be a chunk of another world just waiting to be read and discovered in the amazing thing called your imagination.
@mnm I agree with you that it is like looking through someone else"s eyes.The reason I agree is because I have read books that made me feel like I was the character.
I agree with you Bookworm That reading is like going to a different world.The reason I agree is because I have read this book about this town with fairy tail characters in it and I felt like I was in that town.
I think that reading is like watching a movie in your head. I think that because every time I read Percy Jackson and the Olympian Series I feel like I am in there world. I also think that reading a book is like being in the Authors world.
@Emma I liked that quite too but for a different reason. I liked it because it is true, when I am reading a book I create a voice for the author and characters and read the book in that tone. This happens especially when I read Percy Jackson and the Olympian Series.
I liked this quote for many different reasons. One reason is because it is actually a very true statement. I think this because writing really is one of the greatest human inventions because it lets an author talk about other characters, and as Carl Sagan says, "Books break the shackle of time." which I very much agree with. This is why I think this quote is very true, and also why I like this quote.
@Emma. I also agree with your favorite part of the quote because mine was the same. "Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you." I liked this part of the quote the most because it talked about how the author thinks, and gets inside the readers mind, which is actually very interesting. This is why I agree with you that this was the best part about this very interesting quote.
I enjoyed this quote because it really made me think of the significance about a book. I could also relate to it because in some books, when I’m really interested, it does feel like I’m watching a movie or that the author is talking to me. “But one glance at it and you’re inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years.” This is really cool to think about and a book is more than just a few pages and a couple of words.
I agree with what you said @mnm. “I think Carl Sagan was trying to tell us about how a book can show us the world through another set of unique eyes.” I agree with that because a book is way different from movies or videos because you are reading it through your perspective and it’s like the author is talking directly to you.
I think that Carl Sagan was a very smart man because he thought about how someone could read someone else's writing, and relate to them in a way never before possible, and how someone could understand a person long ago dead.
@Nonstop I agree with you; When you read a book, you can see into another world, and maybe see into the past or future. This is like what Carl Sagan stated on how books can bring you back to see someone else's point of view.
I think that books are very important. Carl was trying to tell us how books truly are one of the most amazing human inventions, and one of the most important ones, too. Without them, we wouldn't be able to record information, and communicate with people that maybe died 1000 years ago, or maybe with people that are in Spain. Books bring us into another world. That is why I think that books are important.
@Anonymous
I agree with you. When I read books, I also see a movie playing in my mind, only if it's a good book though. I think that when you read a book, you should be taken into a whole other world, not just read the words and not process anything. A book really isn't just pages and words. That is why I agree with you.
I think what Carl Sagan is trying to say is that books are what people truly need to understand things. I also think that as an astronomer, he has a different outlook to things like books because of his passion. I think this because he has more opportunities to see and do things that normal people don't have.
@ Stephanie Z
I agree because the engineering of books does effect human life. This also effects human traits and actions. And since Carl is an astronomer, it is not unlikely that he has more chances to look into something like the effect of books on humans.
This statement is very interesting, because I would've never looked at a book this way. Carl Sagan said that the author is basically speaking to us. Also, he said that we are getting to experience the thoughts in the mind of someone else, that could've been alive 1,000,000 years ago. This is a very unique, creative, and interesting way to say the importance of a book, and also makes me look at the true meaning of a book in a different way. Therefore, now thinking about it, I completely agree with Carl Sagon, and that a book is truly an amazing thing created by humen.
@StephanieZ
I agree that books are really important because of how Carl Sagan made me look at them. He stated, "A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic," and also he said, "Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions..." Therefore, books are a very important thing to the human race, because like Carl said, they are one of the greatest inventions ever created by humans.
I think what Carl Sagan said show true value in reading. Now most of us take reading as just another school assignment, and some of us don't, but Carl Sagan, he took reading as the key to knowledge. He is saying by reading, you could almost be the author, like your going into their mind, weather they are down the street, or across the nation, you go into their mind.
I think the fact that an astronomer talking about a reading and how it helped him so much is very powerful. The fact that this astronomer, who probably does much more intricate things than read, said this shows how important and vital reading really is. Like he said, when you read a book, you kind of are like the author, you think of what might happen next, imagine the scene and play it out in your mind and so much more. It is magic when you think of it how just one idea can turn into hundreds of pages. This astronomer shows that reading is the key to any getaway, and a vital skill to have in any path you take.
@sethblog,
I agree with you! When you talk about how most of us take reading as just an easy grade in class, I do that all the time. It's not like I don't like to read, I just can't fit it in any more. But Carl changed my mind about it. He really described the feelings you get when you read a book. You have a mind of someone else, and for a while, that's all you need to escape from something that could be bothering you for the longest time. All in all, i think this quote put reading int a whole different light for the both of us.
I think that Carl Sagan means to get through that with books you can outlast time and tell somebody in the future of what you were thinking or to share a story. We would not know much of our past if it weren't for books and documented happenings.
I think that he means is that books are an important part of life that we use them everyday to get information or to give information. It lets us see now what somebody was thinking years ago, it tells a story to keep entertained, and it informs us of happings of the times before us like the mistakes and victory's that make us what we are today.
I think that the statement by Carl Sagan is true and it makes you think. Up until now, I have never truly understood just how complex the system of writing is. A single piece of writing needs to be understood by every person on this planet, even if it is read to some people. A piece of writing needs to be easy to read and write at the same time and for everything we can think about, that piece will need a word and a description for that specific object. I completely agree with Carl Sagan that writing is the greatest human invention because writing a book, making millions of copies, then shipping those around the world is a lot easier than people going around the world, telling other people a story, then expecting those people to spread the story to every corner of the world.
@Sethblog
I agree with you because you said " I think what Carl Sagan said shows true value in reading." Most of us really do just take reading as another assignment, not as a way to understand the vision of people long dead or not even as a hobby. By reading you become even more full of knowledge, you can travel across the author's mind, even if they're long dead, across the nation, or even halfway across the world.
Even though this quote is about books, I think this also shows how far the human race has developed.A "flat object made from a tree with flexible parts on which are imprinted lots of funny dark squiggles" is now something that can put you "inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years." Imagine how mankind took a tree, made it into paper, put a bunch of dark squiggles on it that people can now understand, and now it is "proof that humans are capable of working magic." Therefore, I think this quote broke down books and showed how far mankind had to go just to make a book.
@ sethblog I agree with you that Carl Hagan is trying to get across the true point in reading. Most people will take reading as just a regular assignment in school, however Carl Hagan shows the true meaning. He claims that books are the greatest of human inventions, which binds together people who never knew each other. He also says reading a book can put you inside the mind of another person, even someone who has been dead for thousands of years. Therefore, I think Carl Hagan is trying to show how important reading is.
@ sethblog I agree with you that Carl Hagan is trying to get across the true point in reading. Most people will take reading as just a regular assignment in school, however Carl Hagan shows the true meaning. He claims that books are the greatest of human inventions, which binds together people who never knew each other. He also says reading a book can put you inside the mind of another person, even someone who has been dead for thousands of years. Therefore, I think Carl Hagan is trying to show how important reading is.
I agree with Sagan and believe that books are invaluable because they not only provide entertainment and information but they link two people together. When writing a book you put yourself into your writing, your fantasies, your fears, your beliefs. By reading someone's writing you really learn so much about who the person is. In this way, a book can link a reader to the writer who as Sagan said may be dead for a thousand years. Books are one of the best ways to find out about another time period, to connect the past with the present. You can learn as much about someone from reading a piece of fiction they wrote as if you read their biographhy. Books are man's greatest invention and are invaluable because they can link two people from distant ages as well as provide entertainment and or information.
@Anonymous (first one)
I totally agree that the most powerful things humans have is the power to share our inner expressions. No matter how much technology we have what is most imporatnt in life is to connect with others and to share ideas and beliefs. These kinds of things are done through all forms of media: writing, music, film, art, etc. Language and writing are the greatest inventiosn ever created because they are how communicate with eachother and with the future. Through books we can communicate with the past and share ourselves with the future to come. I too hope that as long as man exists he will write and share his thoughts with the rest of the world, he will share his life through his literature. The most powerful thing we have is self expression, it should be used to the fullest capacity.
I agree with Sagan. Books are an amazing invention. They can make someone laugh, cry, or change their view on the world forever. They can educate people, or just be there for entertainment. And literally, books are just paper with black squiggles on them. But they do so much, which is why I think Sagan was right by saying books capable of working magic.
I agree with Kotonashi, who said that the quote was very interesting. It was. We often don't appreciate how much books are capable of. They just exist, and people read them. That quote makes people think outside the box of what we usually think of, therefore its a very interesting quote.
I agree with Emma when you said you like the quote," Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you." I also like this quote because it's really interesting to think that people from hundreds of years ago that we have never met, are still able to connect with us through their stories.
I agree with Emma when you said you like the quote," Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you." I also like this quote because it's really interesting to think that people from hundreds of years ago that we have never met, are still able to connect with us through their stories.
I like this quote because He is saying how incredible the invention of the book is. People from hundreds of years ago created characters and stories and the lessons they created a long time ago can still be learned by people today. People are still reading the books they wrote and can connect to them. That's why I liked this quote.
I think this quote is very thought provoking because Carl Sagan talks about being inside the mind of another person. "But one glance at it and you're inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you." This made me think about how I am reading someone else's thoughts which, I have never thought about before. I enjoy reading classic books from the past to see the difference in writing styles and connections between back then, and modern day. This quote, especially the part about being inside an authors mind was really thought provoking to me and made me come up with many questions.
@Kotonashi
I absolutely agree with you. Carl Sagen is explaining that books open a new world, a portal, in our minds where anything could happen. Either 100 years ago or 100 years from now, the author is making us use our imagination when we read.
I think what Carl Sagan is saying is that reading isn't another job, assignment, or more work. It is the way of knowledge. It is a way of knowledge because we exceed in vocabulary and we learn how to solve problems by the theme and moral of stories, we can learn about feelings, and actions. Its all a base of the common sense learning skills. Therefore, I think his statements are about learning vocabulary and gaining common sense.
@Kotonashi
I agree with you because reading makes our imagination vast and full of excitement. Whether the setting is from BC or based in the future. Our mind is developing a mythical happening also known as out imagination. Therefore, I agree with you because reading sets an imagination base and build off of that by every book we read.
I don't think thats reading a book is the most important invention because there are so much more important things in life than just reading a plane book if you think about it its not that fun, to just sit read words and read action that you cant even see its just not there to entertain you.
I think that Carl Sagan is right about his quote. Books are just made from trees with dark squiggles imprinted on it. But those squiggles stand for letters. It is a written way of communication where one's thoughts are written down for another to read and ponder about. Books let our mind to leave our world and enter another. We learn about the author's way of looking at the world, in another perspective. That's why I think that Carl Sagan's statement is true.
@blah blah blah
I agree with you that Carl Sagan was telling us the value in books. We both think that he meant that books are a way for the author and reader to communicate without talking. It tells the reader what the author is thinking. That's why I agree with you.
I think Carl Sagan is trying to say that the knowledge we have today to be writing and authors communicating without talking to us through books is astonishing.
I think that Carl Sagan is trying to say that the human mind is more important than most people think because he said," But one glance at it and you're inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years." This means that the brain can translate these scribbles into letters that we understand. That's why Carl Sagan is saying that the brain is very important.
@Unknown 7
I agree with you because the words we write might seem like random squiggles to other people. The brain can understand the scribbles and translate them into words. That's why I agree with you.
I think this article was showing us that books are what makes humans special. We are the only species who documents things. With this ability, we are pretty much able to go anywhere, we can learn from our ancestors, and communicate.
@Kotonashi
I agree with you that this was an interesting quote because it says that you can go anywhere and to any time period. You can learn so much a bunch of squiggles that are letters. It is crazy that these can help you learn so much about the world.
I think this article is about how the human race is special. We document things and learn from them like our ancestors. When we do this we are pretty much able to go anywhere, we can learn, and communicate.
@ Peter P
I agree with you because like the quote we can translate the scribbles and translate them to something we understand. Also I agree with you about the human mind is more important than people think.
I agree that books are connections to other time periods in life because people documented what had happened during that time period. "Books are one of the best ways to find out about another time period, to connect the past with the present." For example, in Anne Frank, we could connect to the writing and emotions that she had during the time period of World War II. This is just one example of how a book can connect people from different time periods, but there are many others out there that inform you and show you how it was like to live in different time periods. As you can see I agree that books can connect our present day world to what has happened in the past!
I don't think this statement is very effective because if people always read books in silence and seclusion then how could technology progress how could mankind continue to develop?
I thought that, that quote was very interesting because it told that we human are in a way magical. It is true that writing can bring people together in so many ways. Books are one of the humans best ideas yet. It is also cool how it said that books can talk to you in your head, directly to you. Books are one of the greatest inventions in the world.
I know I'm not alone in saying that books are important to the continuing of our world. Technology may be great, but it won't be lasting for thousands of years. It will become outdated and forgotten quickly, the next thing taking its place. But a book won't be updated, remastered or redone. It will remain the same and, as Sagan said, "…break the shackles of time." That is why books are so important.
@mnm
I agree with you that Sagan was trying to say how important the technology of a book is. They blend many different time periods together and connect cultures. The technology of a book truly is a great thing and Sagan has just stated it. That is why I agree with you.
I think books are great things. You can feel, see and hear the character. I think Carl Sagan is a very wise man because he recognized that and made it into a short easy quote that everybody understands. I do think books link the author and the reader. If the character in the book is happy, you'll feel happy and so on.
I agree with what Carl Sagan is saying. You can read a book about someone who lived thousands of years ago yet feel like you're their best friend. Writing allows us to do so many things like create books and other stuff. If their were no books or if there was no writing life would be missing something.
@ Ryan, I disagree with you. I think misunderstood what Horvath said. You mentioned you don't know a lot of famous people, which doesn't matter if you know famous people or not. I don't believe you couldn't figure out what Carl Sagan said. Plus Horvath did mention in the post what Sagan was saying. This is why I disagree with you, I just think you got a little confused.
@Logan S. I agree with you. The quote tells us in a way that we are all magical and different in our own way. You can have someone that is really arrogant yet still be magical and you could have someone very caring and still be magical.
One part of the quote that I thought was very interesting was, "Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you," because it really made me think more about what authors do. With this part of the quote, I realized that it was true, that authors are pretty much speaking to you from their story. With a story, an author is basically painting a picture or movie for your mind to conjure up. Therefore, the reason why I thought that this part of the quote was interesting because it gives you another perspective on thinking about how authors work.
@Grace S.
i agree with with your comment because you said that a part of the quote you like was "But one glance at it and you’re inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years" You said that, "It really shows that authors can put you inside the characters' feelings and feel like you too are experiencing it all." Therefore, since this was also another part of the quote that made me think more about what authors do, I agree with you.
Carl Sagan says that books are magic and I agree. They can make you feel that you are miles away from home, in situations that are amazing or frightening and they can make you feel what characters feel. Sometimes when I read, I can picture places, people and situations in my head. They have color and action and feel very real. It is great to get lost in a book when you are sad, bored or need a break from your brothers.
@Steve
I never thought about books being permanent and technology being quick to change, but I get what you are saying. In just the past 5 years, computers, the internet and other technologies have changed a great deal. A book is a book. For example, Harry Potter will always be a wonderful wizard series. Book that are favorites and speak to many people become classics. They can be enjoyed by many generations of people, because they never stop being understood by people.
I agree with Carl Sagan. I really like how he says, "A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic." Something about books reminds me of fairy tales. I can't imagine a world without books. I feel like books have a weird tranquil way of changing thinking. They offer a simple escape into other places.
I think Carl Sagan is trying to tell us that although a book is just words on paper, it's truly more than that because it allows us to see life through a different perspective.When an author writes a book they use past experiences and real emotions, this allows us to see how other people feel at the slightest of things. A book lets us feel pain we never knew existed and touch our hearts in a way we never thought possible. Even though they're just words, they mean a lot and can affect us in a way we didn't think possible.
@G-MAN, I agree with you that books are invaluable because you can't put a price on a human's thoughts. What we think is never the same as somebody else, it's always altered in some way. This means that books are invaluable because all they are are a persons feelings and thoughts on paper.
I think that Carl Sagen is trying to say that words on paper can open a whole new world of imagination. books can also be a way to travel trough time and see what life was like centuries ago.
@Hayley M i agree with you that books are more than words on paper. i think this is because they can really open your eyes to a new realm of creativity and imagination. Carl Sagan is really trying to tell us that books are more than just words.
I feel that this statement is very interesting because it made me go back and think about it over and over again. I have read a great deal of books, and connected with many of them. However it never occurred to me that I was connecting with the author as well. This is someone who doesn't even know I exist, and who I wouldn't recognize if I passed them on the street, yet through these written words we are able to connect so well, depending on the book. Therefore, since I realized that through reading and understanding books well, I am connecting with the author, I thought this statement was fascinating.
I feel that Carl Sagan is trying to say that books are more than what they seem to be. He says, "It’s a flat object made from a tree with flexible parts on which are imprinted lots of funny dark squiggles. But one glance at it and you’re inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years." He is trying to tell us, that sure, a book may be a piece of wood or plastic with words inside, but once you start reading it, you are communicating and seeing things through the eyes of someone else. You could be looking at life through the eyes of a bullied middle schooler, or an old man from the 1800s. Either way this new perspective of life are possible because of books. Therefore, since books may be a wooden object with ink in it, the stories and views inside it, is what makes it more than it seems.
I thought that Carl Sagan's quote was a little odd, because he was describing the look of a book as if it was garbage, or useless. And then he described the book the complete opposite from what he said before.
@Ryan
I agree that I don't know a lot of famous people. I don't know a lot of famous people because I haven't seen a lot of TV back then and even now. That is why I don't know a lot of famous people.
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