Login

Empire of the Word

Basic literacy - reading and writing - is at the heart of our ability to be informed individuals, to engage in our society and ultimately to succeed in a modern, information-saturated world. But how exactly did the simple act of reading come to be? And how did its rise shape our lives - and the world? Eight years in the making and filmed in 15 countries, 'Empire of the Word' explores how reading and writing were born; how we learn to read; who or what might prevent us from reading; and what the future of reading may be. Hosted by Alberto Manguel and based on his book, "A History of Reading".

Year: 2009
Genre: Documentaries, General Docos, Historical
Country: Canada
Director: Mark Johnston
Starring: Alberto Manguel
Duration: 208 Minutes
Rating: M
7.5/10
Location in store: Documentary (Historical)

AVAILABILITY

DVD AVAILABLE NOW!

Permanent Collection

For in-store pickup reservations please call 03 3650 615

ALICE ALSO SUGGESTS:

Spellbound (2002)

In this acclaimed, Oscar-nominated documentary, the focus is on eight teenagers and their families a...

Stone Reader (2002)

"Stone Reader" is a constantly absorbing and moving film about the power of books to change our live...

The Ascent of Man (1973)

Regarded as one of television's greatest achievements, Dr Jacob Bronowski traces the steps of scient...

Fuck (2005)

The tagline reads, 'The movie that dare not speak its name', for obvious reasons. Steve Anderson's...

Wordplay (2006)

In the wake of 'Spellbound' and 'Word Wars', this 'geek-umentary' gives us a peek at the eccentric,...

Melvyn Bragg's The Adventure of English (2002)

Written and presented by Melvyn Bragg, this eight-part series tells the story of how an insignifica...

Helvetica (2007)

An engaging and funny investigation into the world's most ubiquitous typeface. Are you partial to Ti...