Walter J. Ong · 1982
A cultural study on how the transition from oral traditions to written communication changed the human mind.
Cal Newport recommends it because it is academic yet very readable with fascinating details.
A speaker recommends a book written by someone else.
“I finally read Walter Ong's book, Orality and Literacy, The Technologizing of the Word. Everyone always cites Walter Young, right? So he's a mid-century to late mid-century, 20th century scholar. And he wrote this book, Orality and Literacy, about how writing changed the way the human mind works.”
Why: It is academic, but I found it to be very readable and the details are fascinating.
Cal Newport, Host on The Cal Newport ShowShould I Use Notebooks More Often? (Cal’s Strategy) | Monday Advice
Named without an opinion attached.
“The first was Orality and Literacy by Walter Ong, which we talked about in an earlier July episode.”
Cal Newport, Host on The Cal Newport ShowHow Do I Finish Meaningful Projects? | Monday Advice
Other books cited in the same episodes.
Deep Work
Cal Newport
Discussed together in: Should I Use Notebooks More Often? (Cal’s Strategy) | Monday Advice (The Cal Newport Show)
A Brief History of Intelligence
Max Bennett
Discussed together in: How Do I Finish Meaningful Projects? | Monday Advice (The Cal Newport Show)
More Everything Forever
Adam Becker
Discussed together in: How Do I Finish Meaningful Projects? | Monday Advice (The Cal Newport Show)
Disneyland and the Rise of Automation
Roland Betancourt
Discussed together in: How Do I Finish Meaningful Projects? | Monday Advice (The Cal Newport Show)
Sapiens
Yuval Noah Harari
Discussed together in: How Do I Finish Meaningful Projects? | Monday Advice (The Cal Newport Show)
A World Without Email
Cal Newport
Discussed together in: How Do I Finish Meaningful Projects? | Monday Advice (The Cal Newport Show)