Glorious Bookishness | Michael F. Suarez, S.J. | TEDxCharlottesville

when I was an 8 year old boy I used to

when I was an 8 year old boy I used to drive my family crazy whenever we would

drive my family crazy whenever we would

drive my family crazy whenever we would go out in my dad’s blue Chevy station

go out in my dad’s blue Chevy station

go out in my dad’s blue Chevy station wagon I would be glued to the window

wagon I would be glued to the window

wagon I would be glued to the window watching and watching and looking and

watching and watching and looking and

watching and watching and looking and finally I would see what I had been on

finally I would see what I had been on

finally I would see what I had been on the lookout for all the while and I

the lookout for all the while and I

the lookout for all the while and I would shout stop the car stop the car

would shout stop the car stop the car

would shout stop the car stop the car and my four brothers and sisters would

and my four brothers and sisters would

and my four brothers and sisters would say no my parents would sigh okay okay

say no my parents would sigh okay okay

say no my parents would sigh okay okay and they would pull over and I’d say

and they would pull over and I’d say

and they would pull over and I’d say thanks thanks dad and he’d say Michael

thanks thanks dad and he’d say Michael

thanks thanks dad and he’d say Michael oh but be quick and what I had seen was

oh but be quick and what I had seen was

oh but be quick and what I had seen was a pond a pond

a pond a pond

a pond a pond a pond often full of green smelly stinky

a pond often full of green smelly stinky

a pond often full of green smelly stinky algae and I would take my Skippy peanut

algae and I would take my Skippy peanut

algae and I would take my Skippy peanut butter jar that I had washed out oh so

butter jar that I had washed out oh so

butter jar that I had washed out oh so carefully before the days of dishwashers

carefully before the days of dishwashers

carefully before the days of dishwashers and I would run to the pond and kind of

and I would run to the pond and kind of

and I would run to the pond and kind of wade in and scoop up all the muck and I

wade in and scoop up all the muck and I

wade in and scoop up all the muck and I would bring this back and my brothers

would bring this back and my brothers

would bring this back and my brothers and sisters would say really Michael

and sisters would say really Michael

and sisters would say really Michael really you smell your PF Flyers are full

really you smell your PF Flyers are full

really you smell your PF Flyers are full of muck and I would say yeah but I got

of muck and I would say yeah but I got

of muck and I would say yeah but I got it I got it I had begged my parents to

it I got it I had begged my parents to

it I got it I had begged my parents to give me a microscope for Christmas and I

give me a microscope for Christmas and I

give me a microscope for Christmas and I knew that when I got home when I put

knew that when I got home when I put

knew that when I got home when I put that drop of water on the slide it would

that drop of water on the slide it would

that drop of water on the slide it would be teeming with life I spent many days

be teeming with life I spent many days

be teeming with life I spent many days and many nights building my slide

and many nights building my slide

and many nights building my slide library looking at pond and pond and

library looking at pond and pond and

library looking at pond and pond and pond in the winter in the summer in the

pond in the winter in the summer in the

pond in the winter in the summer in the spring and I was upset

spring and I was upset

spring and I was upset I drove my brothers and sisters crazy

I drove my brothers and sisters crazy

I drove my brothers and sisters crazy because I was driven I was driven by

because I was driven I was driven by

because I was driven I was driven by wonder we know that wonder is super

wonder we know that wonder is super

wonder we know that wonder is super important in the sciences the great

important in the sciences the great

important in the sciences the great astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson says

astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson says

astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson says I wonder every day for wonder is the

I wonder every day for wonder is the

I wonder every day for wonder is the window that takes us from where we are

window that takes us from where we are

window that takes us from where we are to where we want to be many years later

to where we want to be many years later

to where we want to be many years later I had a very different kind of wonder

I had a very different kind of wonder

I had a very different kind of wonder moment I was sitting in a class where we

moment I was sitting in a class where we

moment I was sitting in a class where we were reading 17th and 18th century

were reading 17th and 18th century

were reading 17th and 18th century British poetry yeah and I put up my hand

British poetry yeah and I put up my hand

British poetry yeah and I put up my hand and I said to the prof but how did this

and I said to the prof but how did this

and I said to the prof but how did this stuff get published what was it like for

stuff get published what was it like for

stuff get published what was it like for the people who read it how did they buy

the people who read it how did they buy

the people who read it how did they buy it what was going on and he said Michael

it what was going on and he said Michael

it what was going on and he said Michael come and see and he took me into his

come and see and he took me into his

come and see and he took me into his office and he said to me what do you

office and he said to me what do you

office and he said to me what do you know I said what do you mean I don’t

know I said what do you mean I don’t

know I said what do you mean I don’t know anything and he said excellent

know anything and he said excellent

know anything and he said excellent that’s a great place to begin and I saw

that’s a great place to begin and I saw

that’s a great place to begin and I saw that he had a shelf of 17th and 18th

that he had a shelf of 17th and 18th

that he had a shelf of 17th and 18th century leather-bound books and he

century leather-bound books and he

century leather-bound books and he started to pull them off the shelves and

started to pull them off the shelves and

started to pull them off the shelves and he said hey look at this this is an

he said hey look at this this is an

he said hey look at this this is an anti-piracy device it’s like a hologram

anti-piracy device it’s like a hologram

anti-piracy device it’s like a hologram on a credit card so that they can’t copy

on a credit card so that they can’t copy

on a credit card so that they can’t copy the book only this was made in 1670 and

the book only this was made in 1670 and

the book only this was made in 1670 and then he picked up another book and he

then he picked up another book and he

then he picked up another book and he said oh look at this and raking light

said oh look at this and raking light

said oh look at this and raking light you

you

you see the printer was doing this on the

see the printer was doing this on the

see the printer was doing this on the cheap he was cheating on the paper

cheap he was cheating on the paper

cheap he was cheating on the paper this is third-rate stuff can you see oh

this is third-rate stuff can you see oh

this is third-rate stuff can you see oh this one he said oho

this one he said oho

this one he said oho they’re cheating the other way said the

they’re cheating the other way said the

they’re cheating the other way said the guy wrote the book too short and so now

guy wrote the book too short and so now

guy wrote the book too short and so now the printer is putting lines of blank

the printer is putting lines of blank

the printer is putting lines of blank LEDs between all the different lines of

LEDs between all the different lines of

LEDs between all the different lines of prose to make the book too long so they

prose to make the book too long so they

prose to make the book too long so they can sell it for more money and I learned

can sell it for more money and I learned

can sell it for more money and I learned that day that authors do not write books

authors produce manuscripts that

authors produce manuscripts that communities of makers turn into books I

communities of makers turn into books I

communities of makers turn into books I learned that day that every book was a

learned that day that every book was a

learned that day that every book was a communal object made by paper makers and

communal object made by paper makers and

communal object made by paper makers and type founders by compositors who were

type founders by compositors who were

type founders by compositors who were setting the type by the Pressman who

setting the type by the Pressman who

setting the type by the Pressman who were pulling by the children who were

were pulling by the children who were

were pulling by the children who were folding the sheets and the men and women

folding the sheets and the men and women

folding the sheets and the men and women who were sewing them together and

who were sewing them together and

who were sewing them together and putting them in boards that day in that

putting them in boards that day in that

putting them in boards that day in that boring class my professor told me that

boring class my professor told me that

boring class my professor told me that if you know how to read the whole book

if you know how to read the whole book

if you know how to read the whole book every book is alive with the judgments

every book is alive with the judgments

every book is alive with the judgments of its makers and to read the whole book

of its makers and to read the whole book

of its makers and to read the whole book is to learn how to discern the human

is to learn how to discern the human

is to learn how to discern the human presences in every historical text

presences in every historical text

presences in every historical text I left that profs office that day

I left that profs office that day

I left that profs office that day knowing that I and probably you had been

knowing that I and probably you had been

knowing that I and probably you had been cheated cheated because I have been

cheated cheated because I have been

cheated cheated because I have been handed the texts of history in boring

handed the texts of history in boring

handed the texts of history in boring textbooks in anthologies stripped out of

textbooks in anthologies stripped out of

textbooks in anthologies stripped out of all their

all their

all their and historical particularity they no

and historical particularity they no

and historical particularity they no longer had a local habitation and a name

longer had a local habitation and a name

longer had a local habitation and a name it’s like saying we expect you to know

it’s like saying we expect you to know

it’s like saying we expect you to know about wheat but we’re only gonna give

about wheat but we’re only gonna give

about wheat but we’re only gonna give you Wonder Bread

you Wonder Bread

you Wonder Bread it’s like inviting people to a banquet

it’s like inviting people to a banquet

it’s like inviting people to a banquet and when you get there all the food is

and when you get there all the food is

and when you get there all the food is white that bland diet that problem that

white that bland diet that problem that

white that bland diet that problem that I had been fed in all these books was

I had been fed in all these books was

I had been fed in all these books was kind of boring because the strangeness

kind of boring because the strangeness

kind of boring because the strangeness of history the specificity of a local

of history the specificity of a local

of history the specificity of a local time and the decisions of communities of

time and the decisions of communities of

time and the decisions of communities of makers was completely gone and I felt

makers was completely gone and I felt

makers was completely gone and I felt really cheated because a book every book

really cheated because a book every book

really cheated because a book every book is an expressive object and you know

is an expressive object and you know

is an expressive object and you know this we judge books by their covers all

this we judge books by their covers all

this we judge books by their covers all the time and rightly so you should judge

the time and rightly so you should judge

the time and rightly so you should judge a book by its cover

a book by its cover

a book by its cover don’t judge a book by its movie but

don’t judge a book by its movie but

don’t judge a book by its movie but definitely judge it by its cover so if

definitely judge it by its cover so if

definitely judge it by its cover so if you go into the airport and you walk

you go into the airport and you walk

you go into the airport and you walk into the airport bookstore and and you

into the airport bookstore and and you

into the airport bookstore and and you see a certain kind of book on the rack

see a certain kind of book on the rack

see a certain kind of book on the rack and there’s a picture on the cover of

and there’s a picture on the cover of

and there’s a picture on the cover of that book and oh he’s some kind of

that book and oh he’s some kind of

that book and oh he’s some kind of brawny man he has no shirt on right and

brawny man he has no shirt on right and

brawny man he has no shirt on right and he’s embracing this woman and she’s kind

he’s embracing this woman and she’s kind

he’s embracing this woman and she’s kind of falling out of her ballgown and the

of falling out of her ballgown and the

of falling out of her ballgown and the plantation is burning in the background

plantation is burning in the background

plantation is burning in the background right you know what that book is not

right you know what that book is not

right you know what that book is not that we would read such books certainly

that we would read such books certainly

that we would read such books certainly not but you know that’s a Harlequin

not but you know that’s a Harlequin

not but you know that’s a Harlequin romance right yeah and it’s telling you

romance right yeah and it’s telling you

romance right yeah and it’s telling you I am a Harlequin romance you should buy

I am a Harlequin romance you should buy

I am a Harlequin romance you should buy me now and you look at a different kind

me now and you look at a different kind

me now and you look at a different kind of book and it’s got those ring

of book and it’s got those ring

of book and it’s got those ring these foiled letters on it and maybe

these foiled letters on it and maybe

these foiled letters on it and maybe like an f-16 phantom jet or an ak-47 or

like an f-16 phantom jet or an ak-47 or

like an f-16 phantom jet or an ak-47 or maybe even a grenade and you look at

maybe even a grenade and you look at

maybe even a grenade and you look at that and you say oh I’ll get that for my

that and you say oh I’ll get that for my

that and you say oh I’ll get that for my dad it’s a Tom Clancy novel

dad it’s a Tom Clancy novel

dad it’s a Tom Clancy novel yeah well books are expressive forms

yeah well books are expressive forms

yeah well books are expressive forms they tell us all the time about what

they tell us all the time about what

they tell us all the time about what they are and who they’re for they tell

they are and who they’re for they tell

they are and who they’re for they tell us about a price point and a readership

us about a price point and a readership

us about a price point and a readership and whether they’re are meant to endure

and whether they’re are meant to endure

and whether they’re are meant to endure or not that’s true on our own time and

or not that’s true on our own time and

or not that’s true on our own time and that was true way back in history during

that was true way back in history during

that was true way back in history during the 1850s in America books were gaudy

the 1850s in America books were gaudy

the 1850s in America books were gaudy book covers were bright red and green

book covers were bright red and green

book covers were bright red and green they had gold stamping all over them

they had gold stamping all over them

they had gold stamping all over them they were full of Garland’s and flowers

they were full of Garland’s and flowers

they were full of Garland’s and flowers and then the civil war broke out and the

and then the civil war broke out and the

and then the civil war broke out and the mood of the nation changed brothers and

mood of the nation changed brothers and

mood of the nation changed brothers and fathers were dying no publisher would

fathers were dying no publisher would

fathers were dying no publisher would produce a book with gold and flowers and

produce a book with gold and flowers and

produce a book with gold and flowers and bright colors this is a book published

bright colors this is a book published

bright colors this is a book published in the Civil War

in the Civil War

in the Civil War it’s somber it reflects the mood of a

it’s somber it reflects the mood of a

it’s somber it reflects the mood of a nation that is getting the dispatches

nation that is getting the dispatches

nation that is getting the dispatches from Fredericksburg and Antietam that

from Fredericksburg and Antietam that

from Fredericksburg and Antietam that sees the casualty list from the Battle

sees the casualty list from the Battle

sees the casualty list from the Battle of Bull Run and can never ever imagine

of Bull Run and can never ever imagine

of Bull Run and can never ever imagine their own happiness again this book has

their own happiness again this book has

their own happiness again this book has nothing to do with the Civil War it’s

nothing to do with the Civil War it’s

nothing to do with the Civil War it’s the short stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne

the short stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne

the short stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne but it has everything to do with the

but it has everything to do with the

but it has everything to do with the moment in which it was made

moment in which it was made

moment in which it was made it has everything to do with the sombre

it has everything to do with the sombre

it has everything to do with the sombre sensibility of a nation

sensibility of a nation

sensibility of a nation at war with itself a book is a kind of

at war with itself a book is a kind of

at war with itself a book is a kind of the wormhole it lets us travel in time

the wormhole it lets us travel in time

the wormhole it lets us travel in time a portal into the past that passed

a portal into the past that passed

a portal into the past that passed another country that we can go visit

another country that we can go visit

another country that we can go visit deeply and come home again to see our

deeply and come home again to see our

deeply and come home again to see our own world with new eyes I teach a course

own world with new eyes I teach a course

own world with new eyes I teach a course called the history of the book from

called the history of the book from

called the history of the book from Archimedes to the iPad it’s mostly for

Archimedes to the iPad it’s mostly for

Archimedes to the iPad it’s mostly for first-year students and it meets

first-year students and it meets

first-year students and it meets entirely in Special Collections and we

entirely in Special Collections and we

entirely in Special Collections and we look at stuff and we try to learn how to

look at stuff and we try to learn how to

look at stuff and we try to learn how to read the whole book in all its gorgeous

read the whole book in all its gorgeous

read the whole book in all its gorgeous pluriform a tea and the students are

pluriform a tea and the students are

pluriform a tea and the students are pretty cool around the seminar table

pretty cool around the seminar table

pretty cool around the seminar table they’re like okay yeah oh yeah I read

they’re like okay yeah oh yeah I read

they’re like okay yeah oh yeah I read about that for the seminar mm-hmm right

about that for the seminar mm-hmm right

about that for the seminar mm-hmm right yeah okay prof I got that but then when

yeah okay prof I got that but then when

yeah okay prof I got that but then when I pick up my computer bag and I leave

I pick up my computer bag and I leave

I pick up my computer bag and I leave the classroom they’re out in the

the classroom they’re out in the

the classroom they’re out in the courtyard

courtyard

courtyard mom-mom King Lear 1608 we were looking

mom-mom King Lear 1608 we were looking

mom-mom King Lear 1608 we were looking at King Lear Shakespeare it’s a little

at King Lear Shakespeare it’s a little

at King Lear Shakespeare it’s a little pamphlet it’s a little pamphlet and the

pamphlet it’s a little pamphlet and the

pamphlet it’s a little pamphlet and the printer oak something-or-other didn’t

printer oak something-or-other didn’t

printer oak something-or-other didn’t buy enough paper and so the dude was

buy enough paper and so the dude was

buy enough paper and so the dude was editing Shakespeare to make it shorter

editing Shakespeare to make it shorter

editing Shakespeare to make it shorter so he could fit it all in it mom we’ve

so he could fit it all in it mom we’ve

so he could fit it all in it mom we’ve got it I thought Shakespeare

it’s one thing to tell your students you

it’s one thing to tell your students you need to be alive to the contingencies of

need to be alive to the contingencies of

need to be alive to the contingencies of human history Wow it’s another thing to

human history Wow it’s another thing to

human history Wow it’s another thing to show your students how fragile

show your students how fragile

show your students how fragile Shakespeare is yeah there is in our

Shakespeare is yeah there is in our

Shakespeare is yeah there is in our digital world hunger for the object for

digital world hunger for the object for

digital world hunger for the object for haptic knowledge to hold it in your own

haptic knowledge to hold it in your own

haptic knowledge to hold it in your own hands to turn the pages to hold the book

hands to turn the pages to hold the book

hands to turn the pages to hold the book up to the light and to see the watermark

up to the light and to see the watermark

up to the light and to see the watermark to smell the history not to fetishize

to smell the history not to fetishize

to smell the history not to fetishize but to travel to another country to be

but to travel to another country to be

but to travel to another country to be filled with Wonder to come home with new

filled with Wonder to come home with new

filled with Wonder to come home with new eyes to be given the courage to

eyes to be given the courage to

eyes to be given the courage to understand there is a hunger for the

understand there is a hunger for the

understand there is a hunger for the object you go into the New York Public

object you go into the New York Public

object you go into the New York Public Library and you give them your address

Library and you give them your address

Library and you give them your address and proof of where you live and you can

and proof of where you live and you can

and proof of where you live and you can look at all the old stuff you go down

look at all the old stuff you go down

look at all the old stuff you go down the street into the Metropolitan Museum

the street into the Metropolitan Museum

the street into the Metropolitan Museum of Art and you start to pick up the

of Art and you start to pick up the

of Art and you start to pick up the vases and try to sleep in the louis

vases and try to sleep in the louis

vases and try to sleep in the louis quatorze bed they put you in jail but

quatorze bed they put you in jail but

quatorze bed they put you in jail but with books you can do this you can live

with books you can do this you can live

with books you can do this you can live in the history of them so that you can

in the history of them so that you can

in the history of them so that you can understand your own time I think we need

understand your own time I think we need

understand your own time I think we need to ask ourselves in this our digital age

to ask ourselves in this our digital age

to ask ourselves in this our digital age what is education for we have made our

what is education for we have made our

what is education for we have made our students slaves to duty we have made our

students slaves to duty we have made our

students slaves to duty we have made our children prisoners of diligence and

children prisoners of diligence and

children prisoners of diligence and instead we should be giving them love we

instead we should be giving them love we

instead we should be giving them love we should be giving them the wonder the

should be giving them the wonder the

should be giving them the wonder the window that takes them from where they

window that takes them from where they

window that takes them from where they are

are

are to where they want to go what is our

to where they want to go what is our

to where they want to go what is our model of Education today it’s a kind of

model of Education today it’s a kind of

model of Education today it’s a kind of a broadcast model want one want want

a broadcast model want one want want

a broadcast model want one want want want want want want want why and we

want want want want want why and we

want want want want want why and we should be giving our students an

should be giving our students an

should be giving our students an experiential model to curate

experiential model to curate

experiential model to curate opportunities for wonder not everyone

opportunities for wonder not everyone

opportunities for wonder not everyone will work but some of them will and when

will work but some of them will and when

will work but some of them will and when you can get that student that child that

you can get that student that child that

you can get that student that child that boy that girl wonder happens and the

boy that girl wonder happens and the

boy that girl wonder happens and the thirst to know begins in many ways I’m

thirst to know begins in many ways I’m

thirst to know begins in many ways I’m still that boy in my father’s blue Chevy

still that boy in my father’s blue Chevy

still that boy in my father’s blue Chevy wagon driving my brothers and sisters

wagon driving my brothers and sisters

wagon driving my brothers and sisters crazy stop the car stop the car I say

crazy stop the car stop the car I say

crazy stop the car stop the car I say only now I say it to my students I beg

only now I say it to my students I beg

only now I say it to my students I beg them slow down slow down for wonder if

them slow down slow down for wonder if

them slow down slow down for wonder if you look closely and slowly the book is

you look closely and slowly the book is

you look closely and slowly the book is teeming with life