In this groundbreaking book, Leonard Shlain proposes that alphabetic literacy fundamentally rewired the human brain, with profound consequences for culture, history and religion. Making remarkable connections across a wide range of subjects including brain anatomy and function, anthropology, history, and religion, Shlain argues that, with the advent of literacy, the very act of reading an alphabet reinforced the brain's left hemisphere - linear, abstract, predominantly masculine - at the expense of the right - holistic, concrete, visual, feminine. This shift upset the balance between men and women, and initiated the disappearance of goddesses, the abhorrence of images, the decline of women's social and political status, and a long reign of patriarchy and misogyny. A provocative, disturbing, and yet inspiring read, this book is filled with startling historical anecdotes and compelling ideas. It is a paradigm-shattering work that will transform your view of history and the mind.
