{"product_id":"the-new-dark-ages-the-death-of-reading-and-the-dawn-of-the-post-literate-society-9780385552943","title":"The New Dark Ages: The Death of Reading and the Dawn of the Post-Literate Society by Marriott, James","description":"\u003cb\u003eINSTANT \u003ci\u003eSUNDAY TIMES\u003c\/i\u003e BESTSELLER - The evidence is clear--we are now entering a post-literate society. In this urgent and timely account, James Marriott shows the potential impact of this shift and offers a passionate defense of the written word.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIt's not by chance that the rise of new printing technologies coincided with the age of revolutions and the decline of the aristocratic order. At the beginning of the modern era in Europe, a critical mass of people could share and debate ideas about individual rights, the purpose of government and scientific truth. With growing literacy came the world we recognize today. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eNow, around the world, the number of peo­ple who read is in free fall. Literacy is declining or stagnating in most developed countries. Univer­sity students struggle mightily to read the books assigned in their classes. The golden chain of knowledge linking reader to reader through the centuries is breaking. Here, London \u003ci\u003eTimes \u003c\/i\u003ecol­umnist James Marriott argues that this--the New Dark Ages--is the most important cultural shift of our time. The age of print is giving way to the age of the screen. The world we knew is passing away and nothing will ever be the same again. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn this trenchant critique, Marriott assails the culture of modern life and singles out the written word as the best defense we have for a more en­lightened world. Provocative and enthralling, \u003ci\u003eThe New Dark Ages \u003c\/i\u003eargues that reading and writing are essential for innovation, creativity and complex thought. Above all, the culture of print is critical to the functioning of modern democracies, which re­quire their citizens to grapple with ideas at length and in depth. As print dies, we risk returning to the chaos, tribalism and rage of the world before widespread literacy.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e James Marriott\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Doubleday Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 10\/06\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 208\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.65lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.07h x 5.35w x 0.92d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780385552943\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eShelf Awareness\u003c\/i\u003e 01\/01\/0001\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 10\/01\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 10\/12\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJAMES MARRIOTT\u003c\/b\u003e is a London \u003ci\u003eTimes \u003c\/i\u003ecolumnist and the author of the Substack \u003ci\u003eCultural Capital\u003c\/i\u003e, covering society, ideas, and culture. He also reviews podcasts. Previously he worked as an assistant on the \u003ci\u003eTimes\u003c\/i\u003e books desk. Before joining the paper he worked in the rare book trade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- bookmarks-official-preview:9780385552943 --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"bookmarks-official-preview\" style=\"max-width:100%;margin:1.5em 0 0;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 2px;letter-spacing:0.08em;font-size:12px;color:#c45c3a;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLOOK INSIDE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 12px;font-size:1.15em;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe New Dark Ages: The Death of Reading and the Dawn of the Post-Literate Society\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 12px;\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"bookmarks-li-open\" href=\"#bookmarks-look-inside\" style=\"display:inline-block;padding:6px 12px;border:1px solid #c45c3a;color:#c45c3a;text-decoration:none;\"\u003eLarger view\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"width:100%;max-width:100%;overflow-x:auto;-webkit-overflow-scrolling:touch;scroll-snap-type:x mandatory;display:flex;flex-wrap:nowrap;gap:0;\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"flex:0 0 100%;width:100%;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;scroll-snap-align:start;box-sizing:border-box;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/insight.penguinrandomhouse.com\/fullpage.do?pContentType=JPG\u0026amp;pName=fullpage\u0026amp;pISBN=9780385552943\u0026amp;pPageID=1\" alt=\"Official sample page 1 of 17. The New Dark Ages: The Death of Reading and the Dawn of the Post-Literate Society by James Marriott.\" width=\"560\" height=\"784\" style=\"width:100%;max-width:100%;height:auto;display:block;\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"flex:0 0 100%;width:100%;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;scroll-snap-align:start;box-sizing:border-box;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/insight.penguinrandomhouse.com\/fullpage.do?pContentType=JPG\u0026amp;pName=fullpage\u0026amp;pISBN=9780385552943\u0026amp;pPageID=2\" alt=\"Official sample page 2 of 17. The New Dark Ages: The Death of Reading and the Dawn of the Post-Literate Society by James Marriott.\" width=\"560\" height=\"784\" style=\"width:100%;max-width:100%;height:auto;display:block;\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"flex:0 0 100%;width:100%;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;scroll-snap-align:start;box-sizing:border-box;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/insight.penguinrandomhouse.com\/fullpage.do?pContentType=JPG\u0026amp;pName=fullpage\u0026amp;pISBN=9780385552943\u0026amp;pPageID=4\" alt=\"Official sample page 3 of 17. The New Dark Ages: The Death of Reading and the Dawn of the Post-Literate Society by James Marriott.\" width=\"560\" height=\"784\" style=\"width:100%;max-width:100%;height:auto;display:block;\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"flex:0 0 100%;width:100%;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;scroll-snap-align:start;box-sizing:border-box;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/insight.penguinrandomhouse.com\/fullpage.do?pContentType=JPG\u0026amp;pName=fullpage\u0026amp;pISBN=9780385552943\u0026amp;pPageID=5\" alt=\"Official sample page 4 of 17. The New Dark Ages: The Death of Reading and the Dawn of the Post-Literate Society by James Marriott.\" width=\"560\" height=\"784\" style=\"width:100%;max-width:100%;height:auto;display:block;\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"flex:0 0 100%;width:100%;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;scroll-snap-align:start;box-sizing:border-box;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/insight.penguinrandomhouse.com\/fullpage.do?pContentType=JPG\u0026amp;pName=fullpage\u0026amp;pISBN=9780385552943\u0026amp;pPageID=6\" alt=\"Official sample page 5 of 17. The New Dark Ages: The Death of Reading and the Dawn of the Post-Literate Society by James Marriott.\" width=\"560\" height=\"784\" style=\"width:100%;max-width:100%;height:auto;display:block;\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"flex:0 0 100%;width:100%;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;scroll-snap-align:start;box-sizing:border-box;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/insight.penguinrandomhouse.com\/fullpage.do?pContentType=JPG\u0026amp;pName=fullpage\u0026amp;pISBN=9780385552943\u0026amp;pPageID=8\" alt=\"Official sample page 6 of 17. The New Dark Ages: The Death of Reading and the Dawn of the Post-Literate Society by James Marriott.\" width=\"560\" height=\"784\" style=\"width:100%;max-width:100%;height:auto;display:block;\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"flex:0 0 100%;width:100%;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;scroll-snap-align:start;box-sizing:border-box;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/insight.penguinrandomhouse.com\/fullpage.do?pContentType=JPG\u0026amp;pName=fullpage\u0026amp;pISBN=9780385552943\u0026amp;pPageID=10\" alt=\"Official sample page 7 of 17. The New Dark Ages: The Death of Reading and the Dawn of the Post-Literate Society by James Marriott.\" width=\"560\" height=\"784\" style=\"width:100%;max-width:100%;height:auto;display:block;\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"flex:0 0 100%;width:100%;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;scroll-snap-align:start;box-sizing:border-box;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/insight.penguinrandomhouse.com\/fullpage.do?pContentType=JPG\u0026amp;pName=fullpage\u0026amp;pISBN=9780385552943\u0026amp;pPageID=11\" alt=\"Official sample page 8 of 17. The New Dark Ages: The Death of Reading and the Dawn of the Post-Literate Society by James Marriott.\" width=\"560\" height=\"784\" style=\"width:100%;max-width:100%;height:auto;display:block;\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"flex:0 0 100%;width:100%;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;scroll-snap-align:start;box-sizing:border-box;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/insight.penguinrandomhouse.com\/fullpage.do?pContentType=JPG\u0026amp;pName=fullpage\u0026amp;pISBN=9780385552943\u0026amp;pPageID=12\" alt=\"Official sample page 9 of 17. The New Dark Ages: The Death of Reading and the Dawn of the Post-Literate Society by James Marriott.\" width=\"560\" height=\"784\" style=\"width:100%;max-width:100%;height:auto;display:block;\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"flex:0 0 100%;width:100%;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;scroll-snap-align:start;box-sizing:border-box;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/insight.penguinrandomhouse.com\/fullpage.do?pContentType=JPG\u0026amp;pName=fullpage\u0026amp;pISBN=9780385552943\u0026amp;pPageID=13\" alt=\"Official sample page 10 of 17. The New Dark Ages: The Death of Reading and the Dawn of the Post-Literate Society by James Marriott.\" width=\"560\" height=\"784\" style=\"width:100%;max-width:100%;height:auto;display:block;\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"flex:0 0 100%;width:100%;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;scroll-snap-align:start;box-sizing:border-box;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/insight.penguinrandomhouse.com\/fullpage.do?pContentType=JPG\u0026amp;pName=fullpage\u0026amp;pISBN=9780385552943\u0026amp;pPageID=14\" alt=\"Official sample page 11 of 17. The New Dark Ages: The Death of Reading and the Dawn of the Post-Literate Society by James Marriott.\" width=\"560\" height=\"784\" style=\"width:100%;max-width:100%;height:auto;display:block;\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"flex:0 0 100%;width:100%;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;scroll-snap-align:start;box-sizing:border-box;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/insight.penguinrandomhouse.com\/fullpage.do?pContentType=JPG\u0026amp;pName=fullpage\u0026amp;pISBN=9780385552943\u0026amp;pPageID=15\" alt=\"Official sample page 12 of 17. The New Dark Ages: The Death of Reading and the Dawn of the Post-Literate Society by James Marriott.\" width=\"560\" height=\"784\" style=\"width:100%;max-width:100%;height:auto;display:block;\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"flex:0 0 100%;width:100%;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;scroll-snap-align:start;box-sizing:border-box;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/insight.penguinrandomhouse.com\/fullpage.do?pContentType=JPG\u0026amp;pName=fullpage\u0026amp;pISBN=9780385552943\u0026amp;pPageID=16\" alt=\"Official sample page 13 of 17. The New Dark Ages: The Death of Reading and the Dawn of the Post-Literate Society by James Marriott.\" width=\"560\" height=\"784\" style=\"width:100%;max-width:100%;height:auto;display:block;\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"flex:0 0 100%;width:100%;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;scroll-snap-align:start;box-sizing:border-box;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/insight.penguinrandomhouse.com\/fullpage.do?pContentType=JPG\u0026amp;pName=fullpage\u0026amp;pISBN=9780385552943\u0026amp;pPageID=17\" alt=\"Official sample page 14 of 17. The New Dark Ages: The Death of Reading and the Dawn of the Post-Literate Society by James Marriott.\" width=\"560\" height=\"784\" style=\"width:100%;max-width:100%;height:auto;display:block;\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"flex:0 0 100%;width:100%;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;scroll-snap-align:start;box-sizing:border-box;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/insight.penguinrandomhouse.com\/fullpage.do?pContentType=JPG\u0026amp;pName=fullpage\u0026amp;pISBN=9780385552943\u0026amp;pPageID=18\" alt=\"Official sample page 15 of 17. The New Dark Ages: The Death of Reading and the Dawn of the Post-Literate Society by James Marriott.\" width=\"560\" height=\"784\" style=\"width:100%;max-width:100%;height:auto;display:block;\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"flex:0 0 100%;width:100%;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;scroll-snap-align:start;box-sizing:border-box;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/insight.penguinrandomhouse.com\/fullpage.do?pContentType=JPG\u0026amp;pName=fullpage\u0026amp;pISBN=9780385552943\u0026amp;pPageID=19\" alt=\"Official sample page 16 of 17. The New Dark Ages: The Death of Reading and the Dawn of the Post-Literate Society by James Marriott.\" width=\"560\" height=\"784\" style=\"width:100%;max-width:100%;height:auto;display:block;\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"flex:0 0 100%;width:100%;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;scroll-snap-align:start;box-sizing:border-box;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/insight.penguinrandomhouse.com\/fullpage.do?pContentType=JPG\u0026amp;pName=fullpage\u0026amp;pISBN=9780385552943\u0026amp;pPageID=20\" alt=\"Official sample page 17 of 17. The New Dark Ages: The Death of Reading and the Dawn of the Post-Literate Society by James Marriott.\" width=\"560\" height=\"784\" style=\"width:100%;max-width:100%;height:auto;display:block;\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;margin:10px 0 6px;\"\u003eSwipe for the next page · 17 official sample pages\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 16px;font-size:13px;\"\u003eOfficial Penguin Random House sample. Promotion only. 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