The BBC on the history of the written word

The BBC recently produced a five-part series dedicated to the history of the written word. It covers everything from early parchment scratchings to the emergence of the modern book to how writing influenced the spread of religion to the scientific revolution of the Enlightenment (also made possible by writing, of course).

You can listen to all five episodes of the program online, but be quick about it since the BBC only makes their audio available for about a week. If you need some encouragement, here's what Elisabeth Mahoney, The Guardian's radio critic, had to say about episode three, which explores writing and religion:

[Host Melvyn Bragg] visited the British Library to see the earliest complete edition of the New Testament, and I relished the way he and an expert brought the book to life for listeners. "One was good, one was OK, and one was truly awful," we heard of the spelling by the three writers. Later, looking at a 15th-century Book of Hours, Bragg asked if there was a saint on 6 October. "Is that your birthday?" the expert asked. It is. She chuckled at the thought of St Melvyn and then explained it was St Faith's day. Given the topic, it was a rather sweet coincidence.

Hear "The Written World" here.