(You may note that, like Josephine Tey in The Man in the Queue [see previous post], Richard Polt has at least partly dedicated this book to a single typewriter.)
Richard Polt's book The Typewriter Revolution: A Typist's Companion to the 21st Century has been getting some very warm reviews on Amazon, where it is consistently scoring five stars out of five.
Here is a sample of some of the reviews (for some reason I can't seem to access all of them, but there are more than the ones here):
Simply the Best
A brilliant addition to the limited field of typewriter-related literature
and the most significant publication about typewriters in more than a decade. In
the 21st Century, nobody knows typewriters quite like Richard Polt. Here he
combines his outstanding qualities as a writer and historian with an ability to
convey his great passion for these machines and his intimate knowledge of their
many abiding virtues. Polt brings together all the strands with style: Where
typewriters came from in the latter part of the 19th Century, why today they
have an increasing appeal to people both young and old, what to look for when
seeking to buy one, when to use it. Such is Polt's beautiful writing style, his
thorough understanding of his subject matter and his unique grasp on typewriter
use around the world in 2015, his book is at once engrossing, enlightening,
entertaining and, most vitally, easy reading. Indeed, the experience of reading
The Typewriter Revolution feels like having a long, uninterrupted and utterly
enjoyable conversation with a fascinating, deeply informed author. In many
areas, it's pleasing to find Polt has some very firm opinions: the reader comes
to feel he or she can trust those views. There is a Typewriter Revolution going
on out there, and here is the perfect guide for the Remington Rebels, the Corona
Crusaders, the Royal Renegades and the Underwood Uprisers! To all those
insightful people, I recommend this book most heartily.
- Robert Messenger
Viva la revolución!
By Bradley H.Baker
What a great book! I was inspired to invest in a manual typewriter a year
ago and wish this book had been available then. It literally answered all my
questions and made me feel less weird knowing there are other people out there
who share my love for things less digital. I especially liked the bookmark
typewriter ribbon, nice touch by the author. Would highly recommend as a
companion to anyone who enjoys using typewriters in the modern age.
Informative, Impressive and Entertaining.
Yes! We are talking about
typewriters!
By Sheila English
(I've actually used that Meteor, in Cincinnati, and quite a lot!)
(I've actually used that Meteor, in Cincinnati, and quite a lot!)
Typewriters have not become antiquated, they have evolved and now you can
find out just what amazing things you can do with these beautiful
machines! As a novice collector who actually uses a typewriter to type letters,
poems, etc, this was very helpful to me. It shows me all the possibilities my
machine has to offer. It also talks about how to fix your machine, what to look
for when buying a machine and gives you tips and tricks to use whether you're a
novice or expert.
The author gives us information in very useful ways and in a way that keeps
us entertained as well as informed. I recommend the book to anyone with an
interest or love of typewriters.
Indispensible!
By Doug Freeman
The revolution explained
By Chef Leo
I pre-ordered this book back in February 2015, shortly after I had begun
collecting typewriters and reading Richard Polt's Classic Typewriter Page
online. I was not disappointed. this book covers everything from why people use
and collect typewriters, to the philosophy that goes with typewriting as opposed
to computers, to works of art created with typewriters, to picking out a good
used machine and caring for it. No matter how much you think you know about
typewriters, there will be something in this book that surprises you. If you
wonder what all the fuss is about, the book will explain that, too. I recommend
this book highly.
The Typewriter Revolution
By Otter Valley
Very nicely produced book. Gives a history of various typewriters and their
evolution. A good basic introduction to the subject.
A nice sampling of readers' comments. I really liked yours, Robert. Well done.
ReplyDelete~Joe Van Cleave
Robert thank you for the post. I had preordered Richard's book back in January and was thrilled when it arrived. I read it over the following two days. My wife patiently listened to me as I would read her snippets from the book that I found particularly appealing.
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