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Robert Darnton
History & Commentary
Robert Darnton is an American cultural historian and academic librarian specializing in eighteenth-century France and examining the role of books in society.
Biography
Robert Choate Darnton, born May 10, 1939, is an American cultural historian and academic librarian. His historical specialty is eighteenth-century France. He served as director of the Harvard University Library from 2007 to 2016.
In The Case for Books (2009), Darnton examines the book’s history and its changing place in society. The collection brings together previously published pieces and new work, addressing books in popular culture, commerce, and academic life. It considers the book from its earliest beginnings through its contemporary role, while asking readers to reflect on how the digital revolution may affect the marketplace of ideas.
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Books by Robert Darnton
The case for books
The Case for Books examines the book from its earliest beginnings to its changing role in popular culture, commerce, and academic life. Combining previously published and new work, it considers how the digital revolution may affect the marketplace of ideas.