Object-Books and Exposed Writings: New Textual and Literary Landscapes in Latin America and Spain

Objetos-livro e escrituras expostas: novas paisagens textuais e literárias na América Latina e Espanha

ABSTRACT

In this essay I explore new ways of literary transmission edited in formats other than the codex in Latin America and Spain. My study also analyzes what Armando Petrucci called exposed writings. Taking as departing point a review of the concept of book, I will scrutinize several object-books to offer an analysis of literary materials edited in non-codex supports. This essay also proposes a clear distinction between book-object and object-book. Since the object-books I analyze convey literary texts, a main aim of my research is to vindicate the inclusion of these new materialities of literature into the field of literary studies, an area that historically has omitted non-codex formats considering them non-serious literature or literary diversions.

KEYWORDS:
Print culture; Material culture; Materiality of literature; Textual materiality; Book-object; Object-book