In the Blink of an Eye: A Cultural History of Spectacles

Author: Stefana Sabin Format: Hardback Number of Pages: 112 This book examines those who wore glasses through history, art and literature, from the green emerald through which Emperor Nero watched gladiator fights to Benjamin Franklin's homemade bifocals, and from Marilyn Monroe's cat-eye glasses to Emma Bovary and Harry Potter. Spectacles are objects that seem commonplace, but this book shows that because they fundamentally changed people's lives, glasses were the wellspring of a quiet social, cultural and economic revolution. Indeed, one...Read more