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The first written text is argued to be Sumerian script, invented around 3400 B.C. The script was written on clay tablets using a reed stylus. This specific tablet is dated back to around 3100 B.C. This written text was developed in ancient Mesopotamia.

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Egyptian hieroglyphics were developed around 3200 B.C. They wrote on a variety of surfaces, such as stone, ceramic, and papyrus. This specific example of hieroglyphics is dated to around 3200 B.C., meaning it could possibly be the earliest archaeological evidence of Egyptian hieroglyphics found

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Gilgamesh was the 5th king of Uruk and stories of his reign were passed down for centuries before finally being written down. There are several tales documented, but I included this image of Tablet V, which is dated to around 2000 B.C. Most modern translations rely on 11 tablets to form the entire story.

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This is a page from the Dresden Codex. The Dresden Codex is one of the few survivors of Spanish colonizers. Written in Mayan hieroglyphics, this book includes astronomical calculations and prophecies of what would happen after the end of a cycle.

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This image is from the Russia-Ukraine war. In occupied towns, it is being reported that Ukrainian literature and history textbooks are being confiscated or destroyed.

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This is the Kesh Temple Hymn. It is dated to around 2600 B.C. and is considered the oldest religious poem. Written in Sumerian, it praises the goddess Ninhursag and her temple.

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This is the oldest existing cookbook, dating back to around 1750 B.C. There are 3 tablets and there are 35 recipes in total. This specific tablet includes 25 recipes for different stews.

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According to research published by the American Psychological Association, "less than 20 percent of U.S. teens report reading a book, magazine or newspaper daily for pleasure, while more than 80 percent say they use social media every day." This leaves the question: are we reading less? Potential problems could arise from people reading less, like literacy rates declining. There will be a worrisome future if this decline in reading continues.

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This is a page from the book The Canon of Internal Medicine. This book was written by the Yellow Emperor, or Huangdi, but the date is not yet confirmed. The range varies from around 2600 B.C. to 300 B.C. It is a book of medical theory and practice, even developing a theory of human health and disease

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John Wiley & Sons is a great place to buy from because it is a certified carbon neutral company across all its operations. This is a fantastic step towards sustainable  publishing and causing less harm to the planet

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Another way to act is to buy from local, independent bookstores. According to WordsRate, “…the number of independent bookstores decreased by 63.2%, and the number of their locations decreased by 64.2% since Amazon entered the scene in 1995.” Amazon has become a monopoly and is destroying independent booksellers. The image above is an independent bookstore in D.C. called "Politics and Prose," an easily accessible way to support local business!

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The image above is a kindle, the most popular e-reader on the market. It made me question what books will look like in the future, considering the advancement of technology. E-books and audiobooks are already popular, but could they surpass physical books? I considered the fact that I’ve barely used paper in school in the past few years and transfer to the digital world has been swift.

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Visiting a library is another easy, accessible way to read.

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Impoverished communities in America are lacking in books, therefore hurting children in the long run. According to a Scholastic journal “Access to Books”, children with fewer resources enter school at a disadvantage. The journal discovered that “... children from poorer families are less able to recognize their letters, count to 20, write their name, or read or pretend to read a book” (“Access to Books”). This limited access to books is extremely troubling and a major problem in America. This is a serious topic that many may not even know about due to their privileged background. Spreading awareness to this situation is the first step in making progress.