Traveling through centuries and across continents, Battles gracefully (and efficiently) tells the history of the written word in under 200 pages. In this profound intellectual adventure, Battles highlights the most engaging and interesting stories, and discovers connections and parallels that echo society's relationship to writing in this day and age. "Palimpsest" is both poetic and humorous and captures the essence of writing. You can read the Monitor's full review of "Palimpsest" here.