Download or read book How the Post Office Created America written by Winifred Gallagher and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2016-06-28 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A masterful history of a long underappreciated institution, How the Post Office Created America examines the surprising role of the postal service in our nation’s political, social, economic, and physical development. The founders established the post office before they had even signed the Declaration of Independence, and for a very long time, it was the U.S. government’s largest and most important endeavor—indeed, it was the government for most citizens. This was no conventional mail network but the central nervous system of the new body politic, designed to bind thirteen quarrelsome colonies into the United States by delivering news about public affairs to every citizen—a radical idea that appalled Europe’s great powers. America’s uniquely democratic post powerfully shaped its lively, argumentative culture of uncensored ideas and opinions and made it the world’s information and communications superpower with astonishing speed. Winifred Gallagher presents the history of the post office as America’s own story, told from a fresh perspective over more than two centuries. The mandate to deliver the mail—then “the media”—imposed the federal footprint on vast, often contested parts of the continent and transformed a wilderness into a social landscape of post roads and villages centered on post offices. The post was the catalyst of the nation’s transportation grid, from the stagecoach lines to the airlines, and the lifeline of the great migration from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It enabled America to shift from an agrarian to an industrial economy and to develop the publishing industry, the consumer culture, and the political party system. Still one of the country’s two major civilian employers, the post was the first to hire women, African Americans, and other minorities for positions in public life. Starved by two world wars and the Great Depression, confronted with the country’s increasingly anti-institutional mind-set, and struggling with its doubled mail volume, the post stumbled badly in the turbulent 1960s. Distracted by the ensuing modernization of its traditional services, however, it failed to transition from paper mail to email, which prescient observers saw as its logical next step. Now the post office is at a crossroads. Before deciding its future, Americans should understand what this grand yet overlooked institution has accomplished since 1775 and consider what it should and could contribute in the twenty-first century. Gallagher argues that now, more than ever before, the imperiled post office deserves this effort, because just as the founders anticipated, it created forward-looking, communication-oriented, idea-driven America.
Download or read book Neither Snow Nor Rain written by Devin Leonard and published by Open Road + Grove/Atlantic. This book was released on 2016-05-03 with total page 381 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “[The] book makes you care what happens to its main protagonist, the U.S. Postal Service itself. And, as such, it leaves you at the end in suspense.” —USA Today Founded by Benjamin Franklin, the United States Postal Service was the information network that bound far-flung Americans together, and yet, it is slowly vanishing. Critics say it is slow and archaic. Mail volume is down. The workforce is shrinking. Post offices are closing. In Neither Snow Nor Rain, journalist Devin Leonard tackles the fascinating, centuries-long history of the USPS, from the first letter carriers through Franklin’s days, when postmasters worked out of their homes and post roads cut new paths through the wilderness. Under Andrew Jackson, the post office was molded into a vast patronage machine, and by the 1870s, over seventy percent of federal employees were postal workers. As the country boomed, USPS aggressively developed new technology, from mobile post offices on railroads and airmail service to mechanical sorting machines and optical character readers. Neither Snow Nor Rain is a rich, multifaceted history, full of remarkable characters, from the stamp-collecting FDR, to the revolutionaries who challenged USPS’s monopoly on mail, to the renegade union members who brought the system—and the country—to a halt in the 1970s. “Delectably readable . . . Leonard’s account offers surprises on almost every other page . . . [and] delivers both the triumphs and travails with clarity, wit and heart.” —Chicago Tribune
Download or read book The Post Office in Ireland written by Stephen Ferguson and published by Merrion Press. This book was released on 2018-07-26 with total page 631 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the first complete history of the Irish Post Office, an institution which has been at the heart of Irish life for over 300 years. It tells the story of how a small letter office grew into one of the greatest departments of State, influencing developments in areas of life which ranged from transport and communications to economics, technology and national identity. From the early days of postboys and packet ships to the introduction of the telegraph and telephone, the Post Office has played a vital role in communications, delivering mail to all parts of the island, maintaining precious links between Ireland and its emigrants, and representing, through the friendly face of a local postman or postmistress, an approachable facet of Government. Always a commercial enterprise as well as a public service, the Post Office has had to deal with the tensions that arise in that relationship and which today pose particularly serious challenges. At the heart of the book are the men and women whose fascinating stories and sympathetic characters have moulded the shape of the department and ensured its survival in the face of personal turmoil, rebellion and political intrigue. Drawing on much unpublished material, The Post Office in Ireland: An Illustrated History reveals an organisation that has been quietly influential in the development of Irish society and pays tribute to those who have faithfully served it. From letters and telegrams, to railways, radio and the GPO itself – this history of the Irish Post Office tells the story of our nation and its people in a unique and accessible way.
Download or read book Post Office written by Charles Bukowski and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2009-10-13 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Charles Bukowski’s classic roman à clef, Post Office, captures the despair, drudgery, and happy dissolution of his alter ego, Henry Chinaski, as he enters middle age. Post Office is an account of Bukowski alter-ego Henry Chinaski. It covers the period of Chinaski’s life from the mid-1950s to his resignation from the United States Postal Service in 1969, interrupted only by a brief hiatus during which he supported himself by gambling at horse races. “The Walt Whitman of Los Angeles.”—Joyce Carol Oates “He brought everybody down to earth, even the angels.”—Leonard Cohen, songwriter
Download or read book News in the Mail written by Richard Kielbowicz and published by Praeger. This book was released on 1989-12-11 with total page 234 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Until telegraph lines spanned the continent in the 1860s, the post office and the press worked together as the most important mechanism for distributing news and public information. Public policy linked these complementary communication agencies; the post office provided free and low-cost news-gathering services for the press as well as subsidized delivery of publications to readers. News in the Mail charts the relationship between the press and post office from colonial times through the Civil War. The book explains why the federal government underwrote the circulation of printed matter and how the postal policies governing public information reflected the cultural tensions of the early and mid-nineteenth century. News in the Mail not only looks at the government's role in disseminating news and promoting communication, but also examines the structure and implications of the early U.S. communication system. This book is a valuable source for those interested in journalism, communications history, the history of federal policies and operations, postal history, and nineteenth-century American social history.
Download or read book The History of the Post Office from Its Establishment Down to 1836 written by Herbert Joyce and published by Good Press. This book was released on 2019-12-06 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The History of the Post Office, from Its Establishment Down to 1836" by Herbert Joyce The Postal Service is one of the most essential branches of the government for everyday citizens around the world. However, its journey to evolve into its current form has been a long one. In this book, Joyce aims to educate readers on how the mail delivery service came to be, the steps it took to become more efficient and reliable, and what the future might have held for people in the 1800s.
Download or read book Post Office Reform written by Sir Rowland Hill and published by . This book was released on 1837 with total page 106 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Statesman s Year Book written by M. Epstein and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-12-28 with total page 1519 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The classic reference work that provides annually updated information on the countries of the world.
Download or read book The United States Postal Service written by United States Postal Service Staff and published by . This book was released on 2016-02 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Statesman s Year Book written by Mortimer Epstein and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-12-23 with total page 1480 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The classic reference work that provides annually updated information on the countries of the world.
Download or read book The Collectors Club Philatelist written by Collectors Club (New York, N.Y.) and published by . This book was released on 1926 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Vol. for 1928 includes translations from Khol's Handbook.
Download or read book The American Postal Service History of the Postal Service from the Earliest Times written by Louis Melius and published by . This book was released on 1917 with total page 122 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The History of the British Post Office written by Joseph Clarence Hemmeon and published by . This book was released on 1912 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Statesman s Year Book written by John Scott-Keltie and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-12-28 with total page 1521 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The classic reference work that provides annually updated information on the countries of the world.
Download or read book A History of Advertising from the Earliest Times written by Henry Sampson and published by Good Press. This book was released on 2023-10-31 with total page 484 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 'A History of Advertising from the Earliest Times' by Henry Sampson, the reader is plunged into a thorough examination of the evolution of advertising from its inception. Sampson meticulously details the various forms of advertising throughout history, from Ancient Mesopotamia to the present day, providing a comprehensive overview of this integral aspect of modern consumer culture. His scholarly approach to the subject matter is evident in his detailed research and academic writing style, making this book a valuable resource for anyone interested in the history and impact of advertising on society. Sampson contextualizes his analysis within the broader literary and cultural landscape, offering a fascinating glimpse into the role of advertising in shaping human communication and commerce. Henry Sampson, a respected historian and expert in the field of advertising, brings his wealth of knowledge and expertise to this seminal work. His passion for the subject is palpable in his engaging prose and meticulous attention to detail, making 'A History of Advertising from the Earliest Times' a standout contribution to the field of advertising studies. Sampson's unique perspective and insightful analysis make this book a must-read for scholars, students, and anyone interested in the fascinating history of advertising and its enduring significance in our daily lives. I highly recommend 'A History of Advertising from the Earliest Times' to readers seeking a comprehensive and insightful exploration of the history of advertising. Sampson's scholarly approach and thorough research make this book an essential addition to any library, offering a compelling narrative that sheds light on the evolution of advertising practices and their enduring impact on society.
Download or read book Bookseller and the Stationery Trades Journal written by and published by . This book was released on 1887 with total page 1136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Open Access written by Peter Suber and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2012-07-20 with total page 255 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A concise introduction to the basics of open access, describing what it is (and isn't) and showing that it is easy, fast, inexpensive, legal, and beneficial. The Internet lets us share perfect copies of our work with a worldwide audience at virtually no cost. We take advantage of this revolutionary opportunity when we make our work “open access”: digital, online, free of charge, and free of most copyright and licensing restrictions. Open access is made possible by the Internet and copyright-holder consent, and many authors, musicians, filmmakers, and other creators who depend on royalties are understandably unwilling to give their consent. But for 350 years, scholars have written peer-reviewed journal articles for impact, not for money, and are free to consent to open access without losing revenue. In this concise introduction, Peter Suber tells us what open access is and isn't, how it benefits authors and readers of research, how we pay for it, how it avoids copyright problems, how it has moved from the periphery to the mainstream, and what its future may hold. Distilling a decade of Suber's influential writing and thinking about open access, this is the indispensable book on the subject for researchers, librarians, administrators, funders, publishers, and policy makers.
