Understanding MediaUnderstanding Media
Score Classic
What it's about
Marshall McLuhan argues that the form of a medium matters more than its content: "the medium is the message." Examining everything from print, photographs and television to roads, clothing, money and weapons as extensions of the human body and senses, he shows how each new technology reshapes how we think and live.
Why it's worth reading
It's on TIME's list of the 100 best nonfiction books, and its ideas, including the "global village," predicted the internet age decades early.
You'll love it if you liked
The Age of Surveillance Capitalism
The Death and Life of Great American Cities
A Room of One's OwnGood to know
It's dense, aphoristic and sometimes baffling. It's best read a chapter at a time, and its big ideas are easy to grasp even if the details aren't.
By the numbers
- Readers86 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics59 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller10 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking
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Quick answers
Is Understanding Media worth reading?
Yes. It's on TIME's list of the 100 best nonfiction books, and its ideas, including the "global village," predicted the internet age decades early. It ranks #423 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 79.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Understanding Media about?
Marshall McLuhan argues that the form of a medium matters more than its content: "the medium is the message." Examining everything from print, photographs and television to roads, clothing, money and weapons as extensions of the human body and senses, he shows how each new technology reshapes how we think and live.
How long does it take to read Understanding Media?
About 10 hours (396 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Understanding Media?
If you liked it, try The Age of Surveillance Capitalism by Shoshana Zuboff, The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs or A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf.