James W. Watts is Professor of Religion at Syracuse University. He is the author of Understanding the Pentateuch as a Scripture (Wiley Blackwell, 2017) and the editor of Iconic Books and Texts (Equinox, 2013) and Sensing Sacred Texts (Equinox, 2018).

"This important collection of essays from James W. Watts fills in many gaps left by previous studies of books in general, and religious scriptures in particular . . . The wide range of topics addressed and examples used in this volume demonstrate its usefulness to scholars in multiple fields that deal with [sic] in how and why the phenomena of books and texts, especially those with the status of scripture, exert influence and authority in individual lives and social groups." --Parmenter, Dorina Miller, Anthropos, 115.2020

• Introduction The Iconic Books Project Chapter 1 How Books Matter: Three Dimensions of Scriptures Chapter 2 Iconic Books and Texts Chapter 3 Relic Texts Chapter 4 Iconic Digital Texts: How Ritual Makes 'Virtual' Texts Material Chapter 5 Desecrated Scriptures and the News Media Chapter 6 Ancient Iconic Texts Chapter 7 Rival Iconic Texts: Ten Commandments Monuments and the U.S. Constitution Chapter 8 Book Aniconism: The Codex, Translation and Beliefs about Immaterial Texts Chapter 9 Mass Literacy and Scholarly Expertise Chapter 10 Why Books Matter: Preservation and Disposal

James W. Watts is Professor of Religion at Syracuse University. He is the author of Understanding the Pentateuch as a Scripture (Wiley Blackwell, 2017) and the editor of Iconic Books and Texts (Equinox, 2013) and Sensing Sacred Texts (Equinox, 2018).

"This important collection of essays from James W. Watts fills in many gaps left by previous studies of books in general, and religious scriptures in particular . . . The wide range of topics addressed and examples used in this volume demonstrate its usefulness to scholars in multiple fields that deal with [sic] in how and why the phenomena of books and texts, especially those with the status of scripture, exert influence and authority in individual lives and social groups." --Parmenter, Dorina Miller, Anthropos, 115.2020

• Introduction The Iconic Books Project Chapter 1 How Books Matter: Three Dimensions of Scriptures Chapter 2 Iconic Books and Texts Chapter 3 Relic Texts Chapter 4 Iconic Digital Texts: How Ritual Makes 'Virtual' Texts Material Chapter 5 Desecrated Scriptures and the News Media Chapter 6 Ancient Iconic Texts Chapter 7 Rival Iconic Texts: Ten Commandments Monuments and the U.S. Constitution Chapter 8 Book Aniconism: The Codex, Translation and Beliefs about Immaterial Texts Chapter 9 Mass Literacy and Scholarly Expertise Chapter 10 Why Books Matter: Preservation and Disposal

James W. Watts is Professor of Religion at Syracuse University. He is the author of Understanding the Pentateuch as a Scripture (Wiley Blackwell, 2017) and the editor of Iconic Books and Texts (Equinox, 2013) and Sensing Sacred Texts (Equinox, 2018).

"This important collection of essays from James W. Watts fills in many gaps left by previous studies of books in general, and religious scriptures in particular . . . The wide range of topics addressed and examples used in this volume demonstrate its usefulness to scholars in multiple fields that deal with [sic] in how and why the phenomena of books and texts, especially those with the status of scripture, exert influence and authority in individual lives and social groups." --Parmenter, Dorina Miller, Anthropos, 115.2020

• Introduction The Iconic Books Project Chapter 1 How Books Matter: Three Dimensions of Scriptures Chapter 2 Iconic Books and Texts Chapter 3 Relic Texts Chapter 4 Iconic Digital Texts: How Ritual Makes 'Virtual' Texts Material Chapter 5 Desecrated Scriptures and the News Media Chapter 6 Ancient Iconic Texts Chapter 7 Rival Iconic Texts: Ten Commandments Monuments and the U.S. Constitution Chapter 8 Book Aniconism: The Codex, Translation and Beliefs about Immaterial Texts Chapter 9 Mass Literacy and Scholarly Expertise Chapter 10 Why Books Matter: Preservation and Disposal