• Welcome! The TrekBBS is the number one place to chat about Star Trek with like-minded fans.
    If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

janeway and Books

Six of Twelve

Captain
Captain
A few times, we see Janeway reading hardback print books.

I can't see print books being readily available in her time, so it can't be a simple matter of her preferring print books to readers, as it is for some people today. Nor would I think she own many print books, but the ones we see might be some sort of family heirloom. So, her reading print books on the show seems to be an odd quirk of hers, something like someone today regularly reading papyrus scrolls. I watched the TNG episode Darmok today and at the end, it showed Picard reading a book of mythology from a tablet type device, which makes Janeway's print books seem even more quaint.
 
But, still, an odd quirk for someone who would have grown up without them being anything other than an antique item.
Maybe, but even in the world of Trek there are people who still like to do things "the old fashioned way". We've seen people cooking from scratch when there are replicators available and such.
 
I would think I'd want a replicator but really I don't buy food appears out of thin air. Maybe my mind is too small like Davinci is in the 24th cent. It just sounds like supreme fake food and synthetic food isn't well absorbed so good thing they have great medicine. My logic is wrecking the fun out of wanting a replicator. ;)
 
I would think I'd want a replicator but really I don't buy food appears out of thin air. Maybe my mind is too small like Davinci is in the 24th cent. It just sounds like supreme fake food and synthetic food isn't well absorbed so good thing they have great medicine. My logic is wrecking the fun out of wanting a replicator. ;)
It doesn't appear out of thin air. It takes matter from another location and changes it into whatever you want. There is bulk matter storage for replicator use.
 
Janeway bought all those books at a rummage sale held by the grandchildren of that lawyer from "Court Martial."
 
I wanna say there was an episode where she is putting books back in the replicator for recycling. Likely one of the eps where they've taken a lot of damage and need the material for more important things.
 
I wanna say there was an episode where she is putting books back in the replicator for recycling. Likely one of the eps where they've taken a lot of damage and need the material for more important things.
Fair Haven ...
And she did so presumably because those books reminded her too much of how unreal her relationship with Michael Sullivan was.
 
Fair Haven ...
And she did so presumably because those books reminded her too much of how unreal her relationship with Michael Sullivan was.

Yeah, that's probably it. I know she meant to recycle the watch Chakotay gave her before the Year of Hell.
So many instances of lack of resources.
 
A few times, we see Janeway reading hardback print books.

I can't see print books being readily available in her time, so it can't be a simple matter of her preferring print books to readers, as it is for some people today. Nor would I think she own many print books, but the ones we see might be some sort of family heirloom. So, her reading print books on the show seems to be an odd quirk of hers, something like someone today regularly reading papyrus scrolls. I watched the TNG episode Darmok today and at the end, it showed Picard reading a book of mythology from a tablet type device, which makes Janeway's print books seem even more quaint.

It's really not that much of a stretch.

Printed books have lasted for centuries, they aren't something that is just a passing fad. Your 'papyrus scolls' analogy isn't really accurate as books have existed for a long time: there is a current museum exhibition here in the UK with a book on display from the 8th century [that's over 1200 years old]. In comparison to, say, television - printed books are very, very old. Even today, E-readers/kindles are widespread and yet people still read books. I read often and prefer physical books as opposed to digital versions [and I'm in my 20's with 2 degree's!] so I can imagine in a paltry 300 years, some people still preferring physical books.

From a technical standpoint, it is probably incredibly simple to just replicate a book. And she likely spends days at computer screens/reading PADD's. I can see why people in the 24th century may still prefer physical books.
 
It's really not that much of a stretch.

Printed books have lasted for centuries, they aren't something that is just a passing fad. Your 'papyrus scolls' analogy isn't really accurate as books have existed for a long time: there is a current museum exhibition here in the UK with a book on display from the 8th century [that's over 1200 years old]. In comparison to, say, television - printed books are very, very old. Even today, E-readers/kindles are widespread and yet people still read books. I read often and prefer physical books as opposed to digital versions [and I'm in my 20's with 2 degree's!] so I can imagine in a paltry 300 years, some people still preferring physical books.

From a technical standpoint, it is probably incredibly simple to just replicate a book. And she likely spends days at computer screens/reading PADD's. I can see why people in the 24th century may still prefer physical books.
Yes, I know printed books go back to the time of Gutenberg's Bible and did not require a history lesson

And yes many people TODAY, still prefer printed books, but that's because they are what we grew up with and are familiar with. But Janeway didn't grow up in the 20th century, nor does she live in 2016, so it doesn't make sense that she would have the same sensibilities as people do now. She grew up in the 24th century, when people read from tablet type devices and print books are antique curiosities and expensive collector's items and seen behind glass cases in museums.

Her print books are part of a Trek trope of characters just loving stuff from the 20th century: Tom's 1950s TV and his 1930s style Captain Proton, his 1969 Camaro, Sisko's cooking, Kirk's reading glasses, Riker playing 20th century jazz on his trombone. Even. Zefrem Cochrane's favorite music being late 50s,early 60s rock and roll from a vintage juke box is anachronistic, considering the music was a hundred years old at the time of First Contact. That would be about as likely as someone's favorite music now being popular music from World War I. Possible, but unlikely. And unlikely that so many characters would pick the same century.

I don't include classical music in this, as there's a reason it's called classical, so the classical concerts on Enterprise D don't fall into this trope, nor, I think, does Kim's clarinet playing, as I think his tastes leaned toward the classical style, including the piece he was composing in that one episode.

I do, however, cut Janewau a bit of slack for being a history buff who enjoys historical reenactment. I was surprised that she apparently knows how to write in cursive, as she seemed to be doing in that episode where she was writing her log by hand in the daVinci program. Some schools are phasing out cursive even now, so if the trend continues, few people in the 24th century will possess this skill.
 
And he only cooks Hungarian food when he is in a really good mood. Should that make me proud? :devil:
As for Janeway and books I always thought she was reading those on the Fair Haven episodes because they helped her identify with 19th century Ireland.
I have no idea why she read them on other episodes. I guess for nostalgic reasons.
 
Yes, I know printed books go back to the time of Gutenberg's Bible and did not require a history lesson

And yes many people TODAY, still prefer printed books, but that's because they are what we grew up with and are familiar with. But Janeway didn't grow up in the 20th century, nor does she live in 2016, so it doesn't make sense that she would have the same sensibilities as people do now. She grew up in the 24th century, when people read from tablet type devices and print books are antique curiosities and expensive collector's items and seen behind glass cases in museums.

Well that history lesson was valid: you liken Janeway reading a book to someone now reading papyrus scrolls. But papyrus scolls are very, very old in comparison to 2016 whereas books are still current, thus by 237X books actually won't be that old. Books are still being printed in the billions here on Earth in 2016, they are still in widespread use throughout universities, schools, libraries, peoples homes....when exactly do you reason that physical books will cease to be common-place? That, I think is the fallacy in your argument.

We have nothing to suggest that by the 24th century books are even uncommon [never mind extinct!]. We never see Earth [in any substantial way], all we really see are Starfleet ships and the use of PADD's. It doesn't necessarily mean that books are in any way niche, or absent. The second part I have bolded is an entire fabrication on your part, I.E it is what you assume is the case but we do not know any of that. When is it said on-screen that books are anitques relegated to museums? That is entirely supposition on your part. In fact, if we make a further leap, when Picard is shown to be reading books, none of his senior staff ask what the paper/leather object in his hand is. They all recognise the object as a book: this implies that they are familiar with it in a way someone born in 2050, first seeing a quil, would probably not be.

This page on Memory Alpha is dedicated to the subject and has many examples I had forgotten: Dr Crusher references books, Archer is shown to have books in his ready room etc.
 
If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Sign up / Register


Back
Top