Marshall McLuhan

Marshall McLuhan was a Canadian philosopher, professor, and public intellectual who made significant contributions to the study of media theory and communications. He is best known for coining the expressions 'the medium is the message' and 'global village,' and for predicting the World Wide Web almost thirty years before it was invented. His work is viewed as a cornerstone in the study of media theory, and he remains a prominent figure in media discourse.

Books

This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.

  1. 1. The Medium Is The Massage

    Cover of 'The Medium Is The Massage' by Marshall McLuhan

    "The Medium Is The Massage" explores how media, more than the content it carries, influences and shapes human perception and society. The book argues that each medium, independent of content, creates a new environment that alters our sensory balance and social dynamics. It emphasizes that the medium through which we receive information—be it print, television, or radio—plays a crucial role in shaping our experiences and understanding of the world. The work is a seminal exploration of media theory, famously coining the phrase "the medium is the message," to highlight the profound impact of the medium itself over the content delivered through it.

    The 3266th Greatest Book of All Time

  2. 2. Understanding Media

    Cover of 'Understanding Media' by Marshall McLuhan

    The book is a seminal work in media theory that explores the profound effects of different communication technologies on human thought, behavior, and society. The author argues that the medium through which information is conveyed is just as important, if not more so, than the content of the information itself. This concept is encapsulated in the famous phrase "the medium is the message," which suggests that the characteristics of the medium influence how the message is perceived and understood. The book examines a wide range of media, from the spoken word to the printed word, to television and beyond, and posits that each medium, by its very nature, shapes and controls the scale and form of human association and action.

    The 4904th Greatest Book of All Time