This open access book points out the pivotal role of lists in the production of knowledge, the poetics of literature and the composition of visual art; reaching across disciplines as well as centuries. Lists help accomplish great things. They have been a mainstay of arts and sciences since earliest times, yet their epistemic, literary and visual affordances remain to be acknowledged. This edited volume attempts to show that an examination of the list’s formal features has the potential to produce genuine insights into the workings of culture(s). Following a conceptual introduction, the twelve single-authored chapters place the list in a variety of well-researched contexts, including ancient Roman historiography, medieval painting, Enlightenment periodical essays, nineteenth-century botanical geography, American Beat poetry and contemporary photobooks. With its interdisciplinary approach, this book is a unique contribution to an emerging field dedicated to the study of lists.weiterlesen