Marshall McLuhan (1911-1980) was a professor of English literature who pioneered the study of media theory. His 1951 book, “The Mechanical Bride: Folklore of Industrial Man,” helped establish popular culture as a field of study, while 1962's “The Gutenberg Galaxy: The Making of Typographic Man” studies how communication technology (alphabetic writing, the printing press and modern electronic media) affects cognition and social organization. McLuhan gained widespread acclaim for his 1964 book, “Understanding Media,” where he sets out his belief that media—and not the content—should be the focus of study. The popular quote, “the medium is the message,” can be attributed to McLuhan.
