The social life of books
Subtitle: reading together in the eighteenth-century home
By: Abigail Williams
Series: Lewis Walpole series in eighteenth-century culture and history; Lewis Walpole series in eighteenth-century culture and history
Publisher: Yale University Press
Published: 2017
Language: eng
Number of pages: 351
ISBN-13: 9780300208290
Copyright date: 2017
Subjects: Books and reading; Sociological aspects; Families; History
Description: "A vivid exploration of the evolution of reading as an essential social and domestic activity during the eighteenth century. Two centuries before the advent of radio, television, and motion pictures, books were a cherished form of popular entertainment and an integral component of domestic social life. In this fascinating and vivid history, Abigail Williams explores the ways in which shared reading shaped the lives and literary culture of the time, offering new perspectives on how books have been used by their readers, and the part they have played in middle-class homes and families. Drawing on marginalia, letters and diaries, library catalogues, elocution manuals, subscription lists, and more, Williams offers fresh and fascinating insights into reading, performance, and the history of middle-class home life"--
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 279-340) and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction : Home improvements; title: How to read; title: Reading and sociability; title: Using books; title: Access to reading; title: Verse at home; title: Drama and recital; title: Fictional worlds; title: Piety and knowledge.