Women's bookscapes in early modern Britain

Více o knize

In 16th- and 17th-century Britain, women engaged with books in distinctive ways, yet their reading practices and book ownership have been largely overlooked compared to men's. This collection of thirteen essays explores early modern British women's relationships with books through the lens of renowned scholars. Key questions addressed include the evidence of women's engagement with reading, how they utilized books for various personal and communal goals, and how new findings challenge traditional views on gender, knowledge, and sociability. The volume is structured into three parts: case studies of individual readers and their libraries, analyses of readership within interpretive communities, and new evidence—such as confiscated book lists and convent rules—along with innovative methodologies for research. The essays dismantle binaries between private and public spheres, as well as distinctions between reading and writing, and male and female literary production. This interdisciplinary collection offers fresh perspectives and significant contributions to the fields of early modern material culture, book history, women's literary history, library studies, and reading practices, making it a timely and cohesive resource for scholars.