Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
#socialhistory
review
swynn
post image
Pickpick

(2017) We think of reading as a solitary activity, but in eighteenth century England, reading was also a social one: families read together in the evening, friends read to one other, readers formed clubs to read aloud from novels, histories, and plays. William's study discusses the why, where, who, how, and what of reading in company and it's a fascinating world with very different habits of literary consumption.

Ruthiella A century later but Dickens is so good read out loud and I like to think of families of an evening gathering around to listen to the latest installment being read by a family member. 5d
MemoirsForMe Fascinating! 5d
swynn @Ruthiella I agree! As I was reading, I kept thinking about reading to my son at bedtimes, and how my parents read to us when my siblings and I were much younger. It's such a nice way to experience a book, and some books seem to be made for it. Why should it stop when you're old enough to read for yourself, I'd like to know? 5d
rwmg wishlisted 5d
27 likes2 stack adds4 comments
blurb
swynn
post image

Interesting: the 18th century book market saw a demand for “miscellanies,“ collections of choice excerpts from longer works.

Some critics at the time were concerned about the ruin of culture due to the new generation's education through shallow excerpts instead of longer texts. Three hundred years later I share their concern, but maybe it's just history rhyming again.

blurb
readingjedi
post image

I absolutely loved Scoff by the same author, so this was an essential purchase. Please excuse my avocado Oodie in the background - it's half-term here & we've been getting up late, hanging out in PJs and generally living our best lives!!!

67 likes1 stack add
review
Bookwomble
post image
Pickpick

Having opened her short review of English diarists by categorising them as bores, O'Brien proves to be a lively guide to those of us who omit no detail of an anecdote, commenting that those qualities which in person are deadly dull as we have no polite escape, in written form are fascinating as we have the choice of reprieve & of skipping over.
The only diarist I'm inclined to explore further is 19th century governess Ellen Weeton, though her 👇🏼

Bookwomble ... journals look hard to find and a bit pricey if located. Still, another author to hopefully chance upon when browsing 🙂
As for O'Brien, I really liked her voice and she's also now on my radar.
Overall, a satisfying and decorative little book 🩷📖🩷
(edited) 3w
36 likes1 comment
quote
Bookwomble
post image

"Let me begin with the hard saying that the best English diaries have been written by bores."

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

Anna40 😂 4w
inkilea That‘s a confident first line 😂 3w
Bookwomble @inkilea The first paragraph sold me. I really liked her voice, so I may latch onto one of her novels if I come across one. 3w
36 likes3 comments
blurb
Bookwomble
post image

A brief (48 pages) overview of some key diaries and journals from English history up to contemporary (i.e., 1943) times by Irish writer, Kate O'Brien.
It has 8 colour plates and 19 b&w illustrations, and is number 55 in an extensive series of books covering many aspects of English culture and history. Trying *very* hard for this series not to become a collecting "special interest"! ???

LeahBergen Ooo, I want this now! 😆 4w
Bookwomble @LeahBergen If you want to torture yourself with the full (I think) list of 135 titles, it's here on Library Thing: https://www.librarything.com/nseries/10382/Britain-in-Pictures 4w
LeahBergen Eek! There are several I‘ve already had my eye on. Are you trying to kill me? 😆 4w
See All 6 Comments
Bookwomble @LeahBergen What can I say? 🤷🏼‍♂️ Littens are co-dependent book enablers! 😁 4w
bibliothecarivs Thanks for making me aware of this series! 4w
Bookwomble @bibliothecarivs You're welcome 🤗 While I can't speak for the other 134 titles, I really enjoyed this one, and I think they'd be right up your street 🙂 3w
37 likes6 comments
review
TheEllieMo
Christmas: A Biography | Judith Flanders
post image
Pickpick

This book isn‘t perfect - it‘s organised chronologically so some aspects of celebrations are touched on more than once - but overall I enjoyed this trip through the development of Christmas traditions that brought us to the experience many of us, in the west, recognise as “traditional”.

blurb
thebacklistbook

I want to remind everyone at this time about special ballots and mail ins. These are never counted right away. Especially important for Pennsylvania and Michigan these two states are razor thin. And some of the states haven't finished their counts yet.
#uselection #americavotes

review
Michellesibs
post image
Mehso-so

This is as dry and long winded as you'd expect it to be (why would a politician use 5 words when they can use 50?), however Lammy is ultimately advocating for diversity and inclusion and I can get behind that (if he can get over his fat phobia - there's some odd weight comments floating around this book).

review
Centique
Christmas: A Biography | Judith Flanders
post image
Pickpick

Its not too early is it? I try and get a christmas history book from the library in Nov but theyre all booked out - so i grabbed this one early! Its a nice thorough little history - everything i wanted to know in 245 pages, without getting bored by too much detail. It was interesting to see how secular Christmas has been & how different periods have created a nostalgia for ancient traditions that are actually not old! ⬇️

Centique I liked that Flanders points out the consumerism & capitalism in a couple of places so that its not a saccharine read but a balanced one. 5mo
Ruthiella Halloween hasn‘t even happened yet! 🤣🎃 5mo
CarolynM Sounds interesting🙂 I‘ve sent you an email. 5mo
See All 10 Comments
Centique @Ruthiella i know right? 😂😂 I really was more interested in the nerdy history aspect than trying to get into the Christmas spirit! 5mo
Rissreadswithcats Yeah. I feel like giving Christmas a miss this year. I just can‘t be bothered! Think I‘ll treat it as just another day this year. 🤣 5mo
Centique @Rissreads fair enough! Or make up your own christmas tradition that is something you want to do for yourself. 💕😘 If this book taught me anything its that communities/media/monarchy etc have all changed the way we celebrate Christmas over the years to suit current “cultural” priorities anyway - like the focus on children and presents is relatively new. 5mo
Rissreadswithcats Really the only tradition we have is a swim at the beach in the morning. 5mo
Suet624 Ugh. I have to get through thanksgiving first. Then I have to figure out how to tell my kids that I‘m basically going to buy gifts just for my grandkids. But ice skating, hot chocolate, goofy movies and lots of laughter and hugs is my idea of a great Christmas. 5mo
Centique @Suet624 fair enough! We told the grandparents years ago to only buy for the grandkids. I hate to see the waste from too much spending and also the burden it can become. Much better to focus on doing things together. Your idea of a great christmas sounds wonderful! 5mo
Centique @Rissreads that sounds like a lovely tradition! We started a tradition that we have a platter of cheeses and salmon and bread and things just for 2 ppl for either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Nice bits and pieces without having to cook! 5mo
54 likes10 comments