Reading History in Early Modern England (Cambridge Studies in Early Modern British History)
Cambridge University Press
Edition: Illustrated, 1/18/2001
EAN 9780521780469, ISBN10: 0521780462
Hardcover, 380 pages, 23.2 x 15.8 x 2.6 cm
Language: English
This book focuses on the 'after-life' of historical texts in the period between the arrival of printing in England and the early eighteenth century. Whereas previous studies of historical writing during this period have focused on their authors and on their style or methodology, this work examines the history book from a number of other perspectives. The intent is to situate the study of history books within the current literature on the history of the book and the history of print culture. After discussing the process whereby the inheritance of the medieval chronicle was broken down into a variety of different historical genres during the sixteenth century, the author turns to the questions of how and why history books were read, who owned them, the borrowing and lending of them, their production and printing, and methods for marketing and distributing them.
Introduction
1. The death of the chronicle
2. The contexts and purposes of history reading
3. The ownership of historical works
4. Borrowing and lending
5. Clio bound and unbound
6. Marketing history
Conclusion
Appendix A
A bookseller's inventory, c. 1730
Appendix B
History by auction
auction sale catalogues 1686–1700.