University of Chicago Press: New Titles from 'British Library'

Sea Monsters on Medieval and Renaissance Maps

Chet Van Duzer — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 05:00:00 GMT

From dragons and serpents to many-armed beasts that preyed on ships and sailors alike, sea monsters have terrified mariners across all ages and cultures and have become the subject of many tall tales from the sea. Accounts of these creatures have also inspired cartographers and mapmakers, many of whom began decorating their maps with them to indicate unexplored areas or areas about which little was known. Whether swimming vigorously, gamboling amid the waves, attacking ships, or simply displaying themselves for our appreciation, the sea monsters that appear on medieval and Renaissance maps are fascinating and visually engaging. Yet despite their appeal, these monsters have never received the scholarly attention that they deserve.

In Sea Monsters on Medieval and Renaissance Maps, Chet Van Duzer analyzes the most important examples of sea monsters on medieval and Renaissance maps produced in Europe. Van Duzer begins with the earliest mappaemundi on which these monsters appear in the tenth century and continues to the end of the sixteenth century and, along the way, sheds important light on the sources, influences, and methods of the cartographers who drew or painted them.

A beautifully designed visual reference work, Sea Monsters on Medieval and Renaissance Maps will be important not only in the history of cartography, art, and zoological illustration, but also in the history of the geography of the “marvelous” and of Western conceptions of the ocean.

Charleston Bulletin Supplements

Virginia Woolf; Quentin Bell; Claudia Olk — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 05:00:00 GMT

In the summer of 1923, Virginia Woolf’s nephews, Quentin and Julian Bell, founded a family newspaper, The Charleston Bulletin. Quentin decided to ask his aunt Virginia for a contribution: “It seemed stupid to have a real author so close at hand and not have her contribute.” But instead of an occasional contribution, Woolf joined forces with Quentin, and from 1923 until 1927, they created booklets of stories and drawings that were announced within the household as Supplements. Written or dictated by Woolf and illustrated by Quentin, these Supplements present a unique collaboration between the novelist during her most prolific years and the child-painter. In Virginia Woolf, Quentin Bell found not only a professional author and an experienced journalist, but, above all, a close companion and conspirator who shared his irreverence and, more often than not, his mischievous sense of humor.

The Supplements are transcribed in full here for the first time alongside forty of Bell’s original illustrations. The articles describe the escapades of family members, household servants, and associates of the Bloomsbury Group, leaving nobody unscathed by the sharp wit of aunt and nephew. Designed to tease the adults, they portray Bloomsbury eccentricities along with the foibles and mishaps of the residents and visitors at Charleston. This is the first time the Supplements have been published since they were written, and will be welcomed by fans of Woolf and her circle.

Mughal India

J. P. Losty; Malini Roy — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Published to accompany a major British Library exhibition, Mughal India showcases the British Library’s extensive collection of illustrated manuscripts and paintings commissioned by Mughal emperors and other officials. Depicting the splendor and vibrant color of Mughal life, the exquisitely decorated works span four centuries, from the foundation of the Mughal dynasty by Babur in the sixteenth century, through the heights of the empire and the “Great” Mughal emperors of the seventeenth century, into the decline and eventual collapse in the nineteenth century.

The lavish artworks cover a variety of subject matter, from scenes of courtly life to illustrations of works of literature. The development of a Mughal style of art can be traced through the illustrations and paintings, as can the influence of European styles. Many of these works have never before been published, and combined here with the engaging narrative of two experts who place each image within its historical and art historical context, they serve to provide us with a beautiful and illuminating view of the art and culture of Mughal India.

Illustrating Shakespeare

Peter Whitfield — Wed, 15 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

For centuries, artists have been drawn to the plays of Shakespeare, translating his lines into brushstrokes and interpreting his characters and scenes in their own vision. From Henry Fuseli’s Macbeth Consulting the Vision of the Armed Head and William Blake’s Brutus and the Ghost of Caesar to Eugène Delacroix’s Othello and Desdemona and John Millais’s Ophelia, these works will forever influence our reception of the Bard.

In Illustrating Shakespeare, Peter Whitfield draws on an extraordinary array of historical evidence to chronicle the way artists have embraced Shakespeare over the years. Whitfield shows how some artists succeeded in capturing the psychological truth of the dramas, while others merely dressed them up to suit the taste of their time. In addition, he reveals how the history of Shakespearean art parallels that of theater production. The artistic tradition spawned by Shakespeare’s plays is extremely important to his legacy, making this gorgeous volume a must-read for scholars and fans alike.

Medieval Dogs

Kathleen Walker-Meikle — Wed, 15 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Perhaps at no other time in Western history have animals played such a dominant role in the visual and literary arts as they did during the Middle Ages. Animals were prevalent and essential in all aspects of medieval life, and as a result, they were employed by artists for a variety of purposes: to illustrate saint’s lives, populate farm scenes, act as characters in fables, and even crawl among the very letters forming the text. And while artists used a host of animals, both real and fantastic, for these purposes, one of the most popular animals was man’s best friend.

Dogs were as important to humans during the Middle Ages as they are today, and this new book celebrates that association through their appearance in medieval manuscripts. A follow-up book to Kathleen Walker-Meikle’s Medieval Cats, published by the British Library in 2011, Medieval Dogs presents a wealth of dog imagery from a variety of medieval sources and is peppered with fascinating facts about the medieval view of dogs and many stories of people and their pets in the Middle Ages.

Among the themes explored in the accompanying text are the roles of the medieval dog, dog breeds, dogs and saints, the names of dogs, canine faithfulness, veterinary care of dogs, dog feeding, the mourning of dogs and burial practices, and medieval poetry about dogs, with translations of some short poems included here. Medieval Dogs is sure to charm dog lovers and medievalists alike.

Spoken Word: Short Stories Volume 2

The British Library — Wed, 15 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Following the success of its first set of authors reading their own short stories, the British Library is proud to present a second volume featuring a further dozen stories. As before, the majority of the recordings take the form of historic broadcasts sourced from the BBC, to which a handful of rare live recordings have been added. The stories range from humorous anecdotes to more extended pieces investigating social issues, and the twelve authors include such prestigious names as Beryl Bainbridge, Julian Barnes, E. M. Forster, Alasdair Gray, W. Somerset Maugham, Sean O’Faolain, Harold Pinter, Alan Sillitoe, Osbert Sitwell, Rose Tremain, William Trevor, and Fay Weldon. All the recordings are being made available for the first time.

Old Man's Guide to Health and Longer Life

John Hill — Wed, 15 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Tho' vegetables may be thought innocent, there are many cases in which they prove hurtful.

Carrots are to be avoided, for no old stomach can digest them.

It isn’t fun getting old, but, as the joke has it, being old is better than the alternative. Most of us worry about getting older, and there is an endless supply of guides out there claiming to hold the tips that will ensure wellness and vitality during our golden years. But before Dr. Oz and protein shakes, aging men turned to physician John Hill and The Old Man’s Guide to Health and Longer Life.

First published in the mid-eighteenth century, The Old Man’s Guide to Health and Longer Life is a lifestyle guide to longevity and good health for old men. Written in an age when the majority of the population didn’t live to see their fortieth birthday, Hill’s book provides practical advice on diet, exercise, and lifestyle, including sleep and emotional health, as well as illuminating insight into the thinking on health and longevity in the mid-eighteenth century. Some of the more prescriptive advice has the hysterical tone expected from eighteenth-century guides and manuals—“The pine-apple, the most pleasant of all fruit, is the most dangerous.”—but more surprising is how full of genuinely good advice the book is and how much of it reads like modern-day health literature. This includes such insightful sayings as: “A warm bath and a glass of wine if you are having difficulty getting to sleep”; “Use medicines only as a last resort—address diet and lifestyle first to resolve illness”; and “Quiet, good humour, and complacency of temper will prevent half the diseases of old people; and cure many of the others.”

Full of both sage wisdom and what now seem ridiculous regimens, The Old Man’s Guide to Health and Longer Life will be the perfect gift for a man of more mature years.

Manuscript and Print in London c.1475-1530

Julia Boffey — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 05:00:00 GMT

What perceptions did people have of printed material after its introduction into England? How did these perceptions determine their own practices in dealing with books and documents—both as producers and consumers? In Manuscript and Print in London c.1475–1530, Julia Boffey explores the evolving relationship of Londoners with handwritten manuscripts and printed material after William Caxton’s establishment of a printing business at Westminster in 1476. Drawing from a wide range of surviving materials from the period, Boffey approaches textual production from the points of view of readers and writers, investigating the choices they made and shedding light on the different ways that both adapted to the availability of the new technology. Copiously illustrated with images from manuscripts and printed books, this volume will break new ground in the growing area of scholarship on print culture and the history of the book.

Medieval Flower Book

Celia Fisher — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 05:00:00 GMT

In our modern world, the spiny-stemmed flowers, intertwined leaves, and delicate pink blossoms of the rubus fruticosus, or common blackberry bramble, might catch the eye of the casual observer or weekend gardener. Pleasant, prolific, and decorative, plants like the blackberry are looked upon as sources for harvest, landscape, and visual pleasure. To the medieval and Renaissance artist, however, these botanicals were far more. Part of a richly symbolic visual language culled from the classical era, their exquisite depiction in illuminated manuscripts of the age evoked fertility, conjured bad dreams, and even aligned itself with ancient wisdom. The popular and enduring appeal of flowers in medieval art and literature extended beyond simple botanical illustration; instead, flowers helped to tell countless stories without words through potent symbolic imagery.

The Medieval Flower Book artfully presents an alphabetical collection of over one hundred of the major flowers that appear in medieval manuscripts—gathered with fascinating explanatory texts on their history, significance, and usage. The sumptuous reproductions that accompany each entry offer a visual reference to the symbolism of botanicals in medieval manuscripts that’s beyond breathtaking in its appeal. An introductory section explaining the ancient roots of practical horticulture’s expansion into cultural and spiritual realms not only places the volume in the context of gardening history, but gives the general reader insight into our enduring interest in these remarkable herbals.

Widely appealing to all of those interested in flowers and gardening, the horticultural historian, and the student of visual culture and medieval history, The Medieval Flower Book is a fascinating and important primer on the beauty and language of florals. Extensively ranging through the canon of medieval botanicals—from acanthus and anemones to violets and wallflowers—this volume is the perfect gift for anyone interested in blossoms and blooms, and should thrill the everyday gardener and art collector alike.

Puss in Books

Catherine Britton — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Whether it’s a piano-playing cat, a surprised cat, or one that’s just plain adorable, some of the most-watched online videos these days feature funny felines. And it doesn’t end there; cats are ubiquitous on the Internet, inspiring meme after meme, speaking their own language, and even prompting the launch of a new film festival. But the omnipresence of the cat in pop culture is not novel. Feline references date from before 2000 BC in ancient Egypt, and since the introduction of cats to Western households they have inspired writers and artists—from the scribe of the Lindisfarne Gospels to poets of the present day.

Puss in Books is a celebration of feline wit, intelligence, aloofness, and charm as presented through cats in books, with examples from literature, folklore, and popular culture. Among the selections included in this gorgeous volume are nursery rhymes (“Hey Diddle Diddle”and “Ding Dong Bell”); poetry by Thomas Gray (“Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat Drowned in a Tub of Goldfishes”) and T. S. Eliot (Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats); cats in fiction by Rudyard Kipling, Lewis Carroll, and Charles Dickens; and contemporary feline characters such as Splat the Cat and, of course, the ubiquitous Puss in Boots himself.

Wonderfully illustrated in color throughout, Puss in Books is an ideal gift for every cat lover.

Spoken Word: William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin

The British Library — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 05:00:00 GMT

The latest release in the British Library’s highly acclaimed Spoken Word series of authors in their own words, The Spoken Word: William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin is a rare collection of recordings featuring the American writer William S. Burroughs (1914–97) and the British-born artist Brion Gysin (1916–86), the man Burroughs credited with the invention of the “cut-up” literary technique. The centerpiece of the collection is a complete, previously unissued recording of Burroughs reading live in Liverpool in 1982. The disc also includes performances by Gysin of a selection of his “permutated poems,” as well as previously unheard home recordings made by the pair in Paris in 1970, all taken from tapes in the British Library collection.

English Manuscripts Before 1400

A. S. G. Edwards; Orietta Da Rold — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 05:00:00 GMT

The latest volume in the well-established English Manuscript Studies 1100–1700 series focuses on early English manuscripts copied before 1400. The thirteen essays demonstrate the complex multicultural and multilingual written culture of this period, examining works written in Old and Middle English, Latin, and Anglo-Norman. Contributors explore a variety of approaches to hitherto neglected topics, such as the historical and cultural importance of documentary records, from charters and forgeries to genealogical chronicles. Other essays examine aspects of the material book, addressing the function of script and illustration and the transmission of early texts into the Renaissance. Contributing scholars include Mark Chambers, Aidan Conti, Michael Gullick, Jennifer Jahner, Erik Kwakkel, Katherine Lowe, Andrew Prescott, Lucy Freeman Sandler, Philip Shaw, Don Skemer, Louise Sylvester, D. A. Woodman, and George Younge.

From Books to Bezoars

Michael Hunter; Alison Walker; Arthur MacGregor — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 05:00:00 GMT

This well-illustrated volume offers fresh perspectives on the great eighteenth-century physician, naturalist, and collector Sir Hans Sloane (1660–1753), whose extensive holdings formed the basis of the British Museum and its offspring, the Natural History Museum and the British Library. The colonial milieu within which Sloane operated gets prominence here, particularly the time he spent in Jamaica. Attention is paid to his enormous network of acquaintances and correspondents throughout the world as well as to the way his collecting activities permeated every aspect of his life. Other essays consider the museum specimens accumulated by Sloane—both natural and man-made—shedding new light on his aims for acquiring and organizing them. A fascinating look at the man behind three of the United Kingdom’s most famous museums, From Books to Bezoars will appeal to students and scholars of eighteenth century studies, early modern science, and the history of the book.

W. T. Stead

Roger Luckhurst; Laurel Brake; James Mussell; Ed King — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Among the hundreds who died when the Titanic sank in the north Atlantic Ocean on April 15, 1912, one of the most famous was William Thomas Stead, an English journalist and editor. An early pioneer of investigative journalism and one of the inventors of the modern tabloid newspaper, Stead was one of the most controversial figures of the Victorian era. His advocacy of “government by journalism” helped launch military and parliamentary campaigns, and his exposé of child prostitution in the “Modern Babylon” of London raised the age of consent to sixteen. But Stead was also a mass of contradictions: a campaigner for women’s rights, he was unnerved by the rise of the New Woman; an advocate of world peace, he promoted huge hikes in defense spending; a political radical and Christian, he was also a spiritualist who took dictation from the dead. This collection of essays, published to mark the centenary of Stead’s death, recovers the story of an extraordinary figure whose impact on modern culture and journalism can still be seen today.

Golden Age of Flowers

Celia Fisher — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 05:00:00 GMT

The seventeenth and eighteenth centuries witnessed a surge in the study of and interest in botanicals that led to some of the greatest books of plant illustration ever made, including such outstanding examples as the Hortus Eystettensis, work by Maria Sibylla Merian, Thornton’s Temple of Flora, Banks’s Florilegium, and Sibthorp’s Flora Graeca. Culled from these masterpieces of botanical art, this lavishly illustrated new book reproduces one hundred of the most beautiful flower images from this period.

As Celia Fisher explains, during this time several developments took place that led to a significant increase in the popularity and output of botanical illustration, including the revolution created by the advancement of metal engraving, the development of the new Linnaean system for classifying types of plants, and the epic voyages of discovery that recorded and collected the exotic plants encountered in remote, uncharted lands. The historical illustrations presented here are arranged in alphabetical order by flower with an accompanying text that outlines their geographic and botanical origins, the derivation of their names, and the properties for which they were most valued.

This beautiful and informative book will appeal to gardeners and flower lovers as well as readers interested in the history of botany and illustration.

Lives of the Mughal Emperors

John Reeve — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 05:00:00 GMT

One of the most powerful of all the world’s great dynasties, the Mughals ruled India for over three hundred years. Beginning in 1526, the first six emperors—Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb—invaded, lost, regained, and greatly expanded an empire that at its peak covered most of preindependent India. But the later rulers were seriously overstretched, increasingly lacking authority, resources, or ability, and by the time the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, was deposed in 1857, the once-great dynasty held power over just the Red Fort in Delhi.

In The Lives of the Mughal Emperors, John Reeve tells the individual stories of the Mughal emperors and other key officials through the art that was produced at the time. The Mughals were great patrons of the arts, and Reeve reveals them to be not only an enormously powerful dynasty but also one beset by problems of opium and alcohol addiction, brutal familial infighting, and territorial pressures from other political powers. A beautifully illustrated introduction to the Mughal period, this volume will appeal to anyone interested in how the Mughals built and then lost a great empire.

Revelations of a Lady Detective

William Stephens Hayward — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 05:00:00 GMT

In nineteenth-century London, middle-class women did not engage in what were seen as “unladylike activities.” There were many jobs that a woman simply could not be expected to do because they were viewed as unsuitable for finer female sensibilities. The idea of a woman being involved in the murkiness of criminal detection must have seemed a radical and adventurous one in Victorian times: women simply did not do that sort of thing. And yet, in 1864, to the delight of men and women alike, two male authors published novels starring a female detective.

William Stephens Hayward published Revelations of a Lady Detective just six months after Andrew Forrester’s The Female Detective (republished by the British Library in 2012), making Hayward’s the second novel ever published to feature a female detective. Hayward’s heroine, Mrs. Paschal, is a very different character from her predecessor, Forrester’s G. For a start, Mrs. Paschal is shown smoking on the front cover—an activity considered very modern and daring for women, even in the late nineteenth century. She is a widow, left close to financial ruin by the death of her husband, and supports herself through her detective work. This much racier female detective is however equally inventive, intuitive, and insightful, and with a Colt revolver in hand she works her way through a variety of cases involving theft, murder, and kidnapping.

This very rare novel will be welcomed by all fans of Victorian crime fiction.