Featured book: Dying for Victorian Medicine

I'm highlighting this book purely because I know a few people who might be interested in the topic.  And because of the image on the cover.  So if you are interested in Victorian history, human dissection, medical history, or public health history, have a look at this book!  You can even preview the book online here.

Featured book: The Works of Elizabeth Gaskell

I am delighted to announce the recent addition of this new edition of the complete works of Elizabeth Gaskell .

The library already owns all of her published works, of course, but this particular edition, like most scholarly editions, provides something more than just the text of her works.

Published by Pickering & Chatto and under the general editorship of Joanne Shattock, this set provides the text of Gaskell's novels, novellas, journalism and celebrated Life of Charlotte Bronte, but does so with full academic additions by way of scholarly introductions, comprehensive footnotes to the texts, bibliographies and appendices with additional materials such as illustrations from original printings. The journal Choice awarded the set with their highest distinction: a review grade of Essential, and listed it as an Outstanding title.

For anyone studying the works of Gaskell, this set represents the best possible text from which to work.

Featured new book: Handbook of Medieval Studies

We're big fans of monumental works of scholarship here at the Kelvin Smith Library, so when a title like the Handbook of Medieval Studies: Terms, Methods, Trends arrives, we can't help but be excited.

This three volume, 2,736 page reference work edited by Albrecht Classen, provides summary articles on all aspects of medieval studies in several categories: first are articles on "main topics and debates" within the field; then a section on important terms and textual genres; finally is a biographical section of key figures in medieval studies from 1650 to 1950.  For anyone with an interest in the field, this handbook will prove invaluable for providing context related to all aspects within medieval studies.

The set has connections to CWRU: Professors Elina Gertsman (Art History) and Florin Berindeanu (Classics) are both contributors to the Handbook.

The volumes reside in the Kelvin Smith Library's Core Reference collection, on the first floor of the library.  For those on the CWRU campus or using an authenticated connection to our network, the publisher also provides electronic access to the essays in the volume.

Happy Birthday, Charles Dickens

February 7, 2012 is the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens.

Dickens was a gregarious man and loved the company of friends.  One gets the sense that he would enjoy a big party on his birthday, as indeed he enjoyed frequently throughout his life.

The passage of time and the marking of annual events features largely in his work.  We see Scrooge decrying the celebration of Christmas as a time to find another year has passed and us not a penny richer.  We see Pip on his birthday, visiting Miss Havisham for his birthday coin, and coming into his own great expectations as he becomes an adult and the wards of Chancery Richard and Ada sneaking off to marry privately on her twenty-first birthday.

This quote from Barnaby Rudge shows one side of how Dickens felt about growing older:

Many happy returns to The Inimitable!

And now a few links to but a sampling of the many celebratory features debuting in this his bicentenary year:

• Google Doodle for the day, with cartoon versions of characters from his works.
• The British Library's Dickens in Context site.  The "context" material is fascinating, but also watch the readings by Simon Callow in each section, like this one of him reading the scene of the death of Nancy from Oliver Twist.
• How about a "fiendishly difficulty birthday quiz"?  Have at it!
• And here, another video featuring the great Simon Callow, taking us on a tour of Dickens' London.

Featured book: The Letters of Ernest Hemingway, volume 1

The publication of Ernest Hemingway's letters is a major literary moment, and one which Papa himself may not have wished to occur.  Undertaken by Cambridge University Press, volume 1, covering the years 1907 through 1922, has been published to much fanfare and with great interest.  This story from the Chronicle of Higher Education (potential paywall) explains some of the background of the publication, and includes interesting commentary from Hemingway's son Patrick.

This book trailer gives a bit more information about the publication of his letters:



Among my favorite are those sent to family and friends from fishing trips in remote Upper Peninsula Michigan.  From August, 1919, Ernest writes to friend Howell Jenkins (p. 203):

Jock and Al Walker and I just got back from Seney.  The Fox is priceless... The little Fox is about the size of the Black and lousy with them.  Jock caught one that weighed 2 lbs. 15 and a half inches.

The Fox River went on to be immortalized in his short story "Big Two-Hearted River."

Dickens Bicentennial Celebrations Warm Up

The year 2012 marks the bicentennial of the birth of Charles Dickens, and the literary world has already begun the celebrations.


This week in the Guardian newspaper, there are several features worth noting.

• First, a poll in which readers can select their favorite novel.  Simon Callow picks Nicholas Nickleby, what's your favorite?
• This is the first of three walking tour podcasts, in this case following the route of Oliver Twist as he enters the Great Metropolis and follows his adventure through to the courtroom of Mr. Fang.
• A second podcast features a visit to the Charles Dickens Museum on Doughty Street, and a conversation with Claire Tomalin about her newly published biography of Boz.
• A colorful interactive chart of characters from Dickens' work featuring the illustrations of Chris Riddell.

I'm sure the Guardian will be adding more interesting features to their site, as will others.

Lexicographical Essays from the OED

The Oxford English Dictionary is the grand-daddy of lexicographical achievements, describing how words in the English language have been used over time by means of quotations from publications.  In addition to owning print copies of the first and second editions, we are fortunate to have a campus-wide subscription to this wonderful resource.  In the past year, the OED Online has made a number of improvements to the online version of their indispensable publication, which now includes timelines for each word and links to the Historical Thesaurus of the OED, as well as more specialized dictionaries for non-modern meanings of words.

In addition to the content of the dictionary, the OED website includes many other features that may be of interest to the lexicographically curious reader.  In particular, note the short but fascinating essays by the editors of the Dictionary, for example John Ayto on 20th century English or David Crystal on the influence of the King James Bible on our language or Robert McCrum on entries using P. G. Wodehouse's works.

There is even a series of YouTube videos on a variety of topics related to the Dictionary.  Ever wonder how entries are researched?  Check it out on YouTube!

To keep up with what is new about this ever-changing publication, you can follow the OED Online on Twitter.