[MR] Book review: Women and Writing

[Garth G. Groff]

Noble friends,

Just in at the UVA Library: WOMEN AND WRITING, c.1340-c.1650: THE 
DOMESTICATION OF PRINT CULTURE, edited by Anne Lawrence-Mathers, 
Phillipa Hardman (ISBN9781903153321; our call #: ALDERMAN PR113.W658 2010).


In a literary world dominated by men, the role of women has been sadly 
overlooked. This interesting work explores women as both consumers and 
authors of books and other published works in late Medieval English 
literature, as well as their influence on publishing. Not surprisingly, 
some of the eleven articles focus on domestic works as might be expected 
to be read by women in an educated middle or upper class household. 
Other articles explore more literary topics such as translations and 
actual authorship. Some article titles include "Domestic Learning and 
Teaching: Investigating Evidence for the Role of Household Miscellanies 
in Late-Medieval England", "Domesticating the Calendar: The Hours and 
the Almanac in Tudor England", and " Fathers and Daughters: Four Women 
and Their Family Albums of Verse." The text is supported by six plates, 
sadly in black-and-while (some of the originals appear to have been in 
color), with the usual scholarly bibliographical references and index.

This is a book that could open new avenues of exploration for Scadians, 
both in the areas of persona building and scribal arts.

Kind regards,


Lord Mungo Napier, Shire of Isenfir's Unofficial Librarian
(mka Garth Groff, Cataloger, University of Virginia Libraries