Awards

• Short-listed for National Book Critics Circle Award (Criticism) 2001

Overview

From Pierre de Fermat to Samuel Taylor Coleridge to Graham Greene, readers have related to books through the notes they write in the margins. In this pioneering book the first to examine the phenomenon of marginalia - H.J. Jackson surveys an extraordinary range of annotated books to explore the history of marginalia, the forms they take, the psychology that underlies them, and the reactions they provoke. Based on a study of thousands of books annotated by readers both famous and obscure over the last three centuries, this book reveals the intensity of emotion that characterises the process of reading. For hundreds of years, readers have talked to other people in the margins of their books - not only to authors, but also to friends, lovers, and future generations. With an infectious enthusiasm for her subject, Jackson reflects on the cultural and historical value of writing in the margins, examines works that have invited passionate annotation, and presents examples of some of the most provocative marginalia. Imaginative, amusing, and poignant, this book will be treasured by - and maybe even annotated by - anyone who cares about reading.

Full Product Details

9780300088168

Table of Contents

Reviews

A lucid and lively foray into the history of reading. Attacking a formidably long period and a remarkably wide range of materials, H.J. Jackson sheds new light on literary and intellectual history by showing how a diverse range of readers have reacted to and interacted with printed books. Jackson's book has no rivals and few counterparts. Anthony Grafton, author of The Footnote Jackson zooms in with forensic assiduity on the now no longer marginal subject of the physical annotation of books. Her study is an utterly fascinating blend of evidence and implication: we take away an almost visceral appreciation of the dynamics of reading. Sven Birkerts

Author Information

H.J. Jackson is professor of English at the University of Toronto.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available