Book of the month
Explore highlights from our collections, from the 15th century to the present day.
Pixy-Led: The Survival of Folklore in Anna Eliza Bray’s Tales
April’s Book of the Month delves into some of the mischievous tales of pixies that haunt Devon, as told by Anna Eliza Bray in her children’s book ‘A Peep at the Pixies’ (1854). Mrs Bray was a key figure in collecting Devon’s folklore and preserving the stories passed down through generations, inspired by both her husband’s personal experiences in Devon and iconic literary figures such as Robert Southey.
Welcome home little book!
March’s blog uncovers the story of François André Michaux's 'Travels to the west of the Alleghany mountains' (1805), which, in many ways, is bound up with the story of the library itself.
Adam Neale : A Scottish Doctor and Travel Writer in Devon
February's Book of the Month explores the life and works of Adam Neale, an early proprietor of the DEI. Neale lived in Devon for much of his life, between stints working abroad as a physician to the British forces. He wrote and illustrated two travelogues of Europe during the Napoleonic Wars, and presented copies to the Institution.
The meticulous Bidder
January's Book of the Month is a back to school special! Our library volunteer Edward Maunder has looked into the amazing story of George Parker Bidder, 'the celebrated mental calculator'. Born in Devon in 1806, by the time he was around eight years old his powers of mental arithmetic were so impressive that his father toured him around the country.
‘That hellish Gun-pouder treason’
As fireworks light up the night sky and we warm our hands on bonfires, November’s Book of the Month blog looks at the inclusion of Guy Fawkes and his fellow plotters in the 1641 edition of Foxe’s Book of martyrs.
Double, double toil and trouble
In July 2024, we were lucky enough to host three work experience students. As part of their placements, they looked through our collections for books about witches, in preparation for October's Book of the Month blog. Each used our library catalogue to locate a book that took their interest, carried out research and wrote up their findings.
N. T. Carrington, William Burt, and the Colonisation of Dartmoor
September's Book of the Month explores the connection between N. T. Carrington’s 'Dartmoor; a descriptive poem' (1826) and early nineteenth-century efforts to enclose and cultivate the moor.
Witness to the Western Rising
For August's Book of the Month, we look at John Hooker's eye witness account of the Western Rising of 1549, on the 475th anniversary of the rebellion.
Women’s Travelogues: Isabella Bird
In the final instalment of her special edition Book of the Month blog, Isabel Moon discusses Isabella Bird’s ‘A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains’ (1879). A prolific writer and […]
Women’s Travelogues: Harriet Martineau and Alison Carmichael
History MA student Isabel Moon has been exploring the works of the 19th-century women who feature in our Voyages and Travels collection. This is as part of an ongoing project […]
