Book of the month
Explore highlights from our collections, from the 15th century to the present day.
‘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 […]
Women’s Travelogues: Elizabeth Caroline Johnstone Gray and Amelia Blandford Edwards
In the first of a special edition three-part Book of the Month, history MA student Isabel Moon explores the works of the 19th-century women who feature in our Voyages and […]
The Folklore of Cornwall (1975): Exploring the Tradition and Legacy of Cornish Folklore
For March's Book of the Month, library volunteer Mela Moseley delves into our modern South West collection to discuss Tony Deane and Tony Shaw's The Folklore of Cornwall (1975). Continuing in the tradition of the Victorian folklorists who first began to document the mythology of the region, Deane and Shaw combine anthropological research with engaging storytelling. The result is a detailed exploration of Cornish legend which remains a valuable resource for those interested in the subject.
Captain John Cooke: ‘a public character and John Bull tradesman’
Amber Flood has written about some works relating to Captain John Cooke for February’s Book of the Month. This piece focuses on Cooke’s 1819 pamphlet titled “Old England For Ever” […]
Feeding the Victorian Invalid: Sarah Sharp Hamer’s Diet and Cookery for Common Ailments (1894)
For January’s Book of the Month our Library Assistant Fiona Schroeder discusses Sarah Sharp Hamer’s Diet and Cookery for Common Ailments (1894). This interesting volume, written under the pseudonym ‘Phyllis […]
