Book of the month

Explore highlights from our collections, from the 15th century to the present day.

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.