Friday, February 16, 2007

Links &c.

- If you find yourself in western Newfoundland in the very near future, you might discover a good book at an ongoing sale: the First United Church in Corner Brook is selling off the collection of English professor David Freeman, who died last summer. The sale, taking place at Freeman's house, will run daily for the next few weeks.

- Maybe Newfoundland's not for you? How about Byrn Mawr? They'll be hosting a lecture and reception on Thursday, February 22 to celebrate the college library's "recent acquisition of an early 15th-century manuscript that offers important insights into the role of women in late medieval Europe." Bert Roest of the University of Groningen will speak on The Perfect Life for Women: The Recourse to Jerome in the Spiritual Edification of Female Religious in Fifteenth-Century Italy.

- eNotes Book Blog points out an interesting article (with associated links that will occupy you for a while if you let them) about reading Harry Potter in translation. I've heard of at least a few folks doing this in order to learn/practice different languages.

- Our friend at Book World has been reading Sentimental Murder: Love and Madness in the Eighteenth Century (John Brewer) and has an excellent and detailed review. Definitely one I'm going to have to read!

- By way of followup to my AHA Dispatches post about the anti-war resolution that the membership will soon be voting on, the organization has announced a discussion forum where AHA members will be able to debate and comment on the resolution prior to the vote, which will begin on 1 March. I haven't had a chance to read any of the comments yet but look forward to joining the debate shortly.

- Richard Cox has some thoughts on a new book about the state of handwriting in the digital age. Unfortunately, it sounds like the kind of book that only the most dedicated will find readable: "many of the essays are deeply theoretical and quite dense, some reflecting what critics have complained of in facing the dense academic writing style that cuts off a broad readership’s benefits."

- Over at Book Patrol, Michael notes the rather steep technical requirements for viewing the BL's recently-announced digital version of a pair of da Vinci notebooks. No wonder I couldn't get it to work on my computer!

More later.