I just finished Life and Letters of Erasmus by J.A. Froude. It was published by Scribner in 1927. My interest in Erasmus dates back a dozen years when I first The Age of Erasmus by Allen. I have since read a few other biographies as well as various studies. So, Froude went off the list and Edwards Libraries and Founders of Libraries moved up. I also have a particular fondness for essays and articles relating to old books. William Shaw published a volume called Selected Essays and Papers of Richard Copley Christie in 1902 that is packed with interesting articles on old book and bibliographical tidbits. Further down is Mark Pattison’s Essays edited by Nettleship which is basically the same type of reading as Christie. I also have an interest in American history and specifically Thomas Jefferson. I found a copy of Padover’s, A Jefferson Profile as Revealed in His Letters recently. This book and Edwards are left in the car for lunchtime reading. By the way, Pettegree’s The Library a Fragile History was added to the list this past weekend because I found a copy in a used bookstore. Pettegree is an excellent writer and I have several of his books.
3 thoughts on “My reading list, with room for changes.”
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Thanks. I have tried to be disciplined with my reading. But it’s not easy because I often find new interesting old books to read. And then there is the entertaining reading… I found a copy of Quotations from Charman Bill. The Best of Wm F. Buckley Jr, the other day. That is currently my breakfast reading…. So it keeps piling up.
Breakfast Reading? My you are disciplined. And, about ‘entertainment’ reading. That was what I disliked about college. Always having to read assigned books and not enough time for entertainment reading. Christmas and spring break were my time to find the fattest book I could, War and Peace was one I remember. I now have no discipline. Pick up a book here, put it down there, pick up another one.
That is quite the list! I am impressed not only with what’s on it, but that you’re disciplined enough to have a list. I am much more haphazard. My reading style would be best described as rabbit hole, or maybe Hansel and Gretel. A reference book in one leads to another….
With respect to Jefferson, one of my all time favorites is his Garden Book annotated by Edwin Betts. It includes diary entries, letters, reproductions of notes and drawings. I’ve not read it cover to cover but I enjoy skimming through it. Even just scanning down a few columns of the Index reveals what a Renaissance man he was.