19th century literature that you enjoy

[Danny]

Re: 19th century literature that you enjoy

I have finally gotten around to reading "Uncle Tom's Cabin." Being such a historically significant book, both to US hitory and the history of literature, I figured it was my duty to read it... It is something mid-19th century Americans would talk about, weither north or south.

David -

I agree it's a must-read for a living historian, but more because it gives us an idea of where the hearts and minds of the people were at that time, and in particular where the "Northern and righteous" heart and mind were. It was considered a National wake-up call and played no small part in bringing on the Civil War -- for us today to decide if that was justified at the time.

It's important in reading the book to understand that there is little in the book that was based on actual occurrences or first-hand knowledge of the South or of slavery. In fact the setting of the story was mostly based on hearsay, and that's the reason it so infuriated some at the time, while others were inspired well beyond actual justification.

BTW a pretty good story in any event, even by modern bestseller standards. Has interesting characters and plot twists and is not as "naive" as overly-intellectual critics would have it be.

- Dan Wykes

[Southernlady1862]

Re: 19th century literature that you enjoy

My period favorites are "The scarlet letter" ~Nathaniel Hawthorne, 1850. and "Pride and Prejudice" ~Jane Austen, 1813.

[KKS]

Re: Uncle Tom's Cabin

It's important in reading the book [Uncle Tom's Cabin] to understand that there is little in the book that was based on actual occurrences or first-hand knowledge of the South or of slavery. In fact the setting of the story was mostly based on hearsay, and that's the reason it so infuriated some at the time, while others were inspired well beyond actual justification.

This was an accusation aimed at Harriet Beecher Stowe when the book was first released. In response, she wrote A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin (published in 1853) in which she collected her research materials, including newspaper articles, books, letters, laws, and her personal observations. It is a very compelling and heart-wrenching read.

I would think it possible to trace back quite a few of her sources and check their validity, then or today. If her research has been discredited, I am not aware of it.

Kira Sanscrainte

[Professor Barclay]

Re: 19th century literature that you enjoy

My favorite is my 1st edition copy from 1866 of Dabney's book on Jackson! One of my heroes.

[Trish Hasenmueller]

Re: 19th century literature that you enjoy

Good to see you, Professor Barklay!

This is the funniest and best account of city life in 1857: The Physiology of New York Boarding Houses by Thomas Butler Gunn

http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/moa/pageviewer?root=%2Fmoa%2Fmono%2Fgunn0157%2F&tif=00003.TIF&cite=http%3A%2F%2Fcdl.library.cornell.edu%2Fcgi-bin%2Fmoa%2Fsgml%2Fmoa-idx%3Fnotisid%3DANY6384&coll=moa&frames=1&view=50

It's my favorite. At Shaker Village 2006 I used it to entertain Hank and Linda Trent for an entire weekend!

Trish Hasenmueller

[lisa]

Re: 19th century literature that you enjoy

Of course I could go on about any number of the above mentioned authors who I also love, but I will add a new one:

Try Margaret Fuller. She is not a novelist, although Summer on the Lakes, in 1843 has been considered to be slightly idealized rather completely factual. She is much overlooked and was one of the major contributors to the Transcendental movement and an editor of The Dial. Also her "book" Women in the Nineteenth Century (considered one of the first feminist tracts) is a must read for any living historian interested in a mid-century women.

Regards,

[Professor Barclay]

Re: 19th century literature that you enjoy

Good to see you, Professor Barklay!

Trish Hasenmueller

Well, hello to you, Miss Hasenmueller! I do hope you and yours are all doing well!

Your humble servant,
Professor Barclay

[Drygoods]

Re: 19th century literature that you enjoy

I think what people should do to get a real understanding of what people thought and read at the time would be to start thumbing the monthly magazines, and see what sort of comments and suggestions for reading are in the 'book review' section.

I'm currently working on a book lecture myself, and found this little bit in the Ladies Repository for 1859: "But leaving the statistics of the agregate sales of American books, it is wonderful to observe the issue of a few of the works but recently written and published. Of Uncle tom's Cabin, 310,000 copies had been sold two years ago; of The Lamplighter, 90,000; Shady-Side, 42,000; Fearn Leaves, 70,000; Hugh Miller's Works, 50,000; Sears's Wonders of the World, 100,000; Benton's Thirty Years' View, 2 vols. 8vo, 55,000; Harpers' Pictorian Bible, $20 a copy, 25,000; Kane's Arctic Explorations, 2 vols. 8vo, 65,000, paying $65,000 copy-right. Of Mitchell's Geography there is a probable issue of 1,000 per day; of Davies's Mathematical Series, and of Sander's Readers, each, 300,000 were circulated in 1857. Of Noah Webster's Elementary Spelling-Book, 35,000,000 copies have been sold, and its annual issue is over 1,000,000. Webster's dictionaries, of which there are eight abridgments, have had an aggregate sale of nearly 2,000,000; and about 100,000 of the Primary are sold annually." pg 546.

Mind you, I'm still working on tracking these numbers down from other sources, mostly to see if they agree with Littel's Living Age, and Hunt's Merchant Manual. And I know that these are numbers for two years prior to the war, but thought they might interest someone here who reads often. I wonder, are there any big book collectors in this forum?

[AZReenactor]

Re: 19th century literature that you enjoy

I had a little fun seeing which of these books are available online for those who don't buy books or own a library card. For those who have a library card and like the tactile experience of reading books, Google has a "Find this book in a library" feature which lets you find a physical copy quickly You can even search Alibris and ABE directly from the Google site. I don't own stock but do believe that Google books (and other repositories such as Making of America) has the potential of lifting eSearch to a whole new level that could even encourage people to go to the point of wanting to look at books, microfilm, and even archival resources. Not having a good library or copies of historic works is no longer a good excuse for poor scholarship. ;-)

April 22, 1862 “Reading Dumas’ Three Guardsmen.” (Edition not found but found an ad for it)
April 29, 1862 “reading Hallet’s military arts & science” [sic]
May 5, 1862 “reading ‘Alone’ by Harland” (Not available but found in book list)
May 8, 1862 “reading Hot Corn Life Scenes in N.Y.” [sic]
May 26, 1862 “reading ‘Three Beauties’”
June 1, 1862 “ready ‘Pictures in Italy’”
June 13, 1862 “reading Dickens’ ‘Pickwick Club’”
June 27. 1862 “Reading Tom Burk of Onrs by Charlie Lever.” [sic]
July 15, 1862 “Reading ‘Love me little love me long’ by _____ Reade”
Aug. 4, 1862 “Reading ‘Sam Slick’s nature & human nature’” [sic]
Feb. 14, 1863 “Reading Knowledge is Power by Knight” [sic]
Feb. 15, 1863 ”Reading the works of Josephus”
March 25, 1864”reading Jean Valjean by Victor Hugo.” [sic]
April 6, 1864 “Reading ‘Auro Floyd.”
April 8, 1864 “Reading ‘Misrepresentation.”
April 16, 1864 “Reading ‘Dante’”
April 22, 1864 “Reading ‘Henry Esmond’ by Thackeray.”
June 13, 1864 “reading ‘Memoirs of Napoleon’”

I'm currently reading an original copy of the 1863 book Drifting About by Stephen Massett and enjoying it very much.

[AZReenactor]

Re: 19th century literature that you enjoy

I feel pretty certain that it is most Likely Les Miserable that he is referring to. Keep in mind that he was reading a newly translated book from the French 1862 novel and not the popular Broadway production that is so much a part of our culture today.

[QUOTE
I’m curious about the “Jean Valjean” entry. Is that a book entitled “Jean Valjean” or is he referring to “Les Miserable”?

Perusing the Victor hugo website http://www.hugo-online.org/ The only references to Jean Valjean I could find were from "Les Miserable".[/QUOTE]

[AZReenactor]

Re: Uncle Tom's Cabin

Kira,
Good catch. A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin sounds like an interesting read for those on either side of the Abolition issue. I found a copy of it on Google books as well as a copy at my local University Library.

This was an accusation aimed at Harriet Beecher Stowe when the book was first released. In response, she wrote A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin (published in 1853) in which she collected her research materials, including newspaper articles, books, letters, laws, and her personal observations. It is a very compelling and heart-wrenching read...

It's important in reading the book to understand that there is little in the book that was based on actual occurrences or first-hand knowledge of the South or of slavery. In fact the setting of the story was mostly based on hearsay, and that's the reason it so infuriated some at the time, while others were inspired well beyond actual justification.

Danny, Please be careful with statements like this. We want to be careful to try and avoid re-arguing the politics and philosophies of history in this forum. The issues then aroused enough passion in people that they were willing to go to war killing one another rather than discussing and debating their points of view. We don't want pronouncements about who was or was not justified to lead us down those same paths today in this forum.

[Drygoods]

Re: 19th century literature that you enjoy

Mr. Groves,

I'm not sure yet about the Jean Valjean, and will look into that, however, one thing that I did discover and find interesting is that Godey's did not do a review of Les Miserable. We have several collections of monthly magazines, mind you, it has taken us years to get them all, but I find it very interesting to read each one monthly to see what reviews are simply copied or have slight alterations in the review. What is even more interesting are the long lists of books that arrive too late for review, or are listed simply as being refused.

Another thing that I would suggest if you truly want to get into the book market, find yourself an excellent antique book store, look around for them as some are often overpriced. But if you get a good rapport with the owners, often they will do their own book searches for you at no cost through their own private network of book dealers. It has helped me with research and over time, these folks became dear friends.

I purposely make myself read an hour to three a day, depending upon my mood and family obligations, but I find just that one hour quite rewarding. The downside is that as you get older you have to force yourself to exercise, and if your eyes go bad, it's REALLY tough to treadmill and read that antique tiny print.

Just a few days ago the AP ran a newspaper article about great book Destinations and their list of the best bookstores;

Books & Books - http://www.booksandbooks.com
City Lights Books -http://www.citylights.com
Elliott Bay Book Co - http://www.elliottbaybook.com
Politics and Prose - http://www.politics-prose.com/
Powell's City of Books - http://www.powells.com
Tattered Cover book Store - http://www.tatteredcover.com
That Bookstore in Blytheville - http://www.tbib.com
The Strand - http:www.strandbooks.com

some of these are very good stores for antique books. I remember the last time I was in Powell's I bought so many books that I had to drag them, and was there so long that I almost passed-out from fatigue and hunger, thank God for their restaurant.:wink_smil

[Drygoods]

Re: 19th century literature that you enjoy

Mr. Groves,
Well, my husband and I looked around into Jean Valjean, and came to the conclusion that it's probably a then,Reader's Digest version of Les Miserable. I'm not a VH fan, but Godey did give a decent review of his wife's book, Victor Hugo, By a Wistness to His Life (Madame Hugo) 1863.

Thumbing through my own list of book-notes, of Godey's review (some military related).....this might be of interest to those who want to know what the family read (again,in regard to military reviewed books), at any rate....here goes, a rather funky list;

instead of UTC, how about this one, does anyone know it? Black Diamonds, Gathered in the Darkey Homes of the South, by Edward A Pollard. "Presents the slavery question from a sourthern point of view." 1860 I've never found this one in ANY antique bookstore.

The Wild Sports of India: with Remarks on the Breeding and Rearing of Horses and the Formation of Light, Irregular Cavalry by Cap. Henry Shakespear, Commandant Nagpore Irregular Force. 1860 This one is far out there, but I've always wondered if it had anything that Americans in their tactics?

Camp and Outpost Duty for Infantryby Daniel Butterfield, Brigadier General of Volunteers. USA 1863.

The Story of the Guard: A Chronicle of the Present Warby Jesse Benton Fremont. 1863.
this actually got a second review due to it's popularity and later was printed in a "knapsack edition."

The Patriots and Guerillas of East Tennessee by Major J. A. Brents 1863.

Modern War: Its Theory and Practiceby Emeric Szabad, Capt. USA 1863.

Life In The Open Air, and other papers by Theodore Winthrop. "Humorous sketches entitled 'Love and Skates', 'NY 7th Regt, our March on Washington', and 'Washington as a Camp.' 1863

The Light and Dark of the Rebellion. "One of the many books to which the present war has given rise." 1863

Bivouac and the Battlefied; or Campaign Sketches in Virginia and Maryland by George F. Noyes, Capt. US Volunteers. 1863


Pretty amazing for a womens magazine eh? And they had far more than this.

[Hank Trent]

Re: 19th century literature that you enjoy

instead of UTC, how about this one, does anyone know it? Black Diamonds, Gathered in the Darkey Homes of the South, by Edward A Pollard. "Presents the slavery question from a sourthern point of view." 1860 I've never found this one in ANY antique bookstore.

Haven't read it, but here it is:

http://books.google.com/books?id=3VkSAAAAIAAJ

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

[AZReenactor]

Re: 19th century literature that you enjoy

Mrs. Peebles,
It is indeed interesting to see the amount of plagiarism that frequently occured in the 1860's and the book reviews sound most fascinating. It would do well for reenactors to be familiar with some of the popular liturature of the day..

I'm not so much about collecting historic tomes as accessing their contents. (That is why I am loving Google books lately, it is a heck of a lot cheaper to print out a PDF to read than it is to buy some of these rarer volumes. Plus I don't feel bad highlighting and writing in the margins.)

I have a few Select topics that I do collect books about (California Column, Far Western Theater during the Civil War, 8th Texas Cavalry, E Clapus Vitus, and period material culture references but aside from that our house only has room for so many books and I can't compete with the space required for Misty's cook book collection. Since I am usually looking for some rare book I found in a bibliography I often access search sites such as ABE, Alibris, or even Amazon Used books to track them down.

I have a few booksellers I consider to be friends but more archivists and librarians. I do enjoy frequenting used books stores to wander amongst the shelves and see what I can find on topics I haven't explored but I'm not really a serious book collector. The list of recommended bookstores is great to have but may be quite costly. I know it seems every time I have a few extra hours while passing through Portland I usually end up dropping a house payment at Powells. ;-) Next month is the Annual Phoenix VNSA used book sale here in Phoenix and I fear I may end up having to enclose the carport just to add more storage space for books. ;-)

That list of items being reviewed in Godey's is quite interesting. I'll have to add some of them to my reading list as well.

Considering the sheer length of Les Miserable's a digest version would make sense.

Mr. Groves,

I'm not sure yet about the Jean Valjean, and will look into that, however, one thing that I did discover and find interesting is that Godey's did not do a review of Les Miserable. We have several collections of monthly magazines, mind you, it has taken us years to get them all, but I find it very interesting to read each one monthly to see what reviews are simply copied or have slight alterations in the review. What is even more interesting are the long lists of books that arrive too late for review, or are listed simply as being refused.

Another thing that I would suggest if you truly want to get into the book market, find yourself an excellent antique book store, look around for them as some are often overpriced. But if you get a good rapport with the owners, often they will do their own book searches for you at no cost through their own private network of book dealers. It has helped me with research and over time, these folks became dear friends.

I purposely make myself read an hour to three a day, depending upon my mood and family obligations, but I find just that one hour quite rewarding. The downside is that as you get older you have to force yourself to exercise, and if your eyes go bad, it's REALLY tough to treadmill and read that antique tiny print.

Just a few days ago the AP ran a newspaper article about great book Destinations and their list of the best bookstores;

Books & Books - http://www.booksandbooks.com
City Lights Books -http://www.citylights.com
Elliott Bay Book Co - http://www.elliottbaybook.com
Politics and Prose - http://www.politics-prose.com/
Powell's City of Books - http://www.powells.com
Tattered Cover book Store - http://www.tatteredcover.com
That Bookstore in Blytheville - http://www.tbib.com
The Strand - http:www.strandbooks.com

some of these are very good stores for antique books. I remember the last time I was in Powell's I bought so many books that I had to drag them, and was there so long that I almost passed-out from fatigue and hunger, thank God for their restaurant.:wink_smil