The book traces activity and event was a very good experience, as it not only gave us information and an idea on past cultures, it also gave us insight on individuals. Books are very powerful as they have the ability to help us learn, find new perspective, and relate to the reader. Many, if all the writing we came across in the old books were things the writer was going through at the time; and the story or poem spoke exactly to their situation.
During the introduction of last class, one of the writings was in a poetry book. Throughout the book, we could see texting before technology as a woman and a man were having a conversation with one another and taking pieces of poems to tell how they felt about each other. They had a system of passing the book back and forth. unfortunately, it didn’t end happily ever after as we were able to see the relationship crumble and not in a way the public needed to see. That however is was makes it fascinating is that many of the books had sentimental value to the owner. Whether it was something passed down in the family, a gift from a friend or loved one, or just a personal scrape book. At the time of writing whatever came to mind at that moment, there was no thought of having random eyes on it. These books ended up having strangers read them because the owner has passed and now there belongings are sold and given away.
Some other material we came across during the hands on activity was a book called “Reveries of a Bachelor.” The notes we found were from an older gentleman wishing for the old days of being a bachelor. The end of the second Reverey was a poem he wrote about being a sad man with no one to care for him. The end of the book had notes of the man talking to other men who had the same feelings. Another book had writing on every page as they changed the story into a satire.
During the event, a lot of what Andrew Stauffer presented was share in class like the amount of hair and flowers were left in books. Placing locks of hair in books was a common practice in the 19th century. It could have been a bookmark, or just a place to store a piece of life. Flowers were also assumed to be forgotten bookmarks. Others were botany samples as the 19th century was very floral; used on covers of most anthologies. Some new information was they found was a memorial for Annie Dearing of the John Dear family where they botanical insertion and notes from a religious text. Another book discussed was called “Songs of Seven” which is about a woman’s life every seven years until age 49. The book was given to a child at the age of seven and was marked up by the person that gave it to her to indicate the next stage of life. What was also cool to find out was it gave a voice to women who weren’t able to publish during that period.
“Books have an afterlife and changes the future culture. Material books will always be relevant.” Andrew Stauffer