THE READING ROOM: EXPLORE
Writers and readers live in interconnected worlds. The databases in "The Reading Room" expand our understanding of literary praxis by meshing information about women readers and the texts they read arranged by author, title, and genre. These databases connect a study of texts to an analysis of their material forms and history of their uses. They indicate how texts are open to re-use and re-interpretation. "The Reading Room" offers a variety of routes to a broad range of women readers, both as individuals and as members of reading communities. It allows for the mapping of different forms of reading, from private and contemplative to oral and communal. Although not all readers become writers, "The Reading Room" deepens an understanding of the ways acts of reading can change, shape, and direct lives.
While authors in the book-form history series are key contributors to these tables, we welcome comments and additional suggestions from website visitors.
[ the reading room database is under construction ]