This message is part of a thread on SHARP-L about how people actually read
(in the past or in the present) novels etc. issued in parts, or similar
serial publications. The reference to an article in "Library History" is
welcome, but I thought it also might interest lis-libhistorians generally.
Other examples could be sent to Jenny Hartley or to SHARP-L by those who
subscribe to that list.
Peter Hoare
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Peter Hoare, 21 Oundle Drive, Wollaton Park, Nottingham NG8 1BN
Tel/fax 0115 978 5297 E-mail [log in to unmask]
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Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2006 6:03 PM
Subject: Serials
Some intriguing issues and questions here.
Just how much readers retain between serial numbers - both in Victorian
times and now - is a good question And have such things changed?
An interesting article by M J Swanton on 'A Dividing Book Club of the
1840s' in Library History 9:3 and 4 shows part issues of Martin
Chuzzlewhit changing hands more than 30 times - so no back-reading for
those readers, as my own Little Dorrit reading group did a few years
ago. As for keeping the book alive through discussion: I was cheered to
hear 2 members of my group mulling over the book in the greengrocer's. I
also noticed that the older members of the group had the best memories.
My current students say they find a 5 week gap we've just had between
our sessions on Little Dorrit just too much, but are quite comfortable
with shorter gaps. Has anyone else experimented with part-reading?
Jenny Hartley
Roehampton University
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