Handwritten: Remarkable People on the Page

The Bodleian Library's collection of handwritten treasures offers a glimpse into the lives and relationships of remarkable individuals from the second century BCE to the present, including Elizabeth I, Alan Bennett, Henry Moore, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin, Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë, Arthur Conan Doyle, Raymond Chandler, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Emmeline Pankhurst, Florence Nightingale, Mohandas Gandhi, Walter Ralegh, T.E. Lawrence, and Patrick Leigh Fermor.

Format: Hardback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 26 October 2023
Publisher: Bodleian Library

The less handwriting becomes a part of our daily routine, the greater its allure grows. This remarkable collection from the Bodleian Library presents a fascinating glimpse into the lives of remarkable individuals through their own handwritten documents. Spanning from the second century BCE to the present day, these writings shed light on personal experiences and relationships. We witness Elizabeth I's attempts to win over her new stepmother, Alan Bennett's exploration of Mr. Toad's character, Henry Moore's advice on soap and water for cleaning sculptures, and Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin's juggling of childcare with her groundbreaking discoveries in penicillin. Within these pages, you will discover a treasure trove of letters, first drafts, autograph albums, hastily scribbled notes, fair copies, marked-up proofs, and doodles. Organized into thematic categories, the entries feature renowned novelists such as Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Raymond Chandler; renowned scientists like Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and Albert Einstein; influential reformers like Emmeline Pankhurst, Florence Nightingale, and Mohandas Gandhi; and adventurous explorers like Walter Ralegh, T.E. Lawrence, and Patrick Leigh Fermor, among many others. Each of these extraordinary individuals has left behind a manuscript or document that holds a captivating story within its pages.

Weight: 1282g
Dimension: 251 x 195 x 33 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781851245956