Bad Books: On the Value of Error and Imperfection
The second in our series of Special
Collections lunchtime lectures will take place this Wednesday Nov. 5th with
"Bad Books: On the Value of Error and Imperfection" by Dr.
Justin Tonra from the English Dept.
In comparison with the fluid and ephemeral electronic texts of our digital age, early printed books (1450-1850) often bear visible traces of how they were made, where they have been, and how they were used and received - and perhaps more obviously when they contain errors or imperfections. This talk will examine a number of bad books from NUI Galway’s Special Collections, arguing that they possess a fruitful and productive individuality which can allow us to better understand and appreciate their value, and the wider history of books.
In comparison with the fluid and ephemeral electronic texts of our digital age, early printed books (1450-1850) often bear visible traces of how they were made, where they have been, and how they were used and received - and perhaps more obviously when they contain errors or imperfections. This talk will examine a number of bad books from NUI Galway’s Special Collections, arguing that they possess a fruitful and productive individuality which can allow us to better understand and appreciate their value, and the wider history of books.
.JPG) |
| A confident printer of Oliver Goldsmith's Poems and plays (London, 1780) |
Some of our bad books will be on
display during the talk.
All are welcome to the G011 Seminar Room in the Hardiman
Building at 1pm.
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